Move iPhoto/iMovie libraries to external drive

I would like to move my iphoto library to an external drive and not have all the pictures on my iMac (drive is filling up).
I would like to do the same with iMovie if anyone knows how to do it.

iPhoto:
Make sure the drive is formatted Mac OS Extended (Journaled)
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.
It's also possible to do this with your iMovie projects, but best ask on the iMovie forum for specific help with that.
Regards
TD

Similar Messages

Can't move my iMovie file to external drive

I just finished creating an iMovie file. When I try to move it to an external drive, I get an "unexpected error file (Error code 0).
When I try to "save as" to my external, I get the message: "A Project File is Missing. The file "Clip 05.dv could not be opened and is being skipped." I rebooted, tried again and got the same result. This has never happened to me before - and I need to move it to another machine that has double layer DVD capabilities. Any suggestions?

Possible work-arounds:
1. Share (export) the iMovie back to your camcorder and either use that DV tape to import it into another computer, or re-import it into a new iMovie. You can open the new iMovie on your external drive by selecting that when the opening box appears.
2. Share the iMovie as QuickTime Full quality and then put that quicktime movie into a new iMovie on the external drive. This one requires that you have sufficient drive space to create the quicktime movie.
Either method, you need to be finished with your editing because the edits will be incorporated into the movie. The quicktime movie will be one long clip.
And, as recommended, be sure the external is formatted correctly.

How do I move Iphoto from macbook to external drive

Can I move Iphoto from my Macbook to an external drive?

Greetings,
If by "move iPhoto" you mean move your library of images, yes you can.
Go to Your User (little house) > Pictures > iPhoto Library.
Drag the library to your external drive.
-- NOTE: Before you move your iPhoto Library to your external drive make sure:
Its not being used for TimeMachine
The drive is Mac formated.
Cheers.

Move imovie library to external drive

Hello, how do I move my imovie library and projects to an external drive without getting a gray screen?
After a hard drive failed one year ago, I brought back the projects from an external drive (using finder) and the screen was grey because it said it could not find the underlying video content. Please note that I did not have a time machine and used the finder to copy from a backup drive.
So there was audio but no video.

I was planning on manually backing up my external to the time capsule - but is there a way to set it up to back up automatically instead?
Time Machine will backup up automatically - you can not have your iPhoto library on the same volume as the TM backup (it will not work and it would not be a backup)
Dragging the iPhoto library to any external drive will backup it us also
I was also thinking about having the library copied to another external (I mean we're talking about irreplaceable photos here) - would i just drag a copy of the library to that drive as well?
Yes - that is a good idea - I run TM giving me hourly backups and a daily clone of my entire system giving me a bootable backup - plus do an occasional TM backup at our second home so I have one off site
is it possible to deal with my imovie library in the same way? so all my movies and photos are on my external?
Probably - but I use iMovie very little - better question for the iMovie forum
LN

Relink iPhoto videos on an external drive to iMovie projects?

In iMovie 9 on Leopard, how do I relink iPhoto videos to iMovie projects after I've moved the iPhoto library to an external drive? iPhoto works fine, iMovie not. Thanks

It occurred to me that I could test this. I recently got a new Mac, and I moved my iPhoto Library from the SSD to the hard drive. I usually use Aperture so I have never opened iPhoto on this machine. In fact I moved my whole Home Folder to the Hard Drive.
iMovie was not seeing the iPhoto Events. I opened iPhoto (for the first time). Then I restarted iMovie.
It offered to generate thumbnails for iPhoto. I did not have to restart the Mac.
I know your situation is different. I just thought I would report what I did in case it might help.
I am not seeing any of the yellow triangles, but I am still looking.

So, I have just about had it. For nine days now, I have valiantly tried to move my library to an external drive. At first, I attempted to move it to my 2TB Time capsule, iTunes didn't like its new home though and moved home without telling me.

