Lost albums after iPhoto Library move

I recently moved my iPhoto library to an external harddrive and lost all of my albums that I had organized my photos into. iPhoto had trouble finding the library after I moved it, and the albums seemed to dissapear after that.
It's all backed up with TimeMachine, is there any way to retrieve the organized albums??
Thanks!

First off tell us exactly waht you did
the correct way to move the library to an EHD
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

Similar Messages

Lost photos after iPhoto library rebuild - what happened?

After noticing that there were albums entitled Recovered photos in my iPhoto library, I deleted those albums. As expected, i got a message that i was not really deleting the originals, just getting rid of such albums. There were about 5 of those "recovered albums": one contained about 30 photos; three had zero and another had over 1000 photos. Subsequent to that, thinking of making this library totally clean, I decided to do a "libraty rebuild" using the option-command rebuild procedure of iphoto. I checked all the options presented for that procedure. To my surprise, when the process was finished I had less events, and less photos. A careful visual check of the display pane of events and photos confirmed that i had lost actual photos. I tried to reclaim those lost photos with another rebuild -- this time using iphoto library manager, but without success. What happened? Is there any way to reclaim those lost photos?
I do have a backup, but would prefer to correct the problem in the original library to avoid having to assemble and clean up duplicates that i had before.
I'm using the newest version of iPhoto: 8.1 and OS X 10.5.8 on a MacBook 2.4 Ghz - 2Gb Ram - 250 GB HD, 42 GB available. My iPhoto library has over 12000 photos

Why these things happen is always difficult to answer. My experience with iPhoto is using it since v1 on with a single library that's upgraded each new versions and migrated from G4 iMac to G5 iMac to Intel iMac and then a second Intel iMac. I load photos in, my wife does and my 12 year old does too.
And never had a problem.
The database gets corrupted when the app is interrupted when writing to it. The usual causes of this include a crash, a force quit or a lost connection to the Library on an external disk. More rarely minor disk or directory damage might be a cause.
I wondered when I read your report
Subsequent to that, thinking of making this library totally clean, I decided to do a "libraty rebuild" using the option-command rebuild procedure of iphoto. I checked all the options presented for that procedure.
The options presented for that procedure include various items that require the app to read the database file plus this one
Rebuild iPhoto Library Database from automatic backup.
+I Wonder+ - I stress, I wonder, no more - if reading to rebuild various thumbnails from a file that is being vacuumed +while at the same time+ is being replaced by a backup is what caused the issue.
If it is, then the Rebuild from Back Up option should be sandboxed and not possible while the other events are going on.
But that's just a guess.
Regards
TD

Photo stream after iPhoto Library Move

OK, so I have moved my iPhoto library to an external hard drive (had to clear up space on my MBP).
I now want to open iPhoto & generate a new library. My intention is to use this going forwards. I will not be regularly attaching the hard drive with the old Library, this will effectively just be archived & used as necessary
My question relates to photo stream. I start iPhoto & set up my new Library, I then choose to turn on photo stream. I am warned that turning on photo stream for this library will turn it off for my old library.
I just need to make sure I don't lose anything on this process. In other words, by turning off photos tram in the old library, I am assuming that it freezes things 'as was'.
If by turning off photo stream to the new library I am going to lose stuff, I would like to now beforehand,
Can anyone advise?

I just need to make sure I don't lose anything on this process. In other words, by turning off photos tram in the old library, I am assuming that it freezes things 'as was'.
Only one iPhoto Library or Aperture library can use photo stream at at a time. If you enable Photo Stream for a new library, all automatic imports will go to this new library, and you can only share photos from this new library. But no photos will be deleted from the old library. The transit should be seamless,

I have lost my entire IPhoto Library and albums

IMac OS X V 10.6.8
I have lost my entire IPhoto Library and albums.
How do I restore?

