I lost all my Photo's in IPHOTO

Question

Hello,
I lost all my Photo's in IPHOTO today
I will try to outline what I have done. Some months ago I took old photograph-files of my windows computer by means of an external hard disk. Afterwards I had the following experience: each time that I started Iphoto I received a note "13 photos have been found in the iPhoto Library that were not imported." Then it tells me "The photos have been placed in a folder. The folder is stored in my file/images/library/no..... it counts up every day. Today it reached no. 56. I tried to throw away all that garbage. By means of finder I have gone to the images/library and saw those 56 items listed there. I wanted them all thrown away at the same time. I have slid them then all 56 in each other, then you hear a sound of 'plik' every time and when done I dragged to the dustbin. As I returned to Iphoto, everything was empty 244 folders with over 28,000 photo' s. The files are all grey. If I select a photo then I get a light grey screen with !-sign. What remaine are the file-names and the numbering of the 28,000 photo's. So I have 28,000 grey screens but without the photo's that correspond with them.
I tried to import Photo's with the Iphoto- archive-import button from the library in finder. But there were only the 56 files with the 13 photo's that could'nt be opened every time I started Iphoto.
I already tried to restore it by finder, but the photo's are not listed there.
I'am desperate. I hope that someone can help me.

Answer 1

FileSalvage will only find image files. You won't be able to recover your library as it was previously.
The Originals folder will be inside the iPhoto Library package. You can open the package like this. Look inside the Originals folder and it's subfolders for your image files. If they are not there then continue with FileSalvage. If you find that your image files are still inside their subfolders you can partially recreate your library as follows:
Creating a new library while preserving the Events from the original library.
Move the existing library folder to the desktop.
Open the library package like this.
Launch iPhoto and, when asked, select the option to create a new library.
Drag the Originals folder from the iPhoto Library on the desktop into the open iPhoto window.
This will create a new library with the same Events as the original library if you have the Finder checkbox unchecked in the Events preference pane.
In the future NEVER go inside the iPhoto LIbrary package from the finder and consider using the tip at the end of my signature below.
TIP: For insurance against the iPhoto database corruption that many users have experienced I recommend making a backup copy of the Library6.iPhoto (iPhoto.Library for iPhoto 5 and earlier) database file and keep it current. If problems crop up where iPhoto suddenly can't see any photos or thinks there are no photos in the library, replacing the working Library6.iPhoto file with the backup will often get the library back. By keeping it current I mean backup after each import and/or any serious editing or work on books, slideshows, calendars, cards, etc. That insures that if a problem pops up and you do need to replace the database file, you'll retain all those efforts. It doesn't take long to make the backup and it's good insurance.
I've created an Automator workflow application (requires Tiger or later), iPhoto dB File Backup, that will copy the selected Library6.iPhoto file from your iPhoto Library folder to the Pictures folder, replacing any previous version of it. It's compatible with iPhoto 6 and 7 libraries and Tiger and Leopard. iPhoto does not have to be closed to run the application, just idle. You can download it at Toad's Cellar. Be sure to read the Read Me pdf file.≤br>
Note: There now an Automator backup application for iPhoto 5 that will work with Tiger or Leopard.