So, I have just about had it. For nine days now, I have valiantly tried to move my library to an external drive. At first, I attempted to move it to my 2TB Time capsule. iTunes didn't like its new home though and moved home without telling me. So then there were two libraries. I meshed them back together reluctantly and iTunes in a silent revolt, absolutely refused to use its own 'Keep Library Organized' criteria and may as well have thrown my music against the wall. Seriously, my 5 year old nephew has his computer files better managed. Then I bought a 3TB Time Capsule and you may ask yourself why??? Well, iTunes doubled in size- although when I ran apps that are designed to find duplicate iTunes files, it deleted the music I actually bought from iTunes. So then I watched as iTunes got it back. How you ask; I run a MacBook Air, iMac and Mac mini in my house - as soon as one powered up it hit the net like a sailor on leave and re-downloaded it all without abandon. I tried to keep the libraries separate, no success there. I tried to keep them unified; iTunes response was to ask me if I wanted to join iTunes Match every time I logged on to my computer and on any computer - my iTunes match song number has been as high as 24,367 and as low as 11,112. And I can't simply refuse iTunes. No one refuses iTunes. Refusal to allow iTunes Match to run through all 24000 songs again was to revoke my rights to the songs that were once part of my library. If I took a long time to decide or was visibly impatient while iTunes did its little 3 hour scan it would arbitrarily decide that music I bought from iTunes was ineligible for iTunes Match. How could that possibly be??? I am missing music, or at least iTunes tells me so by showing me that lovely exclamation point. I have tried backing up my computer to do a full system restore and start all over. Time Capsule claims I have 979 GB of data and takes its sweet time to even back up one gig (about 18 minutes) even though I can transfer files to my Time Capsule at about 1 GB every 40 seconds. I guess though performing back-ups are somewhat like government jobs; it will get done, when it gets done. The back up requirement of 979 GB is surprising though, my Mac claims that I currently occupy just about 25% of my 2TB drive. The discrepancy, who knows, but I think the solution lies somewhere in iTunes. But maybe iPhoto. But that is for another time.

After admittedly only a quick read the one thing you don't say is how you are trying to make this move. Most people with moving library issues do it the wrong way. Plenty of web sites tell you how to do it the wrong way.
If the iTunes application is started before the drive with the library is fully mounted and awake iTunes will revert back to the internal drive.

HELP! Import iPhoto 4 pics from external drive into iPhoto 5

I had computer issues so cleared my hard drive which was with iPhoto 4
Moved the entire iPhoto Library to my external.
When they updated my software they used the 5 version.
Now I am having issues getting iPhoto 5 to recognize my data.
I have tried various way indicated... but each one presents with a different problem.
* If I pull them directly from the External drive to the Photo finder window - then when I open iPhoto i get the spinning wheel for HOURS (quit after 12).
* If I drag them directly to Iphoto (either the entire folder OR year by year)
They do show up in iPhoto, however, in iPhoto ALL dates are the date I pulled the iPhoto Library onto my External drive. Also, when in iPhoto there are film roles, however, the events are mixed up.
I have tried this about 10 times, all different ways, my latest is now it imports them in DUPLICATE (and I had deleted teh thumb files prior to import)
My question:
How do I pull my iPhoto 4 library into iPhoto 5 and KEEP proper fiilm roles to include 1) Correct pictures in each 2) correct dates and 3) preserve the role titles 4) not duplicated
HELP!!!
THANKS!

Here are some instructions from Apple in iPhoto Help that explain how to switch from your normal iphoto library (on your internal drive) to your older iphoto library (on your external drive:
"You can switch from the photo library you're currently working on to another one you've already created.
1.Quit iPhoto.
2.Rename your current iPhoto Library folder in the Finder or move it to a new location on your hard disk, and then open iPhoto.
3. Tip: If you don't want to rename or move your current iPhoto Library folder, hold down the Option key while opening iPhoto.
4. Click Find Library.
5. Choose the library you want to display.
6. Click Open.
The library appears in the iPhoto viewing area."
If you succeed in doing this, you can thus direct your iphoto 5 program to open the iphoto 4 library on your external. If this succeeds, iphoto 5 will automatically convert that library to iphoto 5. Then you can burn your external drive iphoto 5 library to CD or DVD using the "burn" function from within iphoto. It is best if you can fit everything on one CD or DVD, but if not, you can burn by album, or by roll, or even by date. Make sure you burn this disk (or these disks) from within iphoto 5. Then, following the above instructions again, revert back to your internal drive iphoto 5 library. Then, while iphoto is running, insert those CDs/DVDs you burned from within iphoto earlier and when you do, each will appear inside iphoto along with your other albums. Each CD or DVD, as you insert it, will look like another album. You can then import those into your existing internal drive library. Unless you hhave many thousands of photos, this should not take a long time.
By the way, if ALL your photos are in that external drive iphoto library, you can first quit iphoto and then you can drag it over and replace your internal drive iPhoto Library with the external drive iPhoto Library. Then iPhoto 5 will convert the older library automatically when it starts up.
Before doing any of these things, I suggest backing up all your photos to something safe as if there is some corruption in your original library, it could get mangled in a way that makes it unusable and then you'll need that backup.
I have actually done what I have descriibed above. We have an older iMac G3 with iPhoto 4. We got my daughter a new iMac G5 which came with iPhoto 5. I copied over her iPhoto Library from the iMac G3 which had been running iPhoto 4, and when she started iPhoto 5 for the first time on the new iMac, it converted everything in the old iPhoto Library (created under iPhoto 4) to iPhoto 5.
You would only need the CDs/DVDs if you have two libraries you want to merge, one being an iPhoto 4 Library, and the other being an iPhoto 5 Library.
There is a guy named "Old Toad" who sometimes comments in this forum. He probably has a better way of doing this.

