Iphoto library is unreadable after reinstalling OS - help!

hi there, i had to reinstall my OS after my new macbook pro wouldn't stop freezing, and now i get an error message that the iphoto library is unreadable. i can't figure out how to restore it, because it won't accept any commands while the application is open. it still shows that there is 400MB of content though. please help!

How did you back it up before re-installing?
Regards
TD

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How do I delete unwanted photos (duplicates, poor quality How do I delete unwanted photos (duplicates, poor quality or old ones thator oones that I just don't want) from my IPhoto Library.I followed the instruction from Help and neither suggestion worked.

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Tried to select and press delete key...didn't work
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select a photo in an event and either drag it to the iPhoto trash or press the delete key - then empty theiPhoto trash an dthe system trash and the photo is totally gone from the system
LN

Videos in iPhoto have no sound after upgrade! HELP!

iPhoto Version: 9.3
OS: 10.7.4
After updating to the latest version of iPhoto, some of my videos have no sound! Even when I navigate to the file in the finder (Library > Show Package Contents > Masters), they have no sound! I've tried playing the file in QTIt seems to have only happened to some videos and not others. No real pattern that I can see.
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Why does the old iphoto library still remain after the upgrade? Takes up HUGE space on my laptop

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Actually, it only looks like it takes up additional space. The file size shown is misleading. When you migrate an iPhoto library to Photos, both libraries will show the media files using hard links. The actual file content of the image files and videos is shared by hard links:
See this linked document: Photos saves disk space by sharing images with your iPhoto or Aperture libraries - Apple Support
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Why can i not open my iphoto library??can somebody pls help me resolve my this problem..

its my 1st time to have a macbook pro..why cant i pen my iphoto library??can somebody pls help me on how to resolve this problem..asap

Open iPhoto and all your photos will appear, if you are looking for the folder of iPhoto is on the sidebar of a finder window called "Pictures" and there's a file called "iPhoto Library", press control and click on the file and choose "show package contents" and look for the photos...

Desperate for help: My iPhoto library is "unreadable"

HELP!
Earlier I tried to open my iPhoto library and it prompted me with a weird message that I've never seen in all of my years using the software. I forget the exact words of the alert because this occurred like two hours ago, but it was something along the lines of needing to upgrade my software in order to view my current library. Although I have an up-to-date version of iPhoto '08, I continued.
Now, my iPhoto library quite literally went back in time; I don't have any of the photos I've imported since 2007, and the ones that are there are unnamed and unorganized.
I was able to locate the images on my hard drive, but when I try to import them to the library, I get an error message: "The following files are unreadable because they are an unrecognizable format," or "The following files are unreadable or are already located in the library."
I'm desperate to get those photographs back into my library, and I have tried everything. I downloaded a software called iPhoto Library Manager, and I've tried to rebuild iPhoto directly, but I kept getting error messages. Does anybody have any advice?

Welcome to the Apple Discussions.
iPhoto will not import pics from the active iPhoto Library - a sensible protection against duplication.
Your database file is damaged, and as iPhoto Library Manager cannot rebuild it, you’ll need to either
1. Restore from your back up
or
2. Create a new Library and start over:
To create and populate a new *iPhoto 08* library:
Note this will give you a working library with the same Events and pictures as before, however, you will lose your albums, keywords, modified versions, books, calendars etc.
In the iPhoto Preferences -> Events Uncheck the box at 'Imported Items from the Finder'
Move the iPhoto Library to the desktop
Launch iPhoto. It will ask if you wish to create a new Library. Say Yes.
Go into the iPhoto Library (Right Click -> Show Package Contents) on your desktop and find the Originals folder. From the Originals folder drag the individual Event Folders to the iPhoto Window and it will recreate them in the new library.
When you're sure all is well you can delete the iPhoto Library on your desktop.
In the future, in addition to your usual back up routine, you might like to make a copy of the library6.iPhoto file whenever you have made changes to the library as protection against database corruption.
Regards
TD

My iphoto library disappeared. i am trying to restore my library from time machine -- from an external drive -- but everytime it tries to copy my library it tells me it can't do it because i don't have access to my iphoto library??!!! help!!

