Lost iPhoto Library due to system wipe

I had to wipe my Mac due to a hard drive problem. I lost all of my iPhoto pictures from a year back in time. I had iCloud turned off on my phone because I didn't like how every single picture (even deleted pictures) were added to my library. My photo stream was only able to recover photos from the last 30 days (doesn't really help much). Surely there is a way to get all of my pictures back since I use my Apple ID to log onto iPhoto.
If someone could help me it would be greatly appreciated!

Not the answer you are looking for but I had to have a complete rebuild having deleted the iMac from 'Find my iPhone" and lost everything. It cost me £440 to restore but I got all of my photos back, 8700, + a further 150,000 images of every item I had looked at on the internet. Spent the last 3 months deleting unwanted images every night. There is a way therefore but costly.

Similar Messages

Screensaver configuration problem with lost iPhoto library

Hi, I justed switched my macbook and I used to have another iPhoto library in an external HD that is now gone. I cannot configure the screensaver, I think it searches for my lost iPhoto library and cannot select my current pictures. Can someone help me with this problem? Thanks.

If the rebuild doesn't help try Fix 101: make a temporary, backup copy of the library if you don't already have a backup copy and try the following:
1 - delete the iPhoto preference file, com.apple.iPhoto.plist, that resides in your
User/Home()/Library/ Preferences folder.
2 - delete iPhoto's cache file, Cache.db, that is located in your
User/Home()/Library/Caches/com.apple.iPhoto folder.
3 - launch iPhoto and try again.
NOTE: If you're moved your library from its default location in your Home/Pictures folder you will have to point iPhoto to its new location when you next open iPhoto by holding down the Option key when launching iPhoto. You'll also have to reset the iPhoto's various preferences.
OT

How can I retrieve old Photo Stream photos from a lost iPhoto Library?

My laptop was stolen and with it an external drive that had my iPhoto library. I had an old backup and when I opened the backup and turned on Photo Stream, I saw all my old photos appear again! After a short while, it was removing old photos from the photostream and replacing them with newer ones. I'm now missing months of Photo Stream photos that I really want back. I tried creating a new library and enabling Photo Stream to try to capture those missing images, but I am not able to see anything older than Oct. I could really use some help if somebody knows a way to get those memories back...
Thanks
-Rob

I had an old backup
What kind of backup? Do you have a Time Machine Backup of your complete system from the time before the laptop was stolen?
To restore the Photo Stream images from that time you need to restore the folder
your home folder /Library/Application Support/iLifeAssetManagement/Assets
This folder contains the PhotoStream pictures that were part of the PhotoStream at that time.
To restore this folder from TimeMachine, open a Finder window showing this folder, make it the active window, and then enter TimeMachine. Go back in time in the TimeTunnel, till you see the correct date. Don't restore to the library but to a folder on the Desktop.
Regards
Léonie

Restore lost iphoto library (iphoto v.8)

Hi, I was making an iMovie and when I hooked up my DV camera it would not load the camera and an error came up and said you should put away in finder or data will be lost. Well I thought that was the camera not my external hard drive. The cables are next to each other and when I unplugged the Hard Drive LaCie Hard drive d2 Quadra, then my camera was found. So I proceeded to install the video. After I finished I went back to the photo library part of the iMovie and all the pictures were missing. I could not save the new stuff I did on iMovie. When I went into the iphoto library on my hard drive all 4,000 pictures where gone...So my question is can I retrieve my photos? Are they on that hard drive somewhere and I'm not seeing them. Time machine does not have them. Please help?
Thanks,
Fam5

Fam5:
What has happened is the library's database file, Library6.iPhoto was damaged when the external HD was disconnected. If you have a backup copy of the library or the dB file that's current, i.e. no imports or major changes to the library since the copy was made you can replace the dB file in your working library with the backup copy.
If you don't have a backup copy you have two possible fixes to try:
1 - rebuild the library as follows: launch iPhoto with the Command+Option keys depressed and follow the instructions to rebuild the library. Select the first three options.
2 - if #1 didn't do the trick you'll have to start over with a new library and import the Originals folder from the old one 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.
Do you Twango?
TIP: For insurance against the iPhoto database corruption that many users have experienced I recommend making a backup copy of the Library6.iPhoto 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), 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 08 libraries 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.

