Can I Start Over?

I have evidently made mistakes importing my pictures into Photoshop catalog. I now have several thousand pictures with several thousand duplicates. In trying to fix this, I keep adding them back into the catalog. I also tried organizing my pictures in Windows, now the catalog is saying it cannot reference the pictures. My question is: can I erase my catalog and start over? Without deleting the original pictures? I see that I can delete a picture, but then it asks if I want to delete it from the hard drive? Is that the original picture? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

Sure. Just create a new catalog. Once you have that set up the way you like, you can just delete the old catalog.
But if you want to use organizer, you must use organizer. Don't move/organize/delete your photos in Windows. Always use organizer.

Similar Messages

Organizing: can i start over

i have 6k+ photos, 193 events, 33 albums, 3 projects, 2 slide shows.
my Events are too messy (multiple photos that belong to multiple other events) to sort out and put into correct events. i would like to delete all events and start over but from browsing forums that's not possible. my Album(s) contents mostly have correct photos but not all photos are in an album. (off this subject but my Projects have decreased/disappeared. that's another day.) i know i should have learned iphoto when i switched from pc.......
can i start over?

Deleting an Event means deleting the images within it. So, yes you can do it, but it means really starting over. Export your images to folders in the Finder. Make a new Library. Import the images again. You'll lose all your editing, keywords, albums, projects and so on. It is possible bit do you really want to?
There's no need.
Events are a very limited form of organisation. No photo should be in more than one Event as that requires that the file is duplicated and so takes up twice the space on the hard disk. Albums are really where its at when it comes to organisation. So, no you don' have to "sort out" your Events. For me, Events are just a basic folder of photos. All the Sping 2013 photos are in a single Event. then I have Albums for the various shoots that I have done. The advantage: well for a start you can have a photo in any number of Albums and that takes no extra disk space. It also means you can pick which ones go in the Album. When you're taking 300 shots on a day out, it's good to use only the best 50 or so on the Album. Anyone you show the shots too will be grateful
FWIW here's a canned answer abot the possibilities of organising in iPhoto:
I use Events simply as big buckets of Photos: Spring 08, July - Nov 06 are typical Events in my Library. I use keywords and Smart Albums extensively. I title the pics broadly.
I keyword on a
Who
What
Where basis (The When is in the photos's Exif metadata). I also rate the pics on a 1 - 5 star basis.
Using this system I can find pretty much find any pic in my 45k library in a couple of seconds.
So, for example, I have a batch of pics titled 'Seattle 08' and a typical keywording might include: John, Anne, Landscape, mountain, trees, snow. With a rating included it's so very easy to find the best pics we took at Mount Rainier.
File -> New Smart Album
set it to 'All"
title contains Seattle
keyword is mountain
keyword is snow
rating is 5 stars
Or, want a chronological album of John from birth to today?
New Smart Album
Keyword is John
Set the View options to Sort By Date Ascending
Want only the best pics?
add Rating is greater than 4 stars
The best thing about this system is that it's dynamic. If I add 50 more pics of John to the Library tomorrow, as I keyword and rate them they are added to the Smart Album.
In the end, organisation is about finding the pics. The point is to make locating that pic or batch of pics findable fast. This system works for me.

I have a mid2009 MacBook Pro for which I have been using a USB WD HD for Time Machine. I'd like to get a wireless HD and start a new Time Machine backup for this Mac and retire the 5 year old WD drive. Can I start over?

I have a mid2009 MacBook Pro running Mavericks for which I have been using a USB WD HD for Time Machine. I'd like to get a wireless HD and start a new Time Machine backup for this Mac and retire the 5 year old WD drive. Can I start over?