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Thank you Terence for your help. I was able to restore my backup from my time machine ext drive to a new 1tb seagate ext drive. so i felt sort of ok. but yesterday that older ext drive i used for time machine wouldn't open! i called applecare and they trouble shooted with me and said it's probably a goner and data is probably corrupted. it's only a few years old and i'm very careful with it. my husband accidentally dropped my new drive last night -- i know, unbelievable, i was SO upset, poor guy -- but I'm so stressed with all of this. i have 10 years of photos and videos. so now i only have the one newer drive with a backup. i have to buy another one today to backup again so i at least have two backups. i tried to delete a ton of files last night to free up the 30 gb of space i need to get my full library back on my mac. i have 90gb free and deleted 7 years worth of photos i had on picasa that were in my "pictures" folder and also a ton or random photos and videos i had in that same pictures folder and thought that would give me the 30 gb but it hardly freed up any space at all! do you know why that is? all of this stuff is really a pain and really stressful. thank god i did have a backup in the first place but now i am panicked the one i have left will somehow crash. especially after my husband dropped the drive lastnight! it didn't fall far and fell onto a wood floor and seems fine, but after my older ext drive crashed yesterday -- and i lost my entire iphoto library a fewweeks ago off my mac -- i feel cursed. any answers you have would be great. thank you.

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I have recently had something really odd happen within iphoto. My photos from May-Oct 2013 appeared to be missing from my primary Iphoto library.
last night I was trying to find any additional Iphoto libraries on my Imac... I could not find them... but then somehow the May-Oct 2013 library showed up and now I cannot find the "current" primary Iphoto library. I sought help from apple care today but no solutoin from them after 2 hours trying. I have timemachine that backs up my Imac each day to an external hard drive. When I open Iphoto while holding down the "option" key - it lets me choose which Iphoto library... but only (1) library comes up... I can't figure out what happened - but it seems that I must have more than one Iphoto library because yesterday I was able to see all my photos except the "gap in dates" from May-Oct 2013. Today - I can only open a Library called Iphoto2014... and it contains the photos from the gap in dates. I can't "see" any other options to open photos... but just yesterday there appeared to be a different library available.
Any advice or steps i should take to locate my missing photos - would be soooooo much appreciated.

I have recently had something really odd happen within iphoto. My photos from May-Oct 2013 appeared to be missing from my primary Iphoto library.
last night I was trying to find any additional Iphoto libraries on my Imac... I could not find them... but then somehow the May-Oct 2013 library showed up and now I cannot find the "current" primary Iphoto library. I sought help from apple care today but no solutoin from them after 2 hours trying. I have timemachine that backs up my Imac each day to an external hard drive. When I open Iphoto while holding down the "option" key - it lets me choose which Iphoto library... but only (1) library comes up... I can't figure out what happened - but it seems that I must have more than one Iphoto library because yesterday I was able to see all my photos except the "gap in dates" from May-Oct 2013. Today - I can only open a Library called Iphoto2014... and it contains the photos from the gap in dates. I can't "see" any other options to open photos... but just yesterday there appeared to be a different library available.
Any advice or steps i should take to locate my missing photos - would be soooooo much appreciated.

My IPhoto Library is unreadable Tried everything recommended even deleted IPhoto and I still get the error message

Hi
I keep getting the error message (photo library is either in use by another application or has become unreadable ) I've tried everything that has been suggested, I've even deleted Iphoto and reinstalled it ,but this doesn't work, I even reinstalled Lion, without success. I've checked for virus s and that is ok. Any ideas as to what the problem is and how can I solve it.
Regards
Richard

Try this solution:
Start over from scratch with new library
Start over with a new library and import the Originals (iPhoto 09 and earlier) or the Masters (iPhoto 11) folder from your original library as follows:
1. Move the existing library folder to the desktop.
2. Open the library package like this.
Click to view full size
3. Launch iPhoto and, when asked, select the option to create a new library.
4. Drag the Originals (iPhoto 09 and earlier) or the Masters (iPhoto 11) folder from the iPhoto Library on the desktop into the open iPhoto window.
Click to view full size
This will create a new library with the same Events as the original library but will not keep the metadata, albums, books slideshows and other projects. Your original libraruy will not be affected. It will still exist in case you want to try other fixes on it.
OT

IPhoto library corrupted by Time Machine? Help!

