How to restore iphoto library lost files

I need to know how to restore my iphoto library. I was trying to backup my photos using an external harddrive. I clicked the option key then opened iphoto. I tried to send the photos to my ext harddrive but could not. I even tried to import my photos to files on my desktop, then drag and drop, but could not. I've done this before but now it won't work.Now when I can't open iphoto, here is nothing in my library. I had 10,000 pictures in labeled albums. Now nothing. How do I get the option mode off? The iphoto library has a foggy-gray look to it and I can't click on anything. My photos are still in my picture folders in my finder.
Thanks for any help!

1 - Never make any changes of any dsort to the structure or content of the iphoto library - and it is best to jsut stay out of it as there are no user servicable parts in it
2 - to restore your iPhoto library you must first have a backup of it - do you? Time Machine or other backup program? or an exact copy of the iPhoto library?
3 -
I clicked the option key then opened iphoto. I tried to send the photos to my ext harddrive but could not.
exactly what did you do? this makes no sense - option launching iPhoto does not give you any option to send anything anyplace - it does give you the capability to select a different library. If you did that then option launch iPhoto again, use the select library options and select your iPhoto library on your main drive
LN

Similar Messages

How to restore iPhoto library with TimeMachine

I"ve been backing up my iMac for 1/2 dozen years, and this is the first time that I need to restore something. iPhoto crashed when I was importing some photos. I reopened, got warning that the photos being imported were stored in a restored folder. The rest of iPhoto was set back about 1 week, and I've spent 8-10 hours on iPhoto in last week, importing, reorganizing etc. All gone.
Time machine backed up just before crash. I can open TM. but Finder doesn't list Apple aps such as iPhoto. What do I open? The iPhoto library is stored on a separate backup, and it too is backed up with TM. When I select the iPhoto Library in TM, and then click Restore at bottom of TM, nothing happens.
I'm confused about the basics of restoring iPhoto. Should I be trying to restore the iPhoto Library where it is stored? The iPhoto in Applications?
I could try a total restore if that would then restore the iPhoto Library.
thanks for help,

The following is from this website: Time Machine - Frequently Asked Questions 2. What can Time Machine back up, and where can it put it’s backups? It is the most comprehensive Time Machine resource out there.
Network Attached Storage (NAS) drives:
The Local and Network Drives mentioned above are essentially "dumb receivers" -- they use theFile System and other features of OSX on your Mac, at the direction of your Mac.
But a NAS drive (Network Attached Storage, also called a network drive) has its own proprietary operating system (it's actually a small special-purpose computer), and is not under the direct control of your Mac.
You can't format or partition it via Disk Utility on your Mac, and you might not be able torepair your backups that way, either. You must use whatever utilities are provided by the maker of the NAS. And, of course, they're different for each maker, and sometimes for different hardware or software from the same maker. That's why there are no setup instructions for them here; those are specific to the NAS.
These are great for the purposes they were designed for, but that rarely includes working with Time Machine -- it has unique, complex requirements; working with it seems to be an "add-on" feature that some makers may not get quite right. Most NASs use the SMB communications protocol to talk to Windows and Macs. But Time Machine requires a different protocol, AFP file sharing.
Time Machine can back up to some NAS drives, but only those that meet the criteria specified in this Apple article: Disks that can be used with Time Machine. The technical details of one part are documented in Time Machine Network Interface Specification. Especially if the error detection, correction, and notification in those specifications aren't handled exactly right by the NAS, it may work, or seem to work, for a while, but eventually fail or corrupt the backups.
Be very careful here: just because a 3rd-party vendor claims to support Time Machine doesn't necessarily mean that Apple supports that configuration, or that it will work reliably in all circumstances (many won't).Before buying one of these, carefully investigate the following:
•If you’re planning to use the NAS for other data, in addition to your Time Machine backups, be sure you can partition it (or set up separate "shares" or "accounts" via the NAS, since you can’t with Apple’s Disk Utility), or somehow limit the amount of space the backups can use. Otherwise the backups will, eventually, use all the available empty space, possibly leading to conflicts. See question #3 for details.
•Look at the setup instructions. If there’s any mention of a Terminal command involving "unsupported devices," or installation of drivers or kernel extensions to fool Time Machine into thinking it’s a locally-connected drive, use caution. These may prevent you from doing a full system restore to a new or replaced internal hard drive. This is because OSX doesn’t do a full system restore; it’s done by booting up from your Recovery HD (Lion and later) or OSX Install disc (Snow Leopard or Leopard) and using the the Installer utility on it. That utility won’t have those additions, and you can't add them to it; thus it may not be able to connect to your backups when you need them the most. (See question #14 for details on doing a full restore.)
•Consider whether the maker is reputable and likely to continue supporting the NAS for as long as you'll be using it. If Apple changes requirements, will the maker update the NAS so it will work with the new version of OSX? Many that worked on Snow Leopard didn't work on Lion without such updates. A few weren't updated for quite a while, and some never were.
Each NAS maker has its own requirements, limitations, and/or setup procedures. Some require special drivers, passwords, etc. All these things can make recovery, especially a full restore after your Mac's startup drive fails, very difficult. Adding complexity is rarely a good thing.
And when there's trouble, is it your Mac or the NAS? It may be hard to tell, and the support folks will tend to point the finger at each other. Apple can't help much, as they don't have the 3rd-party hardware, or training, or experience, with them. Unless you're technically-proficient, think long and hard about how you'll recover if there's a problem.
OT