no archive/ backup is perfect, HD clones can be set to make incremental additions, same as time machine however, though they are more time involved in doing so.
See the + and - of all data backup/ archives below and "spread it around".... or the "dont put your eggs all in one basket" philosophy.
Peace
Data Storage Platforms; their Drawbacks & Advantages
#1. Time Machine / Time Capsule
Drawbacks:
1. Time Machine is not bootable, if your internal drive fails, you cannot access files or boot from TM directly from the dead computer.
2. Time machine is controlled by complex software, and while you can delve into the TM backup database for specific file(s) extraction, this is not ideal or desirable.
3. Time machine can and does have the potential for many error codes in which data corruption can occur and your important backup files may not be saved correctly, at all, or even damaged. This extra link of failure in placing software between your data and its recovery is a point of risk and failure. A HD clone is not subject to these errors.
4. Time machine mirrors your internal HD, in which cases of data corruption, this corruption can immediately spread to the backup as the two are linked. TM is perpetually connected (or often) to your computer, and corruption spread to corruption, without isolation, which TM lacks (usually), migrating errors or corruption is either automatic or extremely easy to unwittingly do.
5. Time Machine does not keep endless copies of changed or deleted data, and you are often not notified when it deletes them; likewise you may accidently delete files off your computer and this accident is mirrored on TM.
6. Restoring from TM is quite time intensive.
7. TM is a backup and not a data archive, and therefore by definition a low-level security of vital/important data.
8. TM working premise is a “black box” backup of OS, APPS, settings, and vital data that nearly 100% of users never verify until an emergency hits or their computers internal SSD or HD that is corrupt or dead and this is an extremely bad working premise on vital data.
9. Given that data created and stored is growing exponentially, the fact that TM operates as a “store-it-all” backup nexus makes TM inherently incapable to easily backup massive amounts of data, nor is doing so a good idea.
10. TM working premise is a backup of a users system and active working data, and NOT massive amounts of static data, yet most users never take this into consideration, making TM a high-risk locus of data “bloat”.
11. In the case of Time Capsule, wifi data storage is a less than ideal premise given possible wireless data corruption.
12. TM like all HD-based data is subject to ferromagnetic and mechanical failure.
13. *Level-1 security of your vital data.
Advantages:
1. TM is very easy to use either in automatic mode or in 1-click backups.
2. TM is a perfect novice level simplex backup single-layer security save against internal HD failure or corruption.
3. TM can easily provide a seamless no-gap policy of active data that is often not easily capable in HD clones or HD archives (only if the user is lazy is making data saves).
#2. HD archives
Drawbacks:
1. Like all HD-based data is subject to ferromagnetic and mechanical failure.
2. Unless the user ritually copies working active data to HD external archives, then there is a time-gap of potential missing data; as such users must be proactive in archiving data that is being worked on or recently saved or created.
Advantages:
1. Fills the gap left in a week or 2-week-old HD clone, as an example.
2. Simplex no-software data storage that is isolated and autonomous from the computer (in most cases).
3. HD archives are the best idealized storage source for storing huge and multi-terabytes of data.
4. Best-idealized 1st platform redundancy for data protection.
5. *Perfect primary tier and level-2 security of your vital data.
#3. HD clones (see below for full advantages / drawbacks)
Drawbacks:
1. HD clones can be incrementally updated to hourly or daily, however this is time consuming and HD clones are, often, a week or more old, in which case data between today and the most fresh HD clone can and would be lost (however this gap is filled by use of HD archives listed above or by a TM backup).
2. Like all HD-based data is subject to ferromagnetic and mechanical failure.
Advantages:
1. HD clones are the best, quickest way to get back to 100% full operation in mere seconds.
2. Once a HD clone is created, the creation software (Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper) is no longer needed whatsoever, and unlike TM, which requires complex software for its operational transference of data, a HD clone is its own bootable entity.
3. HD clones are unconnected and isolated from recent corruption.
4. HD clones allow a “portable copy” of your computer that you can likewise connect to another same Mac and have all your APPS and data at hand, which is extremely useful.
5. Rather than, as many users do, thinking of a HD clone as a “complimentary backup” to the use of TM, a HD clone is superior to TM both in ease of returning to 100% quickly, and its autonomous nature; while each has its place, TM can and does fill the gap in, say, a 2 week old clone. As an analogy, the HD clone itself is the brick wall of protection, whereas TM can be thought of as the mortar, which will fill any cracks in data on a week, 2-week, or 1-month old HD clone.
6. Best-idealized 2nd platform redundancy for data protection, and 1st level for system restore of your computers internal HD. (Time machine being 2nd level for system restore of the computer’s internal HD).
7. *Level-2 security of your vital data.
HD cloning software options:
1. SuperDuper HD cloning software APP (free)
2. Carbon Copy Cloner APP (will copy the recovery partition as well)
3. Disk utility HD bootable clone.
#4. Online archives
Drawbacks:
1. Subject to server failure or due to non-payment of your hosting account, it can be suspended.
2. Subject, due to lack of security on your part, to being attacked and hacked/erased.
Advantages:
1. In case of house fire, etc. your data is safe.
2. In travels, and propagating files to friends and likewise, a mere link by email is all that is needed and no large media needs to be sent across the net.
3. Online archives are the perfect and best-idealized 3rd platform redundancy for data protection.
4. Supremely useful in data isolation from backups and local archives in being online and offsite for long-distance security in isolation.
5. *Level-1.5 security of your vital data.
#5. DVD professional archival media
Drawbacks:
1. DVD single-layer disks are limited to 4.7Gigabytes of data.
2. DVD media are, given rough handling, prone to scratches and light-degradation if not stored correctly.
Advantages:
1. Archival DVD professional blank media is rated for in excess of 100+ years.
2. DVD is not subject to mechanical breakdown.
3. DVD archival media is not subject to ferromagnetic degradation.
4. DVD archival media correctly sleeved and stored is currently a supreme storage method of archiving vital data.
5. DVD media is once written and therefore free of data corruption if the write is correct.
6. DVD media is the perfect ideal for “freezing” and isolating old copies of data for reference in case newer generations of data become corrupted and an older copy is needed to revert to.
7. Best-idealized 4th platform redundancy for data protection.
8. *Level-3 (highest) security of your vital data.
[*Level-4 data security under development as once-written metallic plates and synthetic sapphire and likewise ultra-long-term data storage]
#6. Cloud based storage
Drawbacks:
1. Cloud storage can only be quasi-possessed.
2. No genuine true security and privacy of data.
3. Should never be considered for vital data storage or especially long-term.
4. *Level-0 security of your vital data.
Advantages:
1. Quick, easy and cheap storage location for simplex files for transfer to keep on hand and yet off the computer.
2. Easy source for small-file data sharing.

