Any way to repair a corrupt iphoto library?

iPhoto seems to hang on startup because the library appears to be corrupt. What's the procedure to rebuilt the library?
Thanks,
Dwight

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 Library Manager it's the FIle -> Rebuild command)
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

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Easiest way to recreate a corrupt iPhoto library without loss of metadata?

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Looking carefully at the FAQ, it looks like it will make all of my referenced libraries (the majority of them) into managed libraries. I either have to give in to managed libraries and let ILM do everything (which I do not like, as I frequently access photos from other programs, plus I do not trust iPhoto or ILM to be around as long as I or someone else may wish to access my photos); or cave in to the not-so-siren call of a more professional library manager like Aperture.
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I really want a photo manager that will be infinitely flexible, not touch my original image data unless I deliberately take things to photoshop, but attach metadata like title, keywords, and descriptions permanently to the images for archiving--not just keep them in a propietary database; not lose track of photos when I need to move them to long-term backup or get confused by multiple duplicate backup drives; and allow me to access images from other programs ideally without having to open the photo manager every time; and is broadly enough used and supported to ensure that new versions will be available for the long term, or that migration assistants will be available for the next great thing. And I want perpetual motion and world peace too.

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I've spent the last few days trying to fix my corrupt iPhoto library. Pictures I've imported in the last month are no longer visible within iPhoto (I get the exclamation point and the triangle). The imported pictures are stored in the iPhoto library, where they should be, i.e. using the year/month/day file system, so I haven't lost them, but iPhoto can't see them. I've done the following;
Used the rebuild function when launching iPhoto
Repaired permissions, both when launching iPhoto and using Disk Utility
Ran iPhoto Library Manager to create a new library
Downloaded Aperture - but it was too much of a resource hog to be used effectively
Backups using Time Machine
I know I'm not supposed to alter the iPhoto library file in any way, but I'm not sure how to get the program to recognize those photos without reimporting them and then having two copies taking up space. iPhoto Library Manager didn't do anything other than shrink my picture size by about 500, but I'm not sure how confident I am that other photos weren't "missed" by that program, since it missed the last 400 pictures that were in the iPhoto library file. Any suggestions on next steps would be appreciated.

Try these in order - from best option on down...
1. Do you have an up-to-date back up? If so, try copy the library6.iphoto file from the back up to the iPhoto Library (Right Click -> Show Package Contents) allowing it to overwrite the damaged file.
2. Download <a href="http://www.fatcatsoftware.com/iplm/"><b><u>iPhoto Library Manager</b></u></a> 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.
3. If neither of these work then you'll need to create and populate a new library.
To create and populate a new iPhoto 11 library:
Note this will give you a working library with the same Events and pictures as before, however, you will lose your albums, keywords, modified versions, books, calendars etc. This really is starting over from scratch.
Move the damaged iPhoto Library from your Pictures Folder to the desktop
Hold down the option (or alt) key and launch iPhoto. From the resulting menu select 'Create Library'
Go into the damaged iPhoto Library on the desktop (Right Click -> Show Package Contents)and find the Masters folder. From the Masters folder drag the individual Event Folders to the iPhoto Window and it will recreate them in the new library.
When you're sure all is well you can delete the damaged iPhoto Library on your desktop.
While you do this, your penance is to remember that with a back up none of this would have been necessary.
Regards
TD

Help removing a corrupt Iphoto library

Hi All
I am posting this here as i don't think its a iPhoto specific issue, rather a corrupt file issue
I was hoping some one can provide wisdom in removing a corrupt iPhoto Library
The file suggests it is 500Gig in size, and no matter what i try i can't delete it
What i have tried
Deleting it through the trash can - system just hangs
Deleting using OmniDiskSweeper, using this app it suggests the file size is 11Gig, but when you ask it to trash it again just hangs
Running disk verify and repair to see if that would resolve the problem
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I have even tried deleting using Terminal with no success, however in saying that i am a beginner using this launguage
At the moment my Mac thinks its occupying 50% of my hard drive space, i know it not that size, but i am at my wits end
I would be grateful if any one could help me solve this problem
Note i am running the latest software, and i no longer require this file