Your only other option is to stop using your Mac as soon as possible to minimize precious data being overwritten to, purchase a high quality, fast external hard drive, preferably a FIreWire external hard drive such as these
http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/firewire/1394/USB/EliteAL/eSATA_FW800_FW400_USB
using an OS X Snow Leopard install disc, format this external drive as a Mac OS extended (journaled) formatted hard drive with a GUID partition scheme and then, using a install disc of OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard, install a fresh copy of OS X Snow Leopard and boot your Mac to that external hard drive by using the Startup Disc icon in the OS X System Preferences Panel to boot your Mac to the external hard drive. Once your Mac is booted and running from this hard drive, then use the OS X Software Update feature to update that version of OS X Snow Leopard to OS X 10.6.8.
Then, you need to do a web search for a Data recovery software such as Prosoft Engineering's Data Rescue and purchase, download, install and use this software to perform data recovery of your iMac's internal hard drive following the proper instructions on how to use the software. to recover the data.
Be advised that any images you recover will no longer be in a format that IPhoto will read and most like will just be a folder with just the images alone without any more linkage to the IPhoto library, but I am not completely sure about this as I always have redundant backups of my entire system.
If this seems all too complicated and complex to you, you need to stop using your Mac ASAP and either contact an Apple Store or Apple Authorised reseller/service/repair center to find out how much it will cost for them to recover your data and bring your Mac in for a more professional data recovery.
I still strongly advise you purchase a high quality, large storage, fast, external hard drive to use for future data backups to prevent such a catastrophic data loss from happening, again.
Every computer user SHOULD have, at least, one external backup drive and having redundant backup drives is even better.

Lost my complete iphoto library!!

Hi,
I have lost my complete iphoto library. I have just upgraded to OS X 10.8.2 from 10.5 and I did not back up previous to losing it. Is there anything tha I can do to retrieve it?

There are no guarantees.
You download the app and it will scan the disk for recoverable files. It will tell you what it thinks it can recover. Only then do you purchase, if you think it's worthwhile.
Given that the OS was upgraded from 10.5 to 10.8 there was a lot of writing to the disk in the process and the chancs of your deleted photos been overwritten is high.
Regards
TD

Please help!! Ive suddenly lost my entire iPhoto library..says it doesn't exist although I can see the photos all in grey-but also the menu is in grey, can't do anything

Please can anyone help! Ive suddenly lost my entire iPhoto library while I wss cleaning up…sometimes I can find them, they're there but all in grey and so is the menu for iPhoto…so I can't open or do anything…

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.

Lost photos from iphoto library after moving it

Comments:
I have a G5 OS X Version 10.5.5.. I had a lot of photos in my iPhoto library and I was told I could move iPhoto application to my external HD by holding down the command key and then drag iPhoto over to the external HD. Which I did. I opened the external HD and all the photos where there in the iPhoto Library. I had to shut down my computer as I was away for a few days and when I turned it back on and went into the external HD the iPhoto application was not there nor the photos. My Time Machine has no record of them as iPhoto only seems to have a record of a new iPhoto Library on my desk. Can I retrieve these photos? Can you run iPhoto from your external HD? Thanks for your help. Regards Amanda

Welcome to the Apple Discussions.
I was told I could move iPhoto application to my external HD by holding down the command key and then drag iPhoto over to the external HD.
The problem with moving while dragging is that you defeat the default behaviour of the OS. If you simply drag then your Mac makes a copy of the library on the new volume and you have the opportunity to test it thoroughly before trashing the library on your start up disk.
1. Quit iPhoto
2. Copy the iPhoto Library Folder as an entity 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.
Next, moving your Library - which normally lives in your Pictures Folder - and moving the iPhoto application are not the same thing. You should not move the application.
Start by doing an All Images Search:
In the Finder
-f
Kind Images
Size: Greater than 300k
see if that finds anything.
Regards
TD

IPhotos Movies won't load after iPhoto Library moved to external harddrive

I recently moved my iPhoto library to an external harddrive (as it was getting too large). Since then, whenever I try select iPhoto Movies in iMovie my iMac freezes up. Not sure whether this is because:
- iMovie cannot find the moved library, or...
- iMovie is trying to reload hundreds of movie clips and freezing in the process
Is there a way to fix this, please?

I recently moved my iPhoto library to an external harddrive (as it was getting too large). Since then, whenever I try select iPhoto Movies in iMovie my iMac freezes up. Not sure whether this is because:
- iMovie cannot find the moved library, or...
- iMovie is trying to reload hundreds of movie clips and freezing in the process
Is there a way to fix this, please?

