Backing up pictures on my iPhotos

Question

Hi! I have a question two questions that I'm hoping you'll be able to help me with.
*My problem:* I have over 7,000 photos on my iPhotos and it's making my computer move very slow, so I need to take the majority off and just put it on my external harddrive. I have a SmartDisk FireLite External Harddrive (bought at a mac store). The program that I have been using with the exernal harddrive to back up the photos is BB Reminder Express.
*My first question:* How do I back up my pictures onto my harddrive BUT ensure that they are all still in the same order as displayed on iPhotos? I'll explain...fairly occasionally when I import photos, they aren't all in the correct order so I manually drag them to the correct place (a few photos ahead or behind). I have taken a lot of time to do this to my entire library, and would hate to lose the changes I made.
My second question: The way I have been backing up my documents etc so far is just to copy the iPhotos pictures folder. When you go to Macintosh HD- Pictures-iPhoto Library there is both a modified and an originals folder. I don't want to keep the original..I just want the modified picture I created, but I don't want to go on a deleting spree and delete things before I know what I'm doing!
When I get my new computer with more memory space I want to reload all the pictures that I'm temporarily keeping on the external harddrive. How will I ensure that it doesn't put load both the original and the modified photo?
So maybe the best question to ask is how do I back up my iPhoto library just as it is, so when I reload it later, it's exactly the same...same order, same photos cropped, no duplicate of the original photo AND the modified?
Can you help? Thank you SO much in advance!

Answer 1

Welcome to the Apple Discussions.
how do I back up my iPhoto library just as it is, so when I reload it later, it's exactly the same...same order, same photos cropped...
By doing what you have been doing. That is, simply backing up the iPhoto Library Folder to the external disk.
To restore the Library when you upgrade: simply copy the iPhoto Library Folder back to the Pictures Folder on the new machine and the launch iPhoto. That's it.
If you want to move a Library:
1. Quit iPhoto
2. Copy the iPhoto Library Folder as an entity from your Pictures Folder to the External Disk.
3. Hold down the option (or alt) key while launching iPhoto. From the resulting menu select 'Choose Library' and navigate to the new location. From that point on this will be the default location of your library.
4. Test the library and when you're sure all is well, trash the one on your internal HD to free up space.
Of course, if you move the Library to the external you'll need to back it up from there too.
When you go to Macintosh HD- Pictures-iPhoto Library there is both a modified and an originals folder. I don't want to keep the original..I just want the modified picture I created, but I don't want to go on a deleting spree and delete things before I know what I'm doing!
This is very wise.
You cannot delete the Original if you are using iPhoto.
Standard Warning: Don't change anything in the iPhoto Library Folder via the Finder or any other application. iPhoto depends on the structure as well as the contents of this folder. Moving things, renaming things or otherwise making changes will prevent iPhoto from working and could even cause you to damage or lose your photos.
iPhoto is a Digital Asset Manager. It always works to preserve your Original photo, treating it like a film photographer might protect his negative. This feature is hardwired into iPhoto. You cannot turn it off and frankly, if you don't want to preserve the Original then the best solution is to simply use some other app to manage your photos.
Regards
TD