What is the best way to copy my iphoto library to an external drive?

I want to free up space on the internal drive by copying the iphoto library to an external drive and then either deleting the library entirely from the internal and using the external as my working library or continuing to use the internal as my working library, but deleting lots of old pictures. I have TC and use TM for backups and have a Seagate HD that I want to use for extra storage. Thanks,

To move the Library
Make sure the drive is formatted Mac OS Extended (Journaled)
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.
To have two libraries:
1. Quit iPhoto.
2. Copy the iPhoto Library from your Pictures Folder to the external drive.
Now you have two full copies of the Library. To choose between them: Hold down the <b>option (or alt)</b> key key and launch iPhoto. From the resulting menu select 'Choose Library'
3. On the +Internal+ Library, remove the pics you don't want with you all the time.
Now you have one full library on the external and another smaller sub-set on the Internal.
A couple of comments:
a. The external disk needs to be formatted Mac OS Extended (Journaled)
b: When you're removing the unwanted pics from the Internal Library you need to delete them in batches of about 100 or so. Trashing more at one time can cause problems with the database.
c:
Managing Multiple Libraries - including moving pics/albums/rolls and metadata between them - is greatly facilitated by using
iPhoto Library Manager
Regards
TD

Sorry folks, I did something bad, I was looking how to save my current iphoto library to my external drive and I hit a wrong button, lost my current iphoto and now have only the backed up version from 2007, Woops I never was the quick witted one... PLEASE

I switched my current iphoto library out for the saved one on my external drive by mistake. It said, Switch Libraries.... Do you want to switch the current iphoto library from AAA iphoto library (what I called the old one I guess - in my OWC) toOWC Mercury on-the-go and relaunch iphoto? cancel or relaunch
Sorry, I was looking for a way to save my current iphoto images to my hard drive. Yeah, I guess just drag something over right? Anyway, now I cannot retrieve my last 2 or 3 years of photos, Can You HELP me?
Mac os X version 10.6.8
2.66 GHz Intel core 2 Duo
etc

Depress the option key and launch iPhoto = use teh select library option and select the correct one
yes to move your library to an external drive
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

Moving iphoto library to an external drive

i want to move my iphoto library to an external drive to free up space. i've copied my library to the new drive. i hold down the option key when launching iphoto and when i try to select the new librbary, iti isn't highlighted/clickable. any suggestions?

but when i hold option key, the only photo library that comes up is the one on my internal hard drive.
In that case try clicking on the Choose button, navigate to the USB drive and select the library there:
OT

Moved iPhoto 11 library to external drive and have a iPhoto Library file left on desktop

Hello,
I have a blue file on my desktop labeled iPhoto Library, that appeared during the course of me moving my iPhoto Library ( iPhoto 11) to an external hard drive to make room on the internal disk, my attempts to reopen iPhoto on the internal disk, move selected photos from the iPhoto Library on the external drive over to the newly emptied iPhoto Library on my laptop.
The blue iPhoto Library file contains these items:
AlbumData.xml
AlbumData2.xml
iPhoto.ipspot
Questions: does this blue file belong somewhere or can I trash it?
This is what I did:
1. I opened Pictures, dragged the iPhoto Library from there to the external drive.
2. When I opened iPhoto on my MBP it said it needed a library to open with and the choices already in the box were:
iPhoto Library(default)
iPhoto Library
3. I chose "iPhoto Library" because I thought "(default)" meant restoring the original library.
4. iPhoto opened to the "get started with iPhoto" like a new install.
5.I moved (drag and drop ) some photos from the external drive back into the "empty" iPhoto Library. I tried to move a group of photos but I didn't know how to do it so ...
6. I took the iPhoto Library from the trash and put it back into the "empty" iPhoto Library.
7. I tried to delete all the photos except the ones I wanted to keep in the internal iPhoto Library. I couldn't do it so....
8. I closed iPhoto, went back into Pictures and trashed the internal iPhoto Library again.
9. Reopened iPhoto and it needed a library to open with and I think I clicked
iPhoto Library (default)
10. When I opened iPhoto this time, it was the "get started with iPhoto" but the original photo albums and labels listed but all empty.
That's what I remember so far.
Hope you can help.
Medusa59

It appears you created a new library. Launch iPhoto with the Option key held down and select "Choose Library".
Navigate to the library on the external hard drive and select it. Once you're satisfied that it's the one you want you can delete that folder from your desktop.
OT

Moved my iphoto library to an external drive and now I can't import photos from my camera or iPhone - will only import previously impoted photos - why?