Lost link between iPhoto library and iPhoto.app

While learning how to use Photoshop Elements 4.0 and Bridge, I made the choice to "browse" in Bridge. When I next started iPhoto 6.06, my link to the Library was lost. I have worked with AppleCare support, done every exercise short of creating a new library and losing my organization. With 20,000 + photos I would like to avoid that exercise. I do have backups but am trying to figure out if I can solve this any other way. All my files are still in iPhoto Library, and I can see the organization of my albums in Bridge. With some exercises, I get the message: "Unreadable files: 1. The following file could not be imported: '/Users/john/Pictures/iPhoto Library/Library.iPhoto.'"
If I delete Adobe Photoshop Elements and Bridge from the hard drive, will this help? I promise I did not do anything within iPhoto Library in Finder!
Thanks so much!
iMac Mac OS X (10.4.9) iPhoto 6.06
iMac Mac OS X (10.4.9) iPhoto 6.06
iMac Mac OS X (10.4.9) iPhoto 6.06

cdkayak
Welcome to the Apple Discussions.
There's absolutely no harm in using PSE with iPhoto, it's Bridge that's a killer. So that's what you chuck from your machine. Set up PSE as an external editor in the iPhoto Preferences. That way you can double click a pic in iPhoto and it will open automatically in PSE, save it PSE and have it come back into iPhoto seamlessly.
What's likely happened here is that you have (or Bridge has) made changes in the iPhoto Library Folder which has broken the link between iPhoto and the library files.
Some things to try:
Hold down the option (or alt) key and launch iPhoto. Choose Locate, and point iPhoto at the iPhoto Library Folder.
What Back Ups do you have? If there's an up-to-date one, then try copying the library6.iphoto file from it to the iPhoto Library Folder allowing it to overwrite the confused one.
That said, if these don't work, your options will only be to create and populate a new library: To create and populate a new library:
Note this will give you a working library with the same film rolls and pictures as before, however, you will lose your albums, keywords, books, calendars etc.
Move the iPhoto Library Folder to the desktop
Launch iPhoto. It will ask if you wish to create a new Library. Say Yes.
Go into the iPhoto Library Folder on your desktop and find the Originals folder. From the Originals folder drag the individual rolls 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 Folder 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.
Finally, the message
"Unreadable files: 1. The following file could not be imported: '/Users/john/Pictures/iPhoto Library/Library.iPhoto.'"
is because iPhoto will not import a picture that's in the active iPhoto Library Folder - a sensible precaution against duplication.
Regards
TD

Lost photos from iphoto library

I backed up my iphoto library from my old macbook to an external hard drive and now imported it to my new imac. When I open iphoto all thumbnails show up, but when I click on a photo a black picture with an exclamation mark shows up. Some photos open fine, most won't.
I tried rebuilding iphoto with iphoto's own rebuild and with iphoto library manager, both with same results: only 2000 of my 9000 photos showed up!
I did have a problem when first time trying to move files from the external hard drive - Lacie 1tb usb- once it was unplugged without first being ejected, and also it made my computer crash few times and I had to reboot the imac. I suspect this had something to do with the lost photos.
Is there a way to get these photos back?

Welcome to the Apple Discussions.
The photos should still be in the library package file.
You may need to start over with a new Library:
Try these in order - from best option on down...
1. Do you have an up-to-date back up? If so, try copy the library6.iphoto file from the back up to the iPhoto Library (Right Click -> Show Package Contents) allowing it to overwrite the damaged file.
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.
3. If neither of these work then you'll need to create and populate a new library.
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.
Move the iPhoto Library to the desktop
In the iPhoto Preferences -> Events Uncheck the box at 'Imported Items from the Finder'
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.
Regards
TD
When you're sure all is well you can delete the iPhoto Library on your desktop.

I've lost ALL my iPhoto library pictures

I've tried to recover them using the "Hold down option and command while opening iPhoto" routine but it is still empty.
I Backup daily.
I had closed down my computer by holding down the Start button when using iPhoto and iWeb as I had got stuck with the "spinning wheel of death". This was after getting the "upgrade thumbnails " message.

EBay used to be able to grab pictures from the iPhoto folder but the upload window Browse button can't see the files.
And this may be the cause of the database corruption. In simple terms, you should access your pictures via the iPhoto Window - end of story.
Here's how iPhoto works.
In reads a file in the iPhoto Library Folder called the library6.iphoto file. That files tracks things like picture titles, albums, smart albums etc., pretty much everything except the actual photos. The photos are in the Original (and Modified) Folders, the thumbnails in the Data folder.
The library6.iphoto file tracks the relationship between the thumbnail and the file it represents.
So you begin to see how important this file is.
If it gets damaged you see the sort of problems that you are having. What damages the file? If there's a crash while it's been written to, or some HD corruption, or even changes made in the iPhoto Library Folder via other means than iPhoto.
So, to solutions:
1. Try and preserve the library - your albums etc. Hence, my suggestion that you copy the db file (library6.iphoto) into the iPhoto Library Folder to replace the one that's damaged. Net result, everything back to normal.
However, as you had begun adding files to the damaged library, that was no longer possible, Think of it this way. Suppose you have a Petrol car, and you inadvertantly put diesel into the tank. What's the solution? Clean out the tank? Or just put more Petrol into it on top of the diesel?
In this situation, I suggest that your iPhoto Library Folder is now useless. It has a damaged db file and duplicated images and is, in short, a mess.
So, my next suggestion is that - because you back up daily - to restore your entire iPhoto Library Folder from the back up. What does that achieve? It brings things back to the point before all this happens.
However, I don't use Back Up. So I can't give you instructions on how to restore with it. So I sent you to the Back Up forum.
Many people back up as a sort of virtuous activity. I've backed up, so my data is safe. However, backing up is a two part process: Creating the back up and then restoring the data in the event that you need to replace lost or damaged data. As things stand, you run your application every day, but are you sure it's actually backing anything up? If your photos are important to you, then I truly suggest that you investigate this element of backing up.
I still think you need to replace that iPhoto Library Folder.
Regards
TD

