IPhoto has lost the link to the photo library

When I open iPhoto, it not longer pulls in my photo library. I have a 2010 13 inch MacBook running OS X Lion 10.7.5 and iPhoto 9.4.3. I don't know what caused it; I have done no recent updates. I have backed up everything on a separate hard drive and also have a time machine backup.
I can tell that my photos are still on the computer because of the space that is taken up, but when I try to open photo library, it won't open. Please help, too many photos that I don't want to lose.

Download and use Find Any File to search for a file named "Library6.iPhoto". It's a file that is in every iPhoto library. FAF can search areas that Spotlight can't, like invisible folders, system folders and packages. If your library is somewhere on the hard drive FAF will find it.
OT

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I updated the software on my 2009 MBP to Mountain Lion. Since then, my iPhoto has been unable to open my photo library. I have updated iPhoto, and still no luck. Any ideas for fixing this problem?

I updated the software on my 2009 MBP to Mountain Lion. Since then, my iPhoto has been unable to open my photo library. I have updated iPhoto, and still no luck. Any ideas for fixing this problem?

Welcome to the Apple Support Communities
Do you see any message when you open iPhoto? Try to open iPhoto holding Option key and select the library

IPhoto keeps saying The photo library needs to be upgraded to work with this version of iPhoto

Upgraded to new Lion iMac from Snow Leopard iMac, then upgraded to iCloud. I upgraded to the latest version of iPhoto. I get this message that says that "The photo library needs to be upgraded to work with this version of iPhoto. I have iPhoto '11 version 9.2.1(628)
I have attached the screenshot here. I have over 31,000 photos in this library. I click upgrade and it shows me a line for a while and then goes to the photos. Everything looks fine except photstream doesn't work and I always get this same message when I open iPhoto again.
Another detail is that I do have mobileme web albums still publishing from this iPhoto. Could this be causing a problem?

Option 1
Back Up and try rebuild the library: hold down the command and option (or alt) keys while launching iPhoto. Use the resulting dialogue to rebuild. Choose to Rebuild iPhoto Library Database from automatic backup.
If that fails:
Option 2
Download iPhoto Library Manager and use its rebuild function. This will create a new library based on data in the albumdata.xml file. Not everything will be brought over - no slideshows, books or calendars, for instance - but it should get all your albums and keywords back.
Because this process creates an entirely new library and leaves your old one untouched, it is non-destructive, and if you're not happy with the results you can simply return to your old one. .
Regards
TD

Is there a way to have iPhoto NOT use the Photo Library on the Main drive?

I have thousands of pictures going waaay back to when iPhoto first came out. Most are on disc and on backup drives. I want to use the external drives to work from, within iPhoto. Is this possible?
I just got a Mac Mini and since i have a lot of external drives(over 6TB, I'm a pro photographer) I didn't need the larger main drive. I like to use iPhoto for snapshots of my family and friends and quickie uploads for them.
Thanks.

sure
Moving the iPhoto library is safe and simple - quit iPhoto and drag the iPhoto library intact as a single entity to the external drive - depress the option key and launch iPhoto using the "select library" option to point to the new location on the external drive - fully test it and then trash the old library on the internal drive (test one more time prior to emptying the trash)
And be sure that the External drive is formatted Mac OS extended (journaled) (iPhoto does not work with drives with other formats) and that it is always available prior to launching iPhoto
And backup soon and often - having your iPhoto library on an external drive is not a backup and if you are using Time Machine you need to check and be sure that TM is backing up your external drive
LN

I have a Powerbook G4, from a friend but he has lost the disc,s in a house move, I have all Apps except Iphoto, and cannot transfer my photo's, what can I do. Running 10.5.8 George.C

I have a Powerbook G4, from a friend but he has lost the disc,s in a house move, I have all Apps except Iphoto, and cannot transfer my photo's, what can I do. Running 10.5.8 Prachal

By all means get iLife but just for the record you don't HAVE to use Apple's photo application;
there are many more around, quite a lot of them free.
This http://download.cnet.com/mac/digital-photo-software/?tag=rb_content;main
is a good site to look through for candidates - some will be free some shareware and some paid for.
Alternatively Kodak provides free photo software - navigate through this site to what's right for you:
http://www.kodak.co.uk/ek/GB/en/Home_Main/Kodak_Store/Software.htm
I think its probably this one:
http://support.en.kodak.co.uk/app/answers/detail/a_id/16434/selected/true
Edit :Just remembered another site for you to explore:
http://www.macupdate.com/
Put "photo" in the search box.....

My iphoto on my imac somehow updated on its own and now its saying "The photo library needs to be upgraded to work with this version of iPhoto." have i lost my photos?

I tried to open my iphoto last night on my iMAC and it somehow updated on it's own and now has a message saying "The photo library needs to be upgraded to work with this version of iPhoto. Your photo library will not be readable by previous versions of iPhoto after the upgrade.The upgrade process for very large libraries may take an hour or more to complete." I only have the option to quit or upgrade. What does this mean? Have i lost my pictures? i don't properly have my back up hard drive set up so all my pictures aren't backed up.

"The photo library needs to be upgraded to work with this version of iPhoto. Your photo library will not be readable by previous versions of iPhoto after the upgrade.The upgrade process for very large libraries may take an hour or more to complete."
After your iPhoto application got updated to a new version, iPhoto will convert the iPhoto library to a new format, that is used by the new version. The warning tells you, that after this upgrade older iPhoto versions will no longer be able to read the iPhoto library. If you have a second Mac with older software that might be important. Make a backup to be on the safe side and let iPhoto upgrade the library.

When I downloaded the update to 10.9.4 on my Macbook, I lost the photos in my two projects in iPhoto. Is there a way to retrieve them?