HT5577 I set up an Apple ID with security questions - but have forgotten it all since using it initially some time ago. I am unable to re-set it since my email was used for my ID and it will not allow me to use it again. How can I start over?!@#$%

I am in an endless loop trying to set up a new password with my AppleID and use it for the Cloud to sync my iPhone, iMac, and MBAir.
I'm asked to reply to security questions - my answers are truthful but are not accepted. Please help me just start over - or recover what I have so I can move on with the Cloud.

Alternatives for Help Resetting Security Questions and Rescue Mail
     1. Apple ID- All about Apple ID security questions.
     2. Rescue email address and how to reset Apple ID security questions
     3. Apple ID- Contacting Apple for help with Apple ID account security.
     4. Fill out and submit this form. Select the topic, Account Security.
     5. Call Apple Customer Service: Contacting Apple for support in your
          country and ask to speak to Account Security.
How to Manage your Apple ID: Manage My Apple ID

Can I start over in iPhoto?

I transferred all photos from a pc and there was a lot of duplication. These photos went into iphoto before I cleaned up the images file. Windows will not allow for duplicate file names, but Mac seems to have not problem with files having the same name. This means I may have 8 to 10 copies of the same photo and now that those files are clean I would like to dump everything in iphoto and start over. Can I do this?

Thanks a bunch to both Larry and Niel. I got rid of everything and now that the image file has been cleaned up, with the new import I am dealing with 6000 photos. When everything came in from multiple pc files I was working with 18000 photos. I had stuffed photo's into different files, because, as Larry said my husbands camera and mine both numbered the same...so in order to save files in the pc those had to go to different files or be renamed. Takes a long time to rename things. I really appreciate the help. This is my first mac computer and after years of working with a pc I am finding this is a bit of a learning curve. Thanks again.

When I downloaded firefox someone else's bookmarks and homepage are there, it is a used computer. How can I "start over" with firefox?

I have tried deleting firefox from my computer entirely (I have a macbook). Then when I download it again, much later, it still acts like it knows what bookmarks and homepage I want. These were obviously set by someone else, and I want it to be fresh, I want to start over with a new firefox. I bought the computer used, and apparently firefox recognizes it as having been downloaded before and automatically adds stuff to it. It is annoying!!

The simplest method will be to create a new profile and delete the old one. User information such as bookmarks is stored in a profile folder. You can create and remove profiles by using the profile manager. First use the profile manager to create a new profile, then use it to delete the old profile.
For details on using the profile manager see the [[managing profiles]] article. An alternative site that can help is http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_Manager

My files are a mess - how can I start over in iTunes?

