How can I recover a useable version of iPhoto to work with 10.5

Question

My wife uses my G4 Powerbook for email, eBay and photos. A few days ago iPhoto disappeared from the machine (sounds crazy but it happened), the photos were still there. As the Powerbook runs on 10.5 the version of iPhoto on my other machines will not run. I used the original backup disc to re-install everything (10.2) and then upgraded through 10.4 to 10.5 but iPhoto is version 2 which is incompatible with 10.5. Does anyone have any suggestions about how I can upgrade to a workable version of iPhoto?

Answer 1

Usually, you'd get and use a retail iPhoto version which would be part
of the iLife suite of apps. Since there are a few different older versions
of iLife, some better suited for use in aging PowerPC G4 Macs, you
may need to do some research as to which one(s) may work best for
use in that PowerBook G4. The vintage hardware is a possible issue.
Since there were several PBook G4 models, across some years, to guess
at what the configuration of your machine is, won't happen this early AM.
Some iLife software sets prefer certain hardware equipment to exist in a
computer for best results when considering the use of iLife's apps.
You may find an iLife version '06 to '08 adequate; and if you are not needing
the other apps included, just install iPhoto and then get the updates online.
However, if you may need the other apps, these tend to share between them
selves, so a compatible suite (upgrade old iLife bits; if they exist, remove.)
Files created in an older version usually will also be updated when opened
by a newer version of an iLife app; however they won't go back again to be
opened or used in an old version after such a conversion process.
Also, if you have a suitable software set not in use in any other computer, yet
capable of containing an iPhoto version (in PPC discarded restore/install disc)
you could experiment with using Pacifist to extract the correct section and use
that utility to also install iPhoto from the desktop of the computer, from a non-
booted install DVD. You can look into the Install/restore disc set via Pacifist;
just don't attempt to use Intel-based Mac software in a PPC-based Mac via
this utility; and do not use a software set already installed.
I've experimented before with a discarded eMac G4 restore/install disc set
some years ago, and was able to install some software using Pacifist into
an iBook G3 500 (white) to match a later OS X version it didn't ship with.
So, sometimes it is possible in a pinch or dire necessity, to make stuff work.
There is no legal full iPhoto download available, only updates to retail or
versions included with certain install/restore disc sets for specific machines.
At some point, it would seem that when your computer was upgraded to a
newer OS X, the iPhoto app may have been moved into a 'previous system'
folder since it probably wasn't compatible anymore at whatever upgrade that
had taken place; not all apps are compatible. The Support site has info on
the iLife sections and what they need to be supported in a computer & an OS.
You could check into some online resellers of Mac software sets, to see if they
have an iLife 06 or 08 set for sale. I bought five Mac items: keyboard, OS X 10.5,
iLIfe 06, Garageband extras, & iWork, all software in retail packages; for $50 total.
So, the luck of checking any local ads & being careful, you may find iPhoto cheap.
Sometimes, craigslist or other local second-hand or a thrift store may have stuff.
Good luck & happy computing!