Trash Can’t Empty – Big Files
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Trash – Empty When File is Locked or in Use
Try holding down the option button while trying to delete the Trash. If that doesn’t work, here is some more information.
Trash FAQ

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Soon after upgrading to Yosemite, I've downloaded and installed iPhoto 9.6. Upon opening, iPhoto requested to upgrade the photo library, which I allowed. It got stuck at around 25% along the way, and I left it working on that overnight. The next day, it was stuck at the same point. I force-quitted the application and reopened it, tried to upgrade the library again, but this time the application crashed. When I reopened it, I found that 'permissions needed to be repaired'. So I did, and iPhoto crashed – now whenever iPhoto opens and tries to examine the library, it crashes. I tried repairing permissions again, rebuilding the database and all, to no avail.
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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.)
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After upgrading to iPhoto 6 from version 5 I found that Spotlight now fails to show iPhoto results. I've tried all the usual tricks, assiging dummy keywords and reindexing Spotlight, each attempt to get things working again has failed.
After creating a new iPhoto Library I found that Spotlight would work correctly. This has led me to believe that my original library has somehow been corrupted.
Does anyone know a way to create a new library from the old without the need to rewrite all the titles and comments or perhaps have an idea how to repair the faulty one? - I have tried the rebuild options.
I have also tried using a backup I created before installing iLife 06 but this also fails.
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To Lori and Toad, Thanks for your quick replies. I guess I'll give an example to help clear up what is happening. Something might be just corrupted or a bug in iPhoto but here goes.
I am a dentist, I have hundreds of photos in Albums in iPhoto. Each album has a name. Within each album are folder more specific to the patient.
e.g.
Album: Marlene
Folders: Pre-op smile views, Post-surgical views, Post-op Smile Views (of course all these photos were taken on different days, time, blah blah.
Photos: all have Titles such as Smile Left side, Smile right side, etc.
Keywords: photos are keyworded such as "Cosmetic case" "Implant Case"
Now if I want to quickly find Marlene's photos, I'd like to use Spotlilght. But when I type in "Marlene" I get a list of Folders that say "Marlene" that all look the same. I have to find the path: 1. iphoto original 2. iphoto data 3. iphoto modified 4. other folders named Marlene. (this is a pain of course).
What I expect to see (and used to see in previous iPhoto) was a list of Images related to Marlene. I see no list of Images at all.
But now let's say I pick #3 iPhoto modified folder in Spotlight. I double-click on it and up pops iPhoto but not Marlenes photos, what shows up is iPhoto window opened to my entire library as if I'm happy to scroll down through my photos to find Marlenes.
However, since the photos are titled, if I type in the actual title of Marlene's photo, then I DO get a list of Images in Spotlight. But my problem is that with hundreds of photos titled "Smile Left" "Pre-surgical view" etc., I have to hunt through all of these photos to try to find Marlenes. This simply does not work. The point of spotlight is that I should be able to type "Marlene" and up comes her images in iPhoto and I can pick the one I want.
I tried typing in the Comments in Spotlight related to Marlene and I've tried typing in the Keywords in Spotlight and I get "no results found".
Longwinded and hopefully not confusing, but this is just exactly what I have just finished going through and it is the same for all of my patient's photos in iPhoto.
My feelings are that something in the iPhoto Library new structure is messing things up.
If I place Marlene's photos organized in a regular Finder folder, then Spotlight finds it right away, no problem, but of course opens them up in Preview which is not the purpose for having them in iPhoto. So I feel comfortable with using Spotlight, but it is just not working with iPhoto at all.
Thanks for listening,
Charlie

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Best way to set up my iPhoto library with 2 logins?