Restore lost iphoto library

Hi, I was making an iMovie and when I hooked up my DV camera it would not load the camera and an error came up and said you should put away in finder or data will be lost. Well I thought that was the camera not my external hard drive. The cables are next to each other and when I unplugged the Hard Drive LaCie Hard drive d2 Quadra, then my camera was found. So I proceeded to install the video. After I finished I went back to the photo library part of the iMovie and all the pictures were missing. I could not save the new stuff I did on iMovie. When I went into the iphoto library on my hard drive all 4,000 pictures where gone...So my question is can I retrieve my photos? Are they on that hard drive somewhere and I'm not seeing them. Time machine does not have them. Please help?
Thanks,
Fam5

I tried both the last two posts and the finder image search did nothing. Niel's advice was good but it only turned up the current iphoto that I have started to fill with what little pictures I did back up before I installed the new ilife. only 555 pictures verse the 4000 I lost. Any other ideas out there?
Fam5

IOS 5 & Lost iPhoto library

When I updated to IOS 5, somehow I lost my entire iPhoto library, i.e. I can find none of the actual images and none of them were reloaded into the app. Is there a metadata or backup database somewhere, hopefully, that is cradling my images? Any help you can offer, I'd appreciate.

Does this refer to iPhoto on the Mac or on your iOS Device?

Old Toad - help with lost iPhoto Library

I posted in the iPhoto 06 board by mistake, I am actually running 08. I found the iPhoto library in Pictures, but it stopped in July 07, and I seem to have lost a year's worth of photos. Do you have any advice?

Miriam:
It may be that the photos are still there but that bunch has been lost from the database file. Try the three fixes below in order as needed:
1 - launch iPhoto with the Command+Option keys depressed and follow the instructions to rebuild the library. Select all options.
2 - rebuild the library using 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: It may take some time to create the new library if you have a lot of photos.
3 - start over with a new library and import the Originals folder from your original 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 Photo 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.
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.

Lost iPhoto library

I have recently upgraded to iPhoto11. After the upgrade I had to shut down my computer and move it physically to a different location. Upon starting iPhoto again, the entire program was empty of photos. I found a Picture folder that seams to contain my photographs on my hard drive. I imported them again into my library but it did not import with Event Categories or with all the notations made of each shot. Does anyone know how to recover this information or is all that work gone for good? If it is gone for good is there any way to back it up in the future?
Thanks for any info!

Just trying to help here. Where was your original IPhoto Library. Was it on an external drive or in the pictures folder on your internal drive. The folder you found was probably a masters folder which had all your original pictures. Importing them will give you back your pictures but no albums,versions etc. If your pictures where on an external drive did you move the drive when you moved the computer. Do you know where you stored your library. Start IP and press the option key and than directIP to the drive or place where the library is. You can back up the pictures using an external drive using Time Machine.

Lost iphoto library/program

When I tried to activate my iphoto app today I got a msg box asking what photo library I wanted to use. I can't seem to move from that and the Iphoto menu bar is pretty much greyed out. No matter what I do I can't find my library/program which always opened automatically when I clicked on the icon. I put in a camera memory chip to try seeing if I could activate that way. Same result. I use the program almost daily and have about 7K photos stored. Hope someone can help me...please.

