LR not opening/ Windows

[paigew]

I have windows 8 and have been using LR4(.4?), today...just now it just stopped working. It won't open at all. I tried re installing it from the adobe website. The install wizard did the 'repair' but still nothing :/ What should I do?? I'm so happy this conveniently happened right when I needed to finish up on a session :/

 

[paigew]

Okay I am still having this issue I haven't been able to access LR since Friday. I have reinstalled, unistalled, repaired. LR just won't open! There is no error code, everything else on my computer is working fine! Any ideas??

 

[BillM]

Take a look at this thread, there may be some help there ?

Adobe Community: Both Lightroom 4 and 5 won't open. Help Please.



The following fixed the problem:
1) Open the start menu in Explorer: "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs".
2) Open the properties of "Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4.4" (via context menu).
3) Set Compatibility to Windows 7.

Now I am able to bring the Lightroom Window to the front.

 

[paigew]

Thanks Bill :/ Tried that but it didn't work Someone on the adobe forum told me to delete the preferences file (and linked me here) but I'm not sure I really understand it. And I'm kinda scared to go around deleting stuff

 

[KmH]

If LR won't open and you re-installed it, you don't really have any other options than deleting the Preferences settings file.

But first, if you haven't already, run your virus and malware applications to make sure that's not why LR won't open.

 

[paigew]

Thanks Keith. What does deleting the preference file do exactly? What is in the preference file? All my edits? I did run all my virus software etc. Everything is clear.

 

[The_Traveler]

Thanks Keith. What does deleting the preference file do exactly? What is in the preference file? All my edits? I did run all my virus software etc. Everything is clear.

No, your preferences file is just the setting you have about cursor type, where files go, etc. It has nothing to do with prior edits.
Sometimes a faulty startup will stay in memory and keep another start from happening.
If you hibernate or sleep your computer then the faulty startup will still be there.
Have you shut off or restarted your computer?

If the PC is running and LR hasn't started, press Ctrl Alt Del and select Task manager.
Click on processes tab and, if any Lightroom tabs are running, click on the and 'close process tree.'

See how that works.

 

[KmH]

In LR and Photoshop you set Preferences under the Edit tab > Preferences.
A common setting that causes start up issues directs LR or Photoshop to the file that contains whatever plug-ins you have installed.
But since you can't get the application to start, you can't check to see if that link has become corrupted.
The only way you have to reset all the preferences back to their defaults is to delete the preferences settings file and re-start the application.

Otherwise, contact Adobe.

 

[paigew]

Thanks Keith. What does deleting the preference file do exactly? What is in the preference file? All my edits? I did run all my virus software etc. Everything is clear.

No, your preferences file is just the setting you have about cursor type, where files go, etc. It has nothing to do with prior edits.
Sometimes a faulty startup will stay in memory and keep another start from happening.
If you hibernate or sleep your computer then the faulty startup will still be there.
Have you shut off or restarted your computer?

If the PC is running and LR hasn't started, press Ctrl Alt Del and select Task manager.
Click on processes tab and, if any Lightroom tabs are running, click on the and 'close process tree.'

See how that works.

Screenshot (42) by paige_w, on Flickr

end task?

and yes I had recently restarted it :/ Since then I have restarted and shut down multiple times

 

[The_Traveler]

yes end task

 

[The_Traveler]

Now find the preferences file and delete it, that hurts nothing.
then try restarting LR.

Preferences

C:\Users\[user name]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Lightroom\Preferences\Lightroom 5 Preferences.agprefs

 

[paigew]

Okay well that didn't work :/ I guess I will delete the preference setting file. But I am going to let my husband do it when he gets home. I get so nervous deleting files. I am such a visual person I need picture steps LOL.

 

[paigew]

how do I locate the preference file? is it in here? Screenshot (43) by paige_w, on Flickr

 

[The_Traveler]

You run LR on a catalog on Google Drive?

Has that worked before.

It looks like the catalog is seen as open; see the 'locked' file and the 'conflict' file and trying to be accessed by another instance of LR.

I would try renaming both the 'locked' and 'conflict' file with a new prefix - and then try opening LR.

I would never put the running version of my catalog on the cloud. Backup there yes but run from there, no.
Access and speed issues.

 

[paigew]

Yeah I have been running it off google drive for about a year and it works great for me. So if your hd crashes you will loose your catalog. All you will have is backed up files? You will loose all your organization, tags, edits? Is that right, since your catalog isn't backed up? I couldn't do that!! I am about to change to crashplan because google drive is getting expensive at 20$ a month. I know a lot of photogs use that. I really don't know what to do. I don't like external drives. I have had multiple issues with them that resulted in lost files.

So you suggest just rename the file...like put (1) on the end?