Hi,
I need some advice. It appears that I have lost thousands of photos. I know that's not true cos I have a Time Machine backup, but I want to run my situation past you before trying to recover my library. You see, I had a Time Machine backup error. Actually, scratch that, I had a problem with iPhoto not showing some particular photos. They showed up as just a dotted outline, yet when I chose 'show original file' or clicked to edit the photo, it appeared. So, the photos were there, but the thumbnails had a problem.
After some time spent searching for a fix, I started iPhoto with the command and option keys pressed and chose all options to rebuild iPhoto. This looked like it was gonna take some time (I have over 4500 photos) so I left it alone and went to bed. In the morning, iPhoto appeared to be fixed but Time Machine had reported an error while backing up. I clicked ok, did a new backup by clicking 'backup now' which worked fine and carried on as usual.
I've used iPhoto some more today and then, this evening, another TM backup failed. I tried again, and it failed again. I searched the internet to figure out why and discovered how to view the log file. This reported this: Jun 19 21:22:59 lee-webbs-intel-imac /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[10907]: Error: (-8062) SrcErr:NO Copying /Users/leewebb/Pictures/iPhoto Library/Library6.iPhoto to /Volumes/Time Machine Backup/Backups.backupdb/Lee Webb’s intel iMac/2010-06-19-210546.inProgress/5A645817-7095-47FC-A658-A447B5A5814C/mac hd/Users/leewebb/Pictures/iPhoto Library
Jun 19 21:23:46 lee-webbs-intel-imac /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[10907]: Copied 1656 files (294.5 MB) from volume mac hd.
Jun 19 21:23:46 lee-webbs-intel-imac /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[10907]: Copy stage failed with error:11
Jun 19 21:24:17 lee-webbs-intel-imac /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[10907]: Backup failed with error: 11
So, something seems to be wrong with the iPhoto library. I reckon that the rebuild process was somehow interrupted/corrupted by a TM backup. Following some instructions I found in C3 here: http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2057525 I ran a verify on my TM backup drive. This returned with OK. I then excluded my iPhoto library from my backup and ran the backup again. It worked fine, which would confirm that the iPhoto library is indeed the problem. Good. Ok. So, that's where I am now. Except it isn't. When I now start up iPhoto, my library has shrunk down to 748 photos! Eeek! What's happened, and what can I do about it? In iPhoto, those 748 photos add up to 1.4gb yet the iPhoto library file is still 12.87gb.
Please can you help me.
I just want to make sure I do the right thing instead of panicking. I've switched off my TM backup for now.
Many thanks,
Lee

Does your library work as it should? Try a minimal backup: launch iPhoto with the Command+Option keys depressed to rebuild the library. Select the last three options.
Click to view full size
Another option would be to rebuild the library with iPhoto Library Manager as follows:
Using iPhoto Library Manager to Rebuild Your iPhoto Library
1 -Download iPhoto Library Manager and launch.
2 -Click on the Add Library button, navigate to your User/Pictures folder and select your iPhoto Library folder.
3 - Now that the library is listed in the left hand pane of iPLM, click on your library and go to the File->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 untouched for further attempts at fixing or in case the rebuilt library is not satisfactory.
Then keep the old library excluded from the Time Machine backup and run TM to see if the new library will backup normally.
OT
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 versions) 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. There are versions that are compatible with iPhoto 5, 6, 7 and 8 libraries and Tiger and Leopard. Just put the application in the Dock and click on it whenever you want to backup the dB file. 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.
NOTE: The new rebuild option in iPhoto 09 (v. 8.0.2), Rebuild the iPhoto Library Database from automatic backup" makes this tip obsolete.