Software update lost photos in iPhoto library

I have read many threads but still have yet to find the golden answer.
No, my time machine was NOT working so no back-up.
I have spent 2 days recovering some from Stellar Phoenix.
Is there anything left to do? Are my photos from the last 3 years gone, gone, gone?
Don't understand why after the disasterous update, the iPhoto Library reverted back to several years ago to albums, photos that I had deleted many years ago but precious recent family photos have disappeared!
If anyone has found THE ANSWER to this horrible Apple disaster, I would love your input and direction.
Thank you!
susan

library is located on desktop/applications
No, that should be the iPhoto application, not the iPhoto Library. By default the library should be located in your Pictures folder.
Once you locate the library apply the fixe below:
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 â 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. However, books, calendars, cards and slideshows will be lost. The original library will be left untouched for further attempts at fixing the problem or in case the rebuilt library is not satisfactory.

Lost most of iPhoto library/iPhoto won't open

First, we recently somehow lost our daughter's prom pictures from both iPhoto and devices. So I thought I should check to see if Time Machine was working (250MB Lacie external) and it wasn't. Thought I had better back up what was on Lacie to hard drive then back to Lacie then make Lacie our Time machine backup. When I transferred the photos I thought I was asked if I wanted to keep the old pix or keep the new ones. I thought it meant duplicate pix but it apparently meant the whole photo file. Fortunately we have backed our photos to CD/DVD at the end of each year but lost most 2013 photos.
Next, when I try to open iPhoto I get the messsage: "To open your library with this version of iPhoto, it first needs to be prepared.
To prepare the library, use the iPhoto Library Upgrader available from Apple." with 2 buttons "Learn More" and "Quit" So I downloaded the upgrader but I have a later version of iPhoto so it had no effect. It just goes round and round after that.
I'm hoping someone can help here before calling Apple. We bought the 3 year AppleCare package but would prefer to see solutions in writing first.
Thanks

Assuming you have iPhoto 9 (11) or later apply the two fixes below in order as needed:
Fix #1
Launch iPhoto with the Command+Option keys held down and rebuild the library.
Since only one option can be run at a time start with Option #3, followed by #4 and then #1 as needed.
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, navigate to your Home/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. However, books, calendars, cards and slideshows will be lost. The original library will be left untouched for further attempts at fixing the problem or in case the rebuilt library is not satisfactory.
OT

RAW thumbnails missing after iPhoto library rebuild

iPhoto would not open for me shortly after upgrading to Lion. I rebuilt the library using command + option with all checkboxes checked. All JPEG thumbnails were present, but all RAW thumbnails just showed a black box with a dashed line. When I double click the missing thumbnail, the image does appear in iPhoto.
I then rebuilt the library a second time, but the problem is the same. The iPhoto library is in the normal place on the startup drive.
RAW photos were generated with a Canon Digital Rebel and Canon 40D cameras. I do have Aperture on the system as well.

As I say, I've seen it take 4 times to work.
Other than that:
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.

IPhoto library move to external HD | organization

My laptop is running out of space so I'm moving my large iPhoto library to an external hard drive. I know how to move the content and adjust iPhoto to route to the new location, but can I do this WITHOUT affecting my organization/events? I have 200+ GB of data and it would be an absolute mess to have to rebuild everything.
Thanks!

If you move the iPhoto Library as an entity to the new drive, and open it there by double clicking it, you will find all your events, albums, etc just like before.
Just follow the steps to format the drive correctly and to set the "Ignore Ownership flag" as described in this document:
iPhoto: Sharing libraries among multiple users - Apple Support

Lost albums after iPhoto Library move

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