How to restore iPhoto Library

Hi
I've had to do a full system restore so need to put my iPhoto library together again.
I think I have a back up of the library and the photos in Time Machine. I also have an old iPhoto library on an old computer that I'd like to combine together with it.
What's the best way of doing this? Do I need to copy all the photos into photos or is there a way of using the iPhoto library file/folder to transfer all the photos? I'd like to be able to keep all of the albums.
I downloaded iPhoto library manager, but it couldn't find many of the photos. I'm not sure if I'm using it properly though. I can't tell if there is a way of combining libraries and whether you need to copy photos individually and whether it will maintain the albums and metadata.
I'm planning to upgrade from Snow Leopard to Lion in the next few days. Is there a difference in how fixing this may work on the different Operating Systems?
Please help,
Steve

No, the operating system makes no difference.
The version of iPhoto is what matters.
The only way to merge libraries is with the paid ($20) version of Library Manager. How to do this is covered in the Help and on their website:
http://fatcatsoftware.com/iplm/Help/merging%20libraries.html
Never import one Library to another. Every version and thumbnail is imported like a distinct photo, you lose all your Albums, Keywords etc., the link between Original and Previews is destroyed, the non-destructive editing feature is ruined and so on. In summary: it's mess.

How to Restore iPhoto Library from BackUp?

My iPhoto library has gone blank, although its trash has the 4,555 images. And all organization, albums, keywords, photo names, gone. Recently my backup storage, where library kept, went blank. I got a new backup, and a pro restored most of old data, and transfered to new one. So, I have the Library on the new backup, and need to restore it in the iPhoto Library, rather than create a new one, which as I understand will lose albums, keywords, etc. A friend says that way to hold down a key when opening iPhoto that will have it look for old library and restore? Not in Help or elsewhere.
I had a MacBook Pro, when this first happen. Now have iMac and have iLife 09, but don't want to instal it until photo library restored.
Sounds basic, but how to restore.
Thanks,
Armando

Armando
The simplest way to restore is to put the Library in the Pictures Folder and launch iPhoto.
Hold down the option (or alt) key key and launch iPhoto. From the resulting menu select 'Choose Library' To select a Library.
Regards
TD

How can I list my iphoto library by file name only?

How can I list my iphoto library by file name only?

There are two apps that can do that for your.
1 - the better of the two is iPhoto Library Manager. You will have to manually select those Events in Library A that are not in Library B and copy them to B. Then do the same for B to A. This also copies both the original and edited versions, keywords, titles, descriptions, faces and places.
2 - the second app is SyncPhotos. This one is automatic and will copy the original images in A that are not in B into B and the same for B to A. This does not copy edited versions or any of the metadata, i.e. keywords, etc.

How to restore iphoto & iTunes library from time machine?

My imac has had its hardrive replaced - (unfortunate) - and I am wanting to restore the files fom itunes and Iphoto only. I have tried for many hours following other posts, support, but have so far not had any luck. What is an "Idiots" way to achive this, hort of taking my mac back to apple and get them to do it for me!

Open Finder and go to Music folder. Then, open Time Machine and restore the iTunes folder. Open Pictures folder and restore iPhoto Library of Time Machine

How to tranfer iphoto library to G/drive mini

How to tranfer iphoto library to GDrive mini/. Can I keep in 2 spot - one in computer and one in Gdrive mini. I recently lost photos from the old hard drive. It's no longer on the computer.