Option 1
Back Up and try rebuild the library: hold down the apple 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, faces and places 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

Lost iPhoto Library and very slow iPhoto

I used to have my library on an external drive and had deleted the library in the pictures subfolder on my ibook. subsequently my external drive is hibernating. however, i appear to have copies on my laptop and am able to import new pictures. however, i can not locate a iPhoto Library or the file names on my photos on my laptop or anything resembling them and my iPhoto runs really slow and drags down the rest of my laptop.
Any idea where i can locate where my photos are stored on my laptop and why my iPhoto is performing so poorly?
iBook G4 Mac OS X (10.4.7)

ok, one more thing to try. By the way, what do you mean by "the external is hybernating"?
The next instructions will help you find where a photo that you see in iPhoto is in the Finder. Once you find that out, tell me the path of the photo.
There is a way to find out where the original photo is that you have in your iPhoto Library. On this page there are iPhoto Applescripts. One of them is "show image file" I tried it and it does work for iPhoto 5. If you click on the image in your library window and then use the applescript it will open up a finder window with the image file, and you can see it's path of where it is.
http://www.apple.com/applescript/iphoto/
Download the scripts from the link
Once downloaded, put the folder "iPhoto Scripts" in ~/Library/Scripts
Now navigate to Applications/Applescript
In that Applescript folder is an icon that says "Install Script menu"
double click that icon to install the Script menu in your menu bar. You might have an item called ScriptMenu.menu instead. follow directions on next link
http://www.appleclub.com.hk/applescript/script_menu/
It will look like a little black scrolled paper.
Or you might have an item named AppleScript Utility.app in the folder. Double click to open it and make sure you have show script menu in menu bar checked.
Now open iPhoto, click on a photo to highlight it
Go to the menu bar and click and hold on the Applescript icon
scroll down to iPhoto Scripts, then scroll to "show image file"
Wait for the Finder top open a finder window showing you where the image is.
OR:
Or you can download Joe's iPhoto Applescripts
He gives instructions on the page for the installation of the scripts.

Trying move iPhoto library, won't copy to new home

So I'm trying to move my iPhoto library from a newer MacBook Pro to an older Macbook, where there is more space for it, using an external hard drive.
When I try to copy the library from the hard drive to the Macbook, I get a 'not enough space' error, even though there is more than enough space on that Macbook.
From reading up in this forum I thought it might be a permissions issue. This seems to be confirmed bc now when I open iPhoto on the Macbook, I get an error saying 'Unable to write to library "iPhoto Library". Check you have permission to write to the library directory.'. (This didn't happen the first time I opened the library on the MacBook, which I did once the original copy request didn't work.)
When looking at the permissions under 'Get Info' it had my user profile on the MacBook as being able to read and write, and 'staff' and 'everyone' as read only. When I tried to change the permissions to read and write for 'everyone', I got an 'unexpected error has occured' BUT now it is showing that 'everyone' has read and write access.
I just want to have my iPhoto library (which is large, approx. 192 GB) on the MacBook and be able to use it the same way I was using it where it was before. Was I supposed to do something to the permissions before I moved the library onto the external hard drive from the MacBook Pro? Is there something I can do to get the library onto my Macbook despite the 'not enough space' error and resolve the permissions issue?
The external hard drive is formatted as Mac OS extended (journaled) and so is the MacBook's hard drive. I've tried the rebuild etc feature in iPhoto but it won't work because iPhoto says I don't have permission. I've also tried deleting the iPhotolock.data file as suggested in some similar questions in this community, but that didn't help, and tried to rebuild the library using iPhoto Library Manager, but that doesn't work because it can't open the iPhoto library due to the permissions error.
I've backed up both machines (2013 MacBook Pro which was the iPhoto library's original home, and an older MacBook (circa 2009) to which I'm trying to move the library) using Time Machine so they reflect the machines prior to moving the iPhoto library off the MacBook Pro). Both are running Mavericks and iPhoto 11.
Thanks in advance.

Here are two pages from the top Time Machine site out there about what you're seeing:
Time Machine - Frequently Asked Questions 30. What are Local Snapshots?
OSX Tips Where did my Disk Space go?
Ask in the system forum as Terence suggested how to remove the local snapshots.
OT

Since last upgrade I can't sync because the iPhoto library is not available

I upgraded Yosemite, iTunes and iOS. Now neither my iPhone or my iPad will sync. The sync gets halfway through and then fails because "the iPhoto library is not available". I've tried reloading Photos but when I look in the photo section in iTunes all I get is a spinning cursor. How can I get iTunes to recognise that Photos is the place to sync the photo library from? Alternatively, can I skip syncing photos and make the rest of the sync happen?

