Why does iPhoto give me this error when opening it " Your photo library is either in use by another application or has become unreadable"

Good Day. I have been trying to open my iPhoto and i keeps giving me the following error message " Your photo library is either in use by another application or has become unreadable " Then it suggests I push the Option and Command button at time of opening iPhoto and the 4 options given do not work as well. My operating system is OS X Vers 10.8.5. Not sure the iPhoto application as it won't open for me to tell.
Pls help . Im afraid of losing all my pics.

Make a back up now. If you have any vaule in Your photos always have a back up.
Most Simple Back Up
Drag the iPhoto Library from your Pictures Folder to another Disk. This will make a copy on that disk.
Slightly more complex:
Use an app that will do incremental back ups. This is a very good way to work. The first time you run the back up the app will make a complete copy of the Library. Thereafter it will update the back up with the changes you have made. That makes subsequent back ups much faster. Many of these apps also have scheduling capabilities: So set it up and it will do the back up automatically. Examples of such apps: Chronosync or DejaVu . But are many others. Search on MacUpdate
In Library Manager the Rebuild command is under the File menu. There's also an excellent Help available.
Regards
TD

Similar Messages

  • When I open iphoto I get an error message that says Your photo library is either in use by another application or has become unreadable,

    when I open iphoto I get an error message that says Your photo library is either in use by another application or has become unreadable, I have tried restarting computer and opening iphoto whilst holding down option and command key, but then I get the following message-Your photo library is damaged or unreadable and cannot be opened. Please restore from a backup.  Please can anyone help?

    Make a back up now. If you have any vaule in Your photos always have a back up.
    Most Simple Back Up
    Drag the iPhoto Library from your Pictures Folder to another Disk. This will make a copy on that disk.
    Slightly more complex:
    Use an app that will do incremental back ups. This is a very good way to work. The first time you run the back up the app will make a complete copy of the Library. Thereafter it will update the back up with the changes you have made. That makes subsequent back ups much faster. Many of these apps also have scheduling capabilities: So set it up and it will do the back up automatically. Examples of such apps: Chronosync or DejaVu . But are many others. Search on MacUpdate
    In Library Manager the Rebuild command is under the File menu. There's also an excellent Help available.
    Regards
    TD

  • My iPhoto is not working, it says this when i open it "Your photo library is either in use by another application or has become unreadable"

    My iPhoto is not working, it give me the message i listed in the question. help me fix it so i don't lose all my photos!!

    so i don't lose all my photos!!
    Make a back up now.
    Most Simple Back Up:
    Drag the iPhoto Library from your Pictures Folder to another Disk. This will make a copy on that disk.
    Slightly more complex: Use an app that will do incremental back ups. This is a very good way to work. The first time you run the back up the app will make a complete copy of the Library. Thereafter it will update the back up with the changes you have made. That makes subsequent back ups much faster. Many of these apps also have scheduling capabilities: So set it up and it will do the back up automatically.
    Example of such apps: Chronosync - but there are many others. Search on MacUpdate or the App Store
    Then:
    Option 1
    Back Up and try rebuild the library: hold down the command and option (or alt) keys while launching iPhoto. Use the resulting dialogue to rebuild. Choose to Repair Database. If that doesn't help, then try again, this time using Rebuild Database.
    If that fails:
    Option 2
    Download iPhoto Library Manager and use its rebuild function. (In early versions of Library Manager it's the File -> Rebuild command. In later versions it's under the Library menu.)
    This will create an entirely new library. It will then copy (or try to) your photos and all the associated metadata and versions to this new Library, and arrange it as close as it can to what you had in the damaged Library. It does this based on information it finds in the iPhoto sharing mechanism - but that means that things not shared won't be there, so no slideshows, books or calendars, for instance - but it should get all your events, albums and keywords, faces and places back.
    Because this process creates an entirely new library and leaves your old one untouched, it is non-destructive, and if you're not happy with the results you can simply return to your old one.  
    Regards
    TD

  • When I open iphoto the following message appears 'Your photo library is either in use by another application or has become unreadable'

    when I open iphoto the following message appears 'Your photo library is either in use by another application or has become unreadable'

    Reboot you system, if you have not already done so - this should take care of the "in use by another application" part of the message.
    If the problem persist you will need to create a new library or to repair your library, or to restore it from your backup.
    If you do not yet have any images in your iPhoto Library simply move it to the Trash and hold down the option-key while launching iPhoto again. This will give you the option to create a new iPhoto Library or to pick another one, if you have other libraries.
    To fix your current library, or to restore it from backup, if you already have pictures inside that you need to save, see Terence Devlin's posts here:
    Re: Why do I keep getting asked to repair my iPhoto library?
    Re: when I open iphoto I get an error message that says Your photo library is either in use by another application or has become unreadable,
    Regards
    Léonie

  • Received message: your photo library is either in use by another application or has become unreadable". How do I fix this???

    iPhoto will not open.  "Your photo library is either is use by another application or has become unreadable.  Shut down & restart your computer….".  I did this and it still will not open.  Any suggestions on how to fix this?