There are some wireless external hard drives that can be used with the iPad.
The Kingston Wi-Drive, which costs $50 for the 16 Gigabyte, and then $30 more for every 16 gigs more. It works by you turning it on and then accessing the files on it from an app that you download on your iDevice. You can access music, movies, and other stuff. No connections or anything, it works like a WiFi connection, you connect to it from the setting on the iPad under wireless networks.
Then there is the Seagate GoFlex, which some would recommend over the Wi-Drive. But this one costs $199 and had 500 Gigabytes of storage. It works the sameway as the Kingston: no wires, runs over its wireless connection. You can actually fit up to 300 HD movies on it.
Another option:
Expand your iPad's storage capacity with HyperDrive
http://www.macworld.com/article/1153935/hyperdrive.html
On the road with a camera, an iPad, and a Hyperdrive
http://www.macworld.com/article/1160231/ipadhyperdrive.html
Mac - How to Move the iPhone & iPad iTunes Backup folder to an External Hard Drive
http://osxdaily.com/2011/03/05/how-to-move-the-iphoneipad-itunes-backup-folder-t o-an-external-hard-drive/
Windows - Change iPad default backup location
http://apple-ipad-tablet-help.blogspot.com/2010/07/change-ipad-default-backup-lo cation.html
Windows - Changing IPhone and iPad backup location
http://goodstuff2share.wordpress.com/2011/05/22/changing-iphone-and-ipad-backup- location/
 Cheers, Tom

Restoring iPhoto Library from a backup

Hi, I recently bought the backup program "Backblaze" just in time! I few days ago I accidentally lost my entire iPhoto library. Luckily after a 12.4 GB download (which took about a day and a half - man backblaze is awesome!) I had my library back. There is one difference. Instead of a package with a cute icon called "iPhoto Library" the restored version has the same file structure except that the package is now just a folder named "iPhoto Library." This means that I can't simply drag it into the photos folder.
My question. Can I drag the contents of the restored "iPhoto Library" folder into my now empty "iPhoto Library" package?
In case that was confusing, here is a picture:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1347667/SnapNDrag66.jpg

I restored the library in a folder - not a package. You can not simply open the folder in iPhoto.
But, I decided to just try it and see what happens - it worked.
I held down option when starting iPhoto, then created a new library. Then I closed iPhoto, showed that package's contents and then dragged the contents of the backblaze backup into the new iPhoto library telling finder to replace everything. My iPhoto library is now fully functional.

HT1176 I am trying to add my iPhoto library to files to be backed up on time machine. I am told to click on the Options Minus butto, but it is greyed out. What is the solution ?

I have been trying to add my iPhoto Library to files for time machine backup.
I was instructed to click on the Options minus button - but it is greyed out and not functional.
What is the solution ?
Your help will be much appreciated.
Thank you.
Roberto Kay

You can "see" the iPhoto library in Time Machine backups, but you cannot "open" the library or "browse" the contents while you are in Time Machine.
Apple makes you restore the entire iPhoto library to another destination...like your desktop....if you want to retrieve a few older images that you may have deleted by mistake.
This is a convoluted mess, but unfortunately, that is the way it is.
See Pondini's excellent, detailed information on this:
http://pondini.org/TM/15.html
You might also want to post in the iPhoto support area to see if the experts over there might have a workaround for you. I cannot find one, but I'm not an iPhoto expert.
iPhoto

Can the iPhoto Library package file be recreated?

I recently moved my iPhoto library to a new LaCie solid state external hard drive, because it had reached 130GB in size and was taking up too much space on my hard drive. My iPhoto library has 30,000 photos with lots of events, smart albums and metadata (faces, keywords, etc.). Unfortunately the external hard drive failed and I had to pay for data recovery services. When I got the external hard drive back, the Masters folders were all there with my photos, but the iPhoto Library package file seems to be missing. Is there anyway to recreate the iPhoto Library package to include all the files AND the associated metadata?
I found instructions on how to start from scratch by importing the Masters...but this method does not retain metadata. Any ideas would be really appreciated. Worst case scenario, I can go back to a Time Machine back-up from June 2014 and use that as a starting point, but I'd much rather not have to take that route.

but the iPhoto Library package file seems to be missing.
You cannot recreate the iphoto library package from your Masters folder. It is an intricate web of linked files. Use your most recent backup as a starting point, and then add the newer files from your recovered Masters folder.