Hello, I'm new to Mac- so I'm still learning how this works. We just got a new iMac with iPhoto 11 on it.
Now both me and my wife have our profiles for our own email/contacts/messaging etc.
Previously with windows, we had an external HD with all our photos organized by year/month in folders. We used picasa to sort through the photos, do the touch ups/cropping then upload them to the good ol' interwebs.
Additionally, we each had our own folder of pictures (desktops, screen savers, favorites) in our pictures folders on our own desktops.
Picasa was easy to direct to the shared external HD, and our personnal pictures were not. (my wife didn't like sorting though my bike pictures, nor me her flower pictures)
1. SO now, I've set up our 'Photo Album' in the shared folder on the iMac. Set up the permissions so we can both write to that folder. Will there be any issues if we both want to access those shared photo files via iPhoto?
2. When she is logged in, she see's my personnal photos. If we delete the photos from iPhoto under her profile, will they (the files) be deleted from my peronnal folder (which is in my pictures folder in 'my files')
3. Can we manage our personnal photos in iPhoto without the other having to see them? Different libraries? *I have downloaded and installed iphoto manager.
4. Does iPhoto work like picasa : If I move picture files from one folder to another, is the move reflected in iPhoto - Do those photos now appear in a new event?
5. With windows, when I imported photos, I had it set up automattically to copy the files to the external HD- then I would rename that folder with the year/month. I know if I import photos to iPhoto, they will show up and they can be managed in iPhoto. (here's where the other tread got long winded) As a new iOS user, this is hard to get my head around. I like to see the new files in the folder along side all my other files. Is there an easy way to do this?

1. SO now, I've set up our 'Photo Album' in the shared folder on the iMac. Set up the permissions so we can both write to that folder. Will there be any issues if we both want to access those shared photo files via iPhoto?
Only one user can access the Library at a time. SOme folks find permissions issues with the Library in the Shared folder. If you do, move it to an external disk formatted Mac OS Extended (Journaled) and set to ignore permissions.
2. When she is logged in, she see's my personnal photos. If we delete the photos from iPhoto under her profile, will they (the files) be deleted from my peronnal folder (which is in my pictures folder in 'my files')
If you're using the same library then deleting by one deletes for everyone.
3. Can we manage our personnal photos in iPhoto without the other having to see them? Different libraries? *I have downloaded and installed iphoto manager.
Different Libraries are the way to go.
4. Does iPhoto work like picasa : If I move picture files from one folder to another, is the move reflected in iPhoto - Do those photos now appear in a new event?
No.
Picasa is a hybrid file/photo manager. iPhoto is a Photo Manager. The entire point is that you import the files to iPhoto and then never bother with them again. All your work is then done in the iPhoto Window or via iPhoto. You never access the files via the Finder.
Moving files around in the Finder risks corrupting the Library.
Moving Photos around in the iPhoto Window has no bearing on where the files on the HD are. It really doesn't matter, as you never access them via the Finder. it's all done via iPhoto.
Best way to think of it: Contacts manages and makes all your email, postal addresses and phone numbers available to you in every application. iPhoto does that for your Photos- but you wouln't try and change your Addressbook outside of the Contacts application, neither would you do this with your photos.
Regards
TD

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We have a iMAc shared by the family on which we want to establish an iPhoto library that we can all access and utlize. I have not found any good guidance on how best to set this up.
Any suggestions or good references ?
Thank you,
John

For iPhoto 09 (version 8.0.2) and later:
What you mean by 'share'.
If you want the other user to be able to see the pics, but not add to, change or alter your library, then enable Sharing in your iPhoto (Preferences -> Sharing), leave iPhoto running and use Fast User Switching to open the other account. In that account, enable 'Look For Shared Libraries'. Your Library will appear in the other source pane.
Any user can drag a pic from the Shared Library to their own in the iPhoto Window.
Remember iPhoto must be running in both accounts for this to work.
If you want the other user to have the same access to the library as you: to be able to add, edit, organise, keyword etc.
Quit iPhoto in both accounts. Move the Library to the Users / Shared Folder
(You can also use an external HD set to ignore permissions, a Disk Image or even partition your Hard Disk.)
In each account in turn: Double click on the Library to open it. (You may be asked to repair the Library Permissions.) From that point on, this will be the default library location. Both accounts will have full access to the library, in fact, both accounts will 'own' it.
However, there is a catch with this system and it is a significant one. iPhoto is not a multi-user app., it does not have the code to negotiate two users simultaneously writing to the database, and trying will cause db corruption. So only one user at a time, and back up, back up back up.
Regards
TD