I think I've worked out how to fix this. I closed iTunes and ran Photos with the Option/Alt key depressed and told it to use the old iPhoto library as the System photo library. This caused Photos to reimport all the old photos into a new Photos library called Photos Library 2.
When I then ran iTunes and connected my iPad, I got a message saying that the photo source had changed and nothing would be synced until I selected the correct option. This did not happen the previous time I ran Photos and imported the old iPhoto library. I'm now syncing using the second Photos library and it all appears to be working.
I suspect that I closed my laptop down during the original conversion of the iPhoto library (thinking it had finished) and this interrupted the process. This time I let it carry on working for four hours before opening iTunes and I suspect that is what made the difference. Of course, I've lost all the photos I added in the last ten days, but I may be able to retrieve them from my backups.

How do I create an iPhoto Library on an external disk

I have a project that has grown out of all proportion, and for space reasons I wish to move the iPhoto library from the system disk to an external disk and access the pictures from there.
Is this possible?
I have tried duplication the original library file moving it to the external disk. I then moved the original photos to trash but this caused BOTH iphoto library files to go blank.
Fortunately I was able to get back to square one.
Regards Peter

Peter:
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

Can't Import iPhoto Library "package" into Aperture 3

Hi there, I've recently made a backup of all my data and did a clean reinstall of Lion, so the problem is that I won't be using my iLife 11 Suite, so as for my photos I want to take advantage of my recently purchased copy of Aperture 3 but when I ever try to import my iPhoto Library Package, it won't let me, this message pops:
Invalid iPhoto Library
Importing libraries from versions earlier than iPhoto 7.1.5 is not supported. Please upgrade your iPhoto library with iPhoto 7.1.5 or later.
So, searched into some discussions and realize I had to upgrade or restore my library using iPhoto.
Is there any other way to get all my photos and videos in that package, into my aperture library?
One thing to consider is that I can right-click this package and open its contents and then I can get individual files and view everything, but since there's this function for importing all of the library, I would really love to do it this way, not individually.
NEED HELP PLEASE!

Ii you are sure that all of your iPhoto images have been transferred safely, you can remove the you iPhoto Library from your system drive. But keep a backup copy of it on an external drive or thumbsdrive- sometimes you'll notice only later that some images could not be imported properly because of some corruption in the iPhoto library, and then it will be very helpful to still be able to open your old iPhoto Library.
Regards
Léonie

Lost Photo Library - Apple TV

Hi guys,
while resizing the partition of my external HD, I lost the photos that were stored in my iPhoto library. I've scanned the HD several times with various data recovery programs and was able to find some, yet not all of the lost photos. I had given up, but then I saw that my apple tv screen saver was displaying all of the lost photos!
Here's the deal: iTunes and iPhoto library were on the external HD. I resized the partition on the HD and thereby lost everything (I'm not very computer literate). I have the apple tv screen saver function set to the old and lost iPhoto library which can only be linked through the iTunes media library (which is also gone). Apple support says that apple tv is completely passive and therefore cannot store any data?
Does anyone have an idea how to help me find this file or at least solve this mystery?
I would really appreciate any help!
Thanks

Screensaver is just using a cache. There's no way to get anything back from there.
File Salvage is an app that will scan the drive and tell you what files may be recoverable. Mind you, actual recovery will require a purchase.
Couple of notes: You will not recover the Library. Forget about that. The best you can hope for is to recover the individual photos and start over again. The scan may find many images with the same name. Ignore anything smaller than 500kb, that's likely to be only a thumbnail. Larger files are more likely to be the originals.
Regards
TD

Lost iPhoto Library due to system wipe

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for