HT5037 How to use iPhoto Library Upgrader

How to use iPhoto Library Upgrader

Hello Terence,
sorry that I come here with a completly different thema but I follow your answers since long and they are always excellent! And I do not know who could help... as I can not find the solution in Apple Support Communities.
I am very afraid with my MacBook Pro: midd. 2012
Prozessor: 2,3 GHz Intel Core i7
4GB 1600 MHz DDR3
Intel HD Graphics 4000 384 MB
Software: OS X 10.8.5 (12F45)
Kernel-Version: Darwin 12.5.0
iPhoto 11, Version: 9.4.3 (720.91)
iPhone 4s, 64GB Version:7.0.2 (11A501),
Symptoms:
1. I have notice three days ago that Spotlight allways answers I should go to the web when I look for data in my computer. It seems that Spotlight can not find anything from my computer.
2. Timemachine has no data before the 28th. January 2014 (!?) No idea why this happens
3. In Finder window when I go to "Alle meine Daten"(= All my data) there is absolutely nothing there...it means 0 objekts are there.
4.In Systemeinformationen (=Systeminformations) if I go to Software and then to Programs... there is nothig there because the Plug-In do not react quick enough (Das Plug-In hat beim Sammeln dieser Informationen nicht schnell genug reagiert). I am asking me which Plug-In it is and where to find it...
5. On my iPhone the Photo-stream suddenly shows only 110 fotos from Dezember on, but in My MacBookPro the iPhoto Stream shows of course the lasts 1000 ones...from 25.01.2013 to 03.02.14 as it did allways before.
I am not going to sync anything until I discover what is going on...
6. On my Contacts suddenly appeared the link address of a "game" in my own card ( both in iCloud and Lokal AddressBook)... and I have never ever played an online game (!?). So I deleted this two links as I discovered them some days ago...
I do not know what is going wrong here but I'm afraid to loose all my data in the computer, so I am making a secure copy in an external drive right now...
Could it be a virus inside... a software problem may be...?
The mayor Problem is how to get the programms to work (Spotlight, etc), or how to repair them.
I'm trying to find something wrong in the Protocols I have here, for example
- the Repair protocol for users from 27.01.2012 ( /Users/Begona/Library/logs/fsck_hfs.log).
- the Datasystem-Reppairprotocol from 01.02. 14 (/var/log/fsck_hfs.log)
- the Installationsprotocol from 04.02.14...
but I am really lost.
Thank you very much for reading this, help would be high appreciated
Begoña

Restoring iPhoto library from time machine

How does one restore iPhoto library from time machine. When I attempt to do so time machine downloads 2/3 of the library and then says: operation cannot be completed because you do not have permission to access iPhoto library. Any advice? I am using so 10.8.2

Try the methods pondini gives here.
http://pondini.org/TM/15.html
Look at the specifics for iphoto..
It is not easy as the versions have changed.. if you are trying to restore a version older than the OS.. not sure what willl happen.
You might also need to do a full restore to an external drive and pluck the library out of there.

IPhoto crashed. When reopened, 70 some events were grayed out (no photos). Restored iPhoto library from Time Machine, fewer grayed events. Said yes to a msg on fixing library, 3K more photos. Still wrong. What next to do?

iPhoto crashed. When reopened, 70+ some events were grayed out (no photos). Restored iPhoto library from Time Machine, fewer grayed events. Said yes to a msg on fixing library, 3000 more photos. Still wrong. What next to do?

Do you still have the library that you were using when the crash occurred? If so apply the two fixes below in order as needed:
Fix #1
1 - launch iPhoto with the Command+Option keys held down and rebuild the library.
2 - run Option #4 to rebuild the database.
Fix #2
Using iPhoto Library Manager to Rebuild Your iPhoto Library
1 - download iPhoto Library Manager and launch.
2 - click on the Add Library button and select the library you want to add in the selection window..
3 - Now that the library is listed in the left hand pane of iPLM, click on your library and go to the Library ➙ Rebuild Library menu option.
4 - In the next window name the new library and select the location you want it to be placed.
5 - 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 to Migrate iPhoto Library?

How do I migrate iPhoto library from MacBook Pro to iMac and keep Events and Faces?

Copy the iPhoto Library package/file from your MBP to the iMac. Connect the two Macs and drag from MBP to the iMac and place in the Pictures folder. Or if you have an external HD use it to transfer the library between Macs. DO NOT try to import the MBP library into a library on the iMac.
OT

Anyone know how to Restore iTunes Library from External HD

My PC won't even turn on anymore. But luckily, I have most of the iTunes Library backed up in an External HD.
Now, I've searched and can't find instructions from Apple on how to Restore the Library while keeping all the Playlists, Ratings, and all that other good stuff. Anyone know to do that, or at least WHERE that info is?
Thanks.
Message was edited by: MasterSpade

I have most of the iTunes Library backed up in an External HD
What exactly do you have backed up on the external?

How to restore iphoto library lost files

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for