    Do the following:
    1 - launch iPhoto with the Command+Option keys held down to open the First Aid window. Be sure to follow the circled recommendation in the screenshot.
    2 - Run Option #4, Rebuild Database.

  • Hi, I have a brand new imac which i got today and when I open Iphoto all i get is the error message "Your photo library is either in use by another application or has become unreadable" any ideas? thanks

    Hi, I have a brand new imac which i got today and when I open Iphoto all i get is the error message "Your photo library is either in use by another application or has become unreadable" any ideas? thanks

    Are there photos in the Library? If not then just trash it and launch iphoto. It will make a new one.
    If there are pics in it then Download iPhoto Library Manager and use its rebuild function. This will create a new library based on data in the albumdata.xml file. Not everything will be brought over - no slideshows, books or calendars, for instance - but it should get all your albums and keywords back.
    Because this process creates an entirely new library and leaves your old one untouched, it is non-destructive, and if you're not happy with the results you can simply return to your old one.  

  • I get this message when I try to open iphoto: Your photo library is either in use by another application or has become unreadable. What can I do?

    I get this message when I try to open iphoto: Your photo library is either in use by another application or has become unreadable. What can I do?

    restart your system
    if that does not resolve it backup youoriPhoto librtary, depress the option and command keys, launch iphoto and rebuild the database
    also report the version of iPhoto and on the OS please
    LN

  • When I open iPhoto this appears- "Your photo library is either in use by another application or has become unreadable" I have not used iPhoto before on this computer. I downloaded iPhoto Library Manager as suggested but nothing happened. What should I do?

    When I open iPhoto this appears- "Your photo library is either in use by another application or has become unreadable" I have not used iPhoto before on this computer. I downloaded iPhoto Library Manager as suggested but nothing happened. What should I do?

    I think the usual advice is to use the Rebuild command in Library Manager.
    Regards
    TD

  • IPhoto Start Error: Your photo library is either in use by another application or has become unreadable

    Having the same issues with iPhoto as an OP in another thread. When I try to start iPhoto I get the following error, "Your photo library is either in use by another application or has become unreadable."
    I have tried rebuilding the database with no joy to resolving the issue. The library has not been moved to another drive so I have not bothered with the "LockId" process someone recommended.
    Following the instructions provided by Linc Davis in another thread....
    Command Line In Terminal: "find ~ $TMPDIR.. \( -flags +sappnd,schg,uappnd,uchg -o ! -user $UID -o ! -perm -600 \) 2>&- | wc -l | pbcopy"
    I get the following response.
    319
    Does anyone have suggestions for what I can do to get iPhoto back up and running?
    SYSTEM:
    Hardware: iMac9
    OSx Version: 10.6.8

    Went thru the "rebuild library" process again. This time I selected to rebuild the library from an automatic back up. When I did that a screen came up saying "Upgrade or Quit - The photo library needs to be upgraded to work with this version of iPhoto". I selected Upgrade and everything seems fine now.
    Not sure why anything would require an upgrade as I haven't done anything to upgrade iPhoto. Hope this is not a virus.
    My Mac seems really slow. If anyone can recommend a cleanup process, I'm interested in going that route.
    Thanks for the help here on the community forums!

  • When I start my iPhoto it says: "Your photo library is either in use by another application or has become unreadable". I don't have a back-up of my library and I don't know what to do! Thanks

    When I start my iPhoto it says: "Your photo library is either in use by another application or has become unreadable". I don't have a back-up of my library and I don't know what to do! Thanks

    Try to restart your Mac. If the library is really in use by another application, that can clear it.
    Tell us more about your system. Which version of iPhoto are you using? Which version of MacOS X?
    Where are you storing your iPhoto Library?
    What happened before this problem first started? Did iPhoto crash? Did you move the iPhoto Library somewhere else?
    Try Terence Devlin's fix here:   Re: IPHOTO LOCKED
    Go to your Pictures Folder and find the iPhoto Library there. Right (or Control-) Click on the icon and select 'Show Package Contents'. A finder window will open with the Library exposed.
    Look there for a file called ‘iPhoto’Lock.data or similar. Drag it to the Desktop. Make no other changes. Start iPhoto. Does that help?