When I downloaded the update to 10.9.4 on my Macbook, I lost the photos in my two projects in iPhoto. Is there a way to retrieve them?

I have just found out that my Mac doesn't back up to iCloud. So, have enabled Time Machine. I didn't realise I had to setup the backups - thought they were automatic in the iCloud. Thanks for your help

IPhoto 5.0.4 has suddenly stopped working. It loads the photo library and then freezes. Rebuilding the library has no effect which has about 3.5MB of data. PowerBook G4 OS 10.5.8

iPhoto 5.0.4 has suddenly stopped working. It loads the photo library and then freezes. Rebuilding the library has no effect which has about 3.5MB of data. PowerBook G4 OS 10.5.8

Create a new account (systempreferences -> accounts or Users & Groups on 10.7) and see if the problem is repeated there. If it is, then a re-install of the app might be indicated. If it's not, then it's likely the app is okay and the problem is something in the main account.
Regards
TD

After doing a software update for iPhoto, some of the photos in my library appear distorted and stretched. I have tried repairing the library but they are still distorted. Has anyone else experienced this and found a solution?

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What upgrade did you apply? As a test launch iPhoto with the Option key held down and create a new, test library. Import some photos and test to see if the same problem persists. Does it?
OT

Why does my iphoto continue to say " photos are being imported to the photo library" every time I try to close? I have not been imported and this has been keeping me from closing for weeks.

Why does my iphoto continue to say " photos are being imported to the photo library" every time I try to close? I have not been imported and this has been keeping me from closing for weeks.

What Operating System are you running?
Mountain Lion there seem to be a glitch that continually ask this on quit.
You have Apple Menu ()>force quit>iPhoto

IPhoto has changed the creation dates to all of my photos

I recently bought a new MacBook Pro, my first computer since my iMac circa 2005. I've successfully transfered all of my photos to the new computer, but iPhoto has changed the creation dates of every file, so they're no longer in chronological order. I've used DVDs and Dropbox, I've exported the files, copied the data files from the hard drive, everything, but the result is still the same. I contemplated changing each file manually, but I have over 3,000 photos. Has anyone had this problem? Is there a way I can restore the correct dates?

Hi Keith,
Yes, it's date that the photo was taken that has been changed. When I look at the "photo info" of each individual photo, the "original date" is correct, but the transferred photos on my new computer always change to a 2007 date, despite the fact that the photos were taken as early as 2002.
Does this make more sense?
K

Iphotos has lost all my photos

Iphotos has lost all my photos, I've tried importing them from the libary but it keeps telling me it doesn't recognise it or the files can't be imported???? Ive also tried Iphone libary manager to retrieve the photos with no luck.

Sorry but you need to provide details
What version of iPhoto and of the OS? What recently changed?
With no information the only possible solution is to restore yoru backup from just before what ever happened happened
LN

I just downloaded Yosemite and all my iPhotos have disappeared! I tried importing them from the photo library but it said there wasn't enough space on my hard drive which is rubbish, because they were there before. How do I get them back to iPhoto?

I just downloaded Yosemite and all my iPhotos have disappeared! I tried importing them from the photo library but it said there wasn't enough space on my hard drive which is rubbish, because they were there before. How do I get them back to iPhoto?

There are 9 different versions of iPhoto and they run on 9 different versions of the Operating System. The tricks and tips for dealing with issues vary depending on the version of iPhoto and the version of the OS. So to get help you need to give as much information as you can. Include things like:
- What version of iPhoto.
- What version of the Operating System.
- Details. As full a description of the problem as you can. For example, if you have a problem with exporting, then explain by describing how you are trying to export, and so on.
- History: Is this going on long? Has anything been installed or deleted? - Are there error messages?
- What steps have you tried already to solve the issue.
- Anything unusual about your set up? Or how you use iPhoto?
Anything else you can think of that might help someone understand the problem you have.

When trying to open iPhoto the computer says: 'The photo library needs to be upgraded to work with this version of iPhoto.' So I click 'upgrade' Then it says: 'You can't open your current photo library using this version of iPhoto.' Etcetera...

When trying to open iPhoto the computer says:
‘The photo library needs to be upgraded to work with this version of iPhoto.’
So I click ‘upgrade’
Then it says: ‘You can’t open your current photo library using this version of iPhoto.’
Etcetera...
What to do??
Theo

Is your Apple Intel-based, poppelmacbook? If not, you should consider treating yourself to a new Mac. Last December I gave up my old because it just could not update...anything because it was not Intel-based. Updating everything on this OS to 10.9 has been confusing for me, but I just could not work with that old Mac because the updates were too smart? for my 10.6. It is upstairs now...for visiting family: games, garage band, etc.--things I never did use. Apple refurbished and purchase the extended warranty. Apple loyalist since late 1980's.

I have my photos iPhoto but my iPhoto library is empty. when clicked message reads could not be opened image capture cannot open files in the photo library format. How do I get my photos back into my library?

I have my photos in iPhoto but my iPhoto library is empty.When clicked message reads could not be opened image capture cannot open files in the photo library format. How do I get my photos back into my library?

When what is clicked?
There are 9 different versions of iPhoto and they run on 9 different versions of the Operating System. The tricks and tips for dealing with issues vary depending on the version of iPhoto and the version of the OS. So to get help you need to give as much information as you can. Include things like:
- What version of iPhoto.
- What version of the Operating System.
- Details. As full a description of the problem as you can. For example, if you have a problem with exporting, then explain by describing how you are trying to export, and so on.
- History: Is this going on long? Has anything been installed or deleted? - Are there error messages?
- What steps have you tried already to solve the issue.
- Anything unusual about your set up? Or how you use iPhoto?
Anything else you can think of that might help someone understand the problem you have.

IPhoto has lost the link to the photo library

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