Portable Home Syncing corrupts iPhoto Library

Server setup:
Snow Leopard Server 10.6.2 (clean install)
Everything setup according to spec; works great.
Client setup:
Snow Leopard 10.6.2 (clean install)
iLife '09
Portable syncing rule set to sync the Pictures folder ONLY at login and logout. At no other time is it sync.
Bug:
Everytime it syncs; the entire iPhoto Library gets corrupted and I get a 'There was a problem syncing this file'
When I check the file, the iPhoto Library is a generic white icon with a size of a few megs versus the original 5GB. (yes I have a backup).
Any idea what may be causing this?
I cannot deploy Snow Leopard Server for my clients because of this silly bug.

Hi all.
I'm also having serious problems concerning "Home Syncing".
So far those are my conclusions:
• Home Syncing cannot understand when a file is locked. It will simply replace the "archived" file on the server with a corrupted and incomplete one. (Time Machine, for instance, delays the syncing of that file until it is no longer being used):
• Because of the last problem it's impossible to use the syncing interval on the System Preferences. It's simply begging for havoc and chaos.
• Home Syncing (again on direct opposition to Time Machine) does not understand the concept of bundles (or packages, whatever is the correct expression in English... English that I'm not a native nor a fluent speaker, sorry about that
Not being able to understand those wonderful "folders as a single file" concept makes it try to copy my full Aperture library, even if I just open and close the thing.
So it's guaranteed fun for almost half an hour every time that I do some logout sync.
• Even using only login / logout sync, Aperture library will get eventually corrupted, as will pretty much every other item that I try to sync that happens to be a bundle (That God for 1Password automatically backup of it's own library, otherwise I would have lost all my logins passwords and Software serial numbers).
• Every so often files that were deleted on a machine on the last day, simply find their way back at login syncing.
And the opposite also happens. Changes made in a user folder on one of the machines, simply don't replicate when a user logs in onto another one.
• If a folder or file name is changed, Home Syncing will not understand that as a change.
Instead it will get from the server the old file/folder while keeping the new one.
Since it will copy the full content of the folder, just changing the name back to the old one, you better pray that there's not that much info inside otherwise it's time to grab a coffee and the daily newspaper.
• Copying is slow. Painfully slow!
In a full Gigabit Ethernet connection, whose transfer while using AFP are extremely fast, Home Syncing can take 10x the amount of time to copy a similar folder.
Home Syncing seems pretty much as a 2nd class citizen on the Server package.
It's copy capabilities are way bellow of the expected, showing basic errors that were quickly fixed on Time Machine but that still remain here since (at least) Mac OS X Server 10.5.
I like this concept... actually I like it a lot.
As long as you have access to a Mac OS X Server, you can basically create your own cloud.
Even without having to sync the full home folder, just a specific "cloud" folder (something like a dropbox folder).
That connected with a Time Machine backup to allow you to retrieve older version of a file (whenever necessary) and you would have a great and safe working environment... something that I would love to do, if only Home Syncing wasn't just a big disaster.
Let's hope that Apple can figure out what's happening and release an update to fix this.

Corrupt iphoto library recovery

Recently my iMac went to the Genius bar for repair. I purchased a hard drive in store and we made a backup of what I needed to subsequently recover and all seemed to backup OK. With the Mac back from repair I started to rebuild my iMac to pre-failure state and all went like a dream until I tried to re-install the iPhoto library. It tells me that the files require conversion and just won't seem to accept the backed up library and indicates that it is corrupt - is there anything I can do or have I lost my entire photo library? Grateful for any advice.

There are 9 different versions of iPhoto and they run on seven different versions of the Operating System. The tricks and tips for dealing with issues vary from version to version and OS to OS. So before anyone can help, they need information to work with. Things like:
- What version of iPhoto.
- What version of the Operating System.
- Can you give us the exact error messages?

Any way to repair a corrupt iphoto library?

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