Lightroom files not showing all files on new laptop...Everything shows on Desktop

[Luc-Richard]

I operate off an external hardrive on my desktop. I recently brought a laptop to so I could bring my files home and work from there. But when I plug my hard drive into my laptop not all the files are showing up and none of my catalogs are there.

Or any of my lightroom settings

 

[clee01l]

Welcome to the forum. Check this link (It is the same location for LR6 too) to find the default locations for all of your critical LR files.
Where to find preference files for Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5

Your catalog file needs to be on the EHD along with your image files . The default location is in your pictures folder on your primary hard drive. Also the EHD works best to share the LR catalog file and images if the home and office OS are both OS X or both Windows. Is this the case?

 

[Luc-Richard]

Both computers are OS X and both are operating the most updated version of LRCC

What I am doing now is copying the current EHD onto a new EHD ( I needed a back up and Didnt have one).

I was told I need to transfer my whole catolog to new HD. When I was in school I was able to launch LR directly my EHD from any computer. I no longer need to do that because I have my own computers now.

 

[clee01l]

So, is the catalog file on the EHD that you are opening at home? Is LR looking for the catalog file on the EHD? You may need to navigate to the EHD and find your catalog file using the "Open Catalog" function. Since you have two EHDs, LR will have stored the Volume name as a part of the path to the images in there catalog file. Unless you have named the Volumes identically, LR will not be able to initially find your image files even if you get LR to find your catalog file on the EHD.

To verify that catalog name and path on both computers, do this:
In LR, open the Catalog settings to the "General" tab
Verify the Location and the Filename fields shoe the correct path and name of you catalog file.