  • I was editing photos in my iphotos and it says Your photo library is either in use by another application or has become unreadable on me.  I shut down my computer and when I restarted I can not access my photos, it keeps giving me

    I was editing photos in my iphotos and it froze on me.  So I shut down my computer and when I restarted I now can not access them.  It says Your photo library is either in use by another application or has become unreadable.  What can I do to fix this?

    What you're describing is the Finder window for your external hard drive.  When you're in iPhoto and try to edit a photo what happens?
    Are you saying that the photos for your iPhoto library are located on the external HD while your library is in the Pictures folder on the boot drive? That would indicate a referenced library.  You can check to see if you're running a referenced library by checking the Advanced Preference pane in iPhoto:
    Click to view full size
    So based one the Advanced preference pane in iPhoto what type of library are you running. Where is the library itself located?  It should look like this:
    By default it should be located in your Users/Home/Pictures folder. However, it could be run on an external HD.

  • How do you fix this error?  Can't access photos Your photo library is either in use by another application or has become unreadable

    How do you fix this error?  Can't access photos----" Your photo library is either in use by another application or has become unreadable"

    Try this:  launch iPhoto with the Option key held down and create a new, test library.  Import some photos and check to see if the same problem persists. If you can create and use a new library then your current library is damaged.
    If that's the case make a temporary, backup copy (if you don't already have a backup copy) of the library and apply the two fixes below in order as needed:
    Fix #1
    Launch iPhoto with the Command+Option keys held down and rebuild the library.
    Select the options identified in the screenshot. 
    Fix #2
    Using iPhoto Library Manager  to Rebuild Your iPhoto Library
    Download iPhoto Library Manager and launch.
    Click on the Add Library button, navigate to your Home/Pictures folder and select your iPhoto Library folder.
    Now that the library is listed in the left hand pane of iPLM, click on your library and go to the File ➙ Rebuild Library menu option
    In the next  window name the new library and select the location you want it to be placed.
    Click on the Create button.
    Note: This creates a new library based on the LIbraryData.xml file in the library and will recover Events, Albums, keywords, titles and comments but not books, calendars or slideshows. The original library will be left untouched for further attempts at fixing the problem or in case the rebuilt library is not satisfactory.
    OT

  • How do I re-open and get back into my iPhoto if this message appears: "Your photo library is either in use by another application or has become unreadable"? What do I do?

    How do I re-open and get back into my iPhoto if this message appears: "Your photo library is either in use by another application or has become unreadable"? What do I do?

    Rebuild your iPhoto Library:
    iPhoto 6 and later: Rebuilding the iPhoto library

  • I have my iPhoto set to an external drive yesterday when it was in use the usb disconnected i now have a message saying (your photo library is either in use by another application or has become unreadable) I have tried shutting down and restarting.

    I have my iPhoto set to an external drive, when it was in use the usb disconected as i was moving my mac air, when i re-conected a message said (your photo library is either in use by another application or has become unreadable).
    I have tried shutting it down and then re opening iPhoto but get the same message.
    The reason for the external drive was there was not enough room on my hard drive, I have around 7000 photos on it.
    is there a simple fix?
    Regards
    Dale

    These are your options:
    1. Restore the iPhoto library from the most recent backup that predates the issue.
              Advantages: Always works, if library damage is causing the problem and the backup is intact.
              Disadvantages: Impossible if you don't have a backup. All changes made since the backup are lost.
    2. Repair or rebuild the library. Be sure to back it up first.
              Advantages: May solve the problem with no loss of data.
              Disadvantages: May fail. May take a long time if the library is large.
    3. Scavenge the library with a third-party application called "iPhoto Library Manager," which you can find in a web search. From the application's menu bar (not the iPhoto menu bar), select Library ▹ Rebuild.
              Advantages: All images and albums should be preserved.
              Disadvantages: All books, calendars, and slideshows will be lost.

  • After a power failure while iPhoto was running, I get the message "Your photo library is either in use by another application or has become unreadable"  and iPhoto will not open????

    After a power failure while iPhoto was running, I get the message "Your photo library is either in use by another application or has become unreadable"  and iPhoto will not open???? held down the option and the command and tried to run what was ticked off and it just sits there with a spinning wheel and does nothing, can I throw the app away and download a new one? or will it still not open?

    , can I throw the app away and download a new one? or will it still not open?
    You could, but the error message is indicating that your iPhoto library needs repairing.
    Check, if iPhoto will run, if you launch it on a new library. Hold down the alt/option key, while you launch iPhoto. Select to create a new library from the panel that will show. Can you create a new library? If yes, try again to fix the library. Which options have you tried from the Library First Aid panel, when you launched iPhoto with the option and command key held down?
    If you have not tried "Rebuild"; do that next. But be sure to make a backup of your iPhoto library, before you try this.

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