Over the years, my music files have become scattered all over between different locations on my internal drive and various externals. I have tons of duplicates, lost files, and it's just a general mess.
I would like to do a search for all my music files, and completely start over with iTunes and keep them on my MacBook Pro. I have room on my internal (or would, if they were oranized properly and I got rid of duplicates!) but a lot of the files that show up on iTunes are on an external so of course it will ask me where they are. This is driving me crazy and I want to just scrap everything and start over fresh.
I have a 1TB external that I can dump them all on while I change over.
Any suggestions on the best way to do this would be welcome, as well as whether there are programs available that would help with this (or is it just as doab;e without a separate application).
TIA, Alicia Morgan

Alicia Morgan wrote:
Over the years, my music files have become scattered all over between different locations on my internal drive and various externals.
basically, the question is: does iTunes know where all these files are ? or does iTunes show a "!" next to any files ?
I have tons of duplicates ...
_*How to find and remove duplicate items in your iTunes library*_
_*http://www.araxis.com/find-duplicate-files/ (free trial)*_
_*http://dougscripts.com/itunes/itinfo/dupin.php (commercial)*_
... lost files
see
iTunes Track CPR v1.3
This script attempts to locate the files of so-called "dead tracks"--iTunes tracks designated with (!)--that you assume are not actually missing but are still located in the iTunes Music folder in their "iTunes File Order" (Music -> Artist -> Album -> file.xxx)."
or
_*Music Folder Files Not Added v2.0*_
This application will list the file paths of the files in your designated "iTunes Media" folder which are not in iTunes' library. Additionally, you can select a different parent folder and its contents will be compared to the iTunes library. Options to Add a selection of found files to iTunes or move them to the Trash.
... completely start over with iTunes and keep them on my MacBook Pro. I have room on my internal (or would, if they were oranized properly and I got rid of duplicates!) but a lot of the files that show up on iTunes are on an external so of course it will ask me where they are.
once you have gotten rid of dupes and located the lost files, you could consolidate your library:
(a) go iTunes > preferences > advanced and make sure
o iTunes media folder location is pointing to the iTunes music folder on your startup disk
o +keep iTunes media folder organized+ is checked
o +copy files to ... when adding to library+ is checked
(b) have any external HD holding any of your media files is mounted on your desktop
(c) go file > library > organize library > consolidate files
if the option to +upgrade to iTunes media organization+ is available, select that too.
JGG

HT4915 My iTunes match is in bad shape! Can I start over?

Probably 15% of the artists in my iTunes Match say "Eve". But I only have one of her albums. Is there a fix? Can I just start over, somehow?

If you are having battery issues, and you haven't, you should try updating your phone to the latest iOS version (7.1.2).
Try restoring the iPhone like a new device after the update and test the phone as this may be fix the issue.

Started Sync in new laptop instead of old pc; now "email" already in use when I try to sync on laptop; how can I start over?

Should I use "Recovery"? I am confused and just wish I could start over. Looked at info for a delete, but didn't seem to be an option because I wouldn't be able to set up again.
Want to sync from an old Dell with Window XP professional to a brand new Samsung notebook8

yes, sorry - not sure why that happened, but i've mixed up the information you've provided. the instructions should read:
on your old/already syncing device (Dell PC), open firefox there and go to ''options > sync'' and click on pair a new device...
then on your new device (Samsung), also go to ''firefox > options > sync > set up firefox sync > i have an account'' which will show you a 3x4 character code that you'll have to enter into your old device in order to complete the process.

How Can I 'START OVER' in Mail?

Hello,
Is it possible to star over with a spanking new mail application? I had used Mail previously and had configured accounts and several mailboxes. I then left it as is and switched to Entourage.
Now want to switch back but since the last time, things have changed. When I open mail it shows the mailboxes from before.
Do I simply delete each one? but does that leave something behind somewhere?
I guessed best is to go to users/library/mail and delete the mailboxes there?
I simply want to 'start over' with a new mail app.

Hello Meherally.
Mail stores most preferences and all account settings in ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.mail.plist (except the passwords, which are stored in the keychain). Everything else, including all your messages and mailboxes, is stored in ~/Library/Mail. You may set up Mail again from scratch by trashing both, or just renaming them or moving them out of there (quit Mail first if it’s running).
You may also want to trash the Mail cache (~/Library/Caches/Mail) and the folder where Mail saves by default a temporary copy of attachments opened directly from Mail (~/Library/Mail Downloads).
Don’t trash anything stored out of your home folder, though. In particular, don’t confuse /Library/ with ~/Library/, i.e. DON’T trash /Library/Mail by mistake.
Finally, if you don’t have a .Mac account, but did set up one at some point in the past, you may also want to get rid of the corresponding .Mac account settings in System Preferences > .Mac. Otherwise, Mail will try to automatically set up that mail account for you again.
Note: For those not familiarized with the ~/ notation, it refers to the user’s home folder. That is, ~/Library is the Library folder within the user’s home folder, i.e. /Users/username/Library.