Moving iPhoto library to Ext Hard Drive please help

Hi, I am moving from a Imac to Mac Book air. I copied the pictures folder on Imac to the External Hard drive. Plugged EHD into mac book air. Opened Iphoto and held down option key and then selected the libary on the EHD. Lots of activity on ext hard drive, but my pictures are not showing up in Iphoto. Any help would be really appreciated. Some priceless family photos I need to get access to. My Imac is no longer working, so I am going to be using the MacBOok air as my primary

I copied the pictures folder on Imac to the External Hard drive. Plugged EHD into mac book air. Opened Iphoto and held down option key and then selected the libary on the EHD. Lots of activity on ext hard drive, but my pictures are not showing up in Iphoto.
What are you seeing, when you are opening the iPhoto library in the copied Pictures folder? An empty iPhoto window? Error messages?
Is your external drive formatted MacOS X Extended (Journaled)?
Do you have the same versions of iPhoto on your iMac and new MBA? What are the versions?
Regards
Léonie

I am not able to open iPhoto, when I have used the iPhoto Library Manager, I get the message that "the iPhoto Library folder could not be found" Help!

Help! I can't open the iPhoto! I have os x 10.5.8 and I have tried using the iPhoto Library Manager only to find out that the folder for the iPhoto Library could not be found.
I have also tried the Fix #1 from the user Old Toad who said to delete the preference file :com.appleiPhoto.plist - I could do that, but I couldn't figure out how to delete iPhoto's cache fie, Cache.db because I couldn't find it? I'm not sure how to find the file by it's directory path name of HD/User/Home/Library/Caches/com.apple.iPhoto .
Help is very much appreciated!
vernawithav

Download and use Find Any File to search for "Library6.iPhoto". It's a file that is present in every iPhoto library. If you don't find one on your hard drive then your library has gone missing entirely.
Another thing you can try is to use the Search For - All Images feature in the Finder window to see if you can see any of your photos.
That will tell you if they are on your hard drive but somewhere other than the library.
What do you see when you insert the DVD into the optical drive? Can you open it and any folders on the disk? If the disk is titled iPhoto Library then open the disk, the the iPhoto Library folder and finally the Originals folder. Check the subfolders to see if your photos are there.
Your original photo files will be in the Originals subfolders.

Iphoto library dissappeared holding option upon launching, Help!

I can still find my photos within finder, but no idea where they actually were. My intention was to move all the library to my hard drive. Every time I went to update my computer it said hard drive too full, and just emptying trash clearing stuff out did not make enough room. Online this suggestion seemed a good alternative. But when I held the option key down when launching iphoto, I did name a folder, and can see that , but now when I launch iphoto and pick that library I named, it comes up empty. Very frustrated, just wanted to organize, make sure pics were backed up and be able to download all the mac updates. Also I could not download anything on itunes, also said hard drive space too full. THANKS for any help.

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1. Quit iPhoto
2. Copy the iPhoto Library from your Pictures Folder to the External Disk.
3. Hold down the option (or alt) key while launching iPhoto. From the resulting menu select 'Choose Library' and navigate to the new location. From that point on this will be the default location of your library.
4. Test the library and when you're sure all is well, trash the one on your internal HD to free up space.
Regards
TD

IPhoto cannot export video after installing Yosemite, HELP. It happens to my 2 MacBook Pros, 2 Airs and iMac.

iPhoto cannot export video after installing Yosemite.

You have a problem and yo need to solve it
If you want help you need to do more than state an abstract problem - we need details - what can't it? what makes you thing it can't? what errors occur? what are the symptoms?
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IPhoto Library Not Found after Upgrade to Leopard

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Yes, it must have been upgrade and install because I followed the defaults. The iPhoto library was in the Pictures folder in Tiger and I never moved it. After the upgrade to Leopard, it was gone--it is no longer in my Pictures folder, nor does it seem to be anywhere else. I didn't touch it--the upgrade made it disappear. Why did that happen? What can be done about it? Thanks very much.

Iphoto library is unreadable after reinstalling OS - help!

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