Can I start over please

Hello I just Got my new macbook pro and feeli i made a mistake in importing info from my old mac using migration assistant. can someone please tell me how to reset my comp. to the way it was when I Got it this morning. Thanks in advance..
The Idiot

Welcome to Apple Discussions!
Do you still have all your information on your old Mac? If so, you can do an Erase and Install using the discs that came with your new Mac, and get it back to the way it was. You can even choose to do a custom installation if you like and eliminate the languages and printer drivers you won't use and save a few GB's of space in the process.
Here is an article you might find helpful. Also read over any of the related articles that you think could be relevant so you will have a good understanding of what you are doing.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1773
Good luck!

Start over? 5th Generation?

I don't know if my ipod is considered "5th Generation." It's a 30GB I bought a couple of years ago, supposedly it has video capability, but I've never used it.
My question is, Can I start over?
I had a PC when I got it and loaded all of my CDs onto my PC and then onto the ipod. I've never purchased anything from itunes. Over the course of the two + years, my ipod has quit playing a lot of the songs on it. When I pull up the library on the PC, many, many, of the songs have "!" next to them and it doesn't tell me what that means. So I deleted and re-ripped those songs. But eventually, more and more songs get the "!" and stop playing. I'd say about half of the songs on my ipod no longer play.
Now I have a mac and I'd like to just wipe my ipod clean, re-rip all of my CDs to my new mac and start all over. I want to make sure all of my songs stay playable on my ipod so I don't have to keep doing this.
1) how can I safely wipe everything clean and reset the ipod so that no trace of whatever problem was causing all of the "!"s remain.
2) What does the "!" mean? How is it fixed?
3) Is there something I can do while re-ripping my CDs to ensure that I'm not doing something to cause all of the "!"s?
Anything else I'm not thinking of?
Thanks!

*1) how can I safely wipe everything clean and reset the ipod so that no trace of whatever problem was causing all of the "!"s remain.*
Restore the iPod in iTunes on your Mac
*2) What does the "!" mean? How is it fixed?*
It means that iTunes cannot locate the original file, it may have been moved or deleted outside of iTunes. If the file is returned to the location it was in originally iTunes will find it: iTunes: Understanding the Symbols Next to Songs
*3) Is there something I can do while re-ripping my CDs to ensure that I'm not doing something to cause all of the "!"s?*
You could set iTunes to copy everything to the iTunes music folder when you add anything to the library: iTunes for Windows - Importing music and video already on your computer
Adding songs from CDs to your library

HT2371 I started to set up new ipad, I accidentally selected portuguese although I want the ticked default english that showed on first screen. Localisation screen came up (in portuguese) but don't want to continue in portuguese. How to start over? Helpes

Started set up on ipad. When I went to second screen, showing list of more language preferences I accidentally touched portuguese and this must have replaced the default, ticked, English option. Next screen, localisation, came up (in Portuguese) but I don't want to proceed in this language. how can I start over again. The ipad therefore is not set up with normal screen of apps etc. therefore I cannot change language back using this screen.
I also tried to Restore my Ipad to factory settings via itunes. You must update to latest version of Ipad software as part of this. The download is about 1 GB and takes 3 hours. Unfortunately when I try this on my PC it installs half the download then drops it - I have tried 3 times and it drops it after an hour and a half each time. I am hoping therefore there might be some simple way of setting up ipad that does not involve 'Restore and Update'. Very frustrated. Please help. Stuck.

If you press the home button it should come up with some options. One of them will be start over. Those options will be in the different language but you can try each one and via process of elimination eventually will get back tot the default screen.

In looking at my calendar for January, I found all the entries from last year. I thought I would delete the while month and start over, but it deleted all calendars from icloud. Can I get them restored and how. Stoormy

In looking at my calendar for next year I found all the entries from last year were there as well as a few more I intended to delete January and just start over but everything was deleted including from icloud, Any way I can get those restored.
Thanks Glenn

Maybe here:
iCloud: Troubleshooting creating backups

I am trying to sign in to iCloud and I am informed that my Apple ID is valid but not an iCloud account. Can I delete this account and start over?

I am trying to sign into iCloud and I am informed "THIS APPLE ID IS VALID BUT IS NOT AN iCLOUD ACCOUNT". Which makes no sense to me. But in the mean time I have purchased some songs and I can't get them on my ipod nana because I can't sign in. Can I delete this ID and start over?????

OK, I just click the "cloud" in my itunes account and re-synced my ipod nano and I now have the songs I bought, this was really a stupid venture. But I am now enjoying my purchases on my ipod. SORRY TO HAVE TAKEN UP THE SPACE

Can I Start Over?

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