Anyone else had this problem? Anyone know how to fix it?
I haven't deleted my photos of my computer's hard drive yet so can go back to using that if it will fix my problem
Thanks

No that is not a problem and no one has reported it here
to change the library depress the option key and launch iPhoto and use the select library command - see if the behavior is the same on both frives
How did you move the iPhoto library to the external drive?
What format is the external drive?
LN

Two iPhoto '08 Libraries, One External and One Internal...

Hello,
I have Two iPhoto '08 Libraries, One External and One Internal. I moved my original iPhoto library to my external HD and all was good. Now about six months later I am noticing that I have two libraries, the external one is 15.8 gigs and the internal one is 17.66 gigs. Can I merge these and how or are one of these an older version of the library that I could delete? Any assistance would be great!
Thanks,
Pete

Pete
Welcome to the Apple user discussion forums
are one of these an older version of the library that I could delete?
Sorry - these are user forums - not physic users forum
my best guess is that you never directed iPhoto to use the external library and that is is a back up of your old library and that your internal library is the complete library - but that is just a guess
To switch libraries and look at the launch iPhoto while depressing the option (alt) key and use the select library function - once you figure out what you have you can delete the old or or use iPhoto library manager - http://www.fatcatsoftware.com/iplm/ - to move photos between them
LN

How do I add events from my iphoto library to my current iphoto backup on my external drive?

I have backed up 80% of my current iphoto library to my external drive and continually adding to the mac hard drive with all my new photos. Is there an easy way of updating my backup library event by event, like an overflow? I like to keep 2-3 months of my photos for editing and mailing but need to find a way of moving older ones to my existing backup.

Make sure the drive is formatted Mac OS Extended (Journaled)
1. Quit iPhoto
2. Copy the iPhoto Library from your Pictures Folder to the External Disk.
Now you have two full versions of the Library.
3. On the Internal library, trash the Events you don't want there
Now you have a full copy of the Library on the External and a smaller subset on the Internal
Some Notes:
As a general rule: when deleting photos do them in batches of about 100 at a time. iPhoto can baulk at trashing large numbers at one go.
You can choose which Library to open: Hold down the option (or alt) key key and launch iPhoto. From the resulting menu select 'Choose Library'
You can keep the Library on the external updated with new imports using iPhoto Library Manager
However:
You do not have a back up of your Library. Let me say that again. You have no back up.
What you have are two libraries, one on your internal disk and one on the external, and they have some material in common.
If the external is damaged then your library is toast. The vast bulk of your photos will be gone. You need a second disk to back up the first. Remember a back up is a copy, on another disk, of the data. At this time you have no copy.
Regards
TD

I was trying to move iphoto library to my external hardrive, realised it was incompatible with Mac. The iphoto will not open now, message is "Iphoto library is either in use by another application or has become unreadable". I have read other posts.

Hi,
I was trying to save a copy of my iphoto library by copying images to my external harddrive. I wasn't sure how to do it, realised the hard drive is not compatible. Now the iphoto library wont open and reads "iphoto library is either in use by another application or has become unreadable".
I have tried to use options command and click on iphoto then rebuild yet nothing happens and same error message occurs.
I have gone to my personal drive, desktop, iphoto library, and found file Albumdata.xml and when i click on it, there is a lot of text in it, i am assuming these are all my photos.
I have tried clicking and dragging this file to iphoto app and it doesn't work, as the same error comes up in iphoto being in use or unreadable....
What am I meant to do with albumdata.xml file and how do I reopen Iphoto from here on in?
Please help as I am not technically minded and still trying to understand how to use the Macbook at all as I am used to Microsoft.
Thank you very much,
KS

Rule Number One - NEVER go directly uinto the iPhoto library - there are no user servicable parts in it and making any change no matter how small can corrupt your library and cause data or photo loss
Exactly how were you trying to save a copy of your iPhoto library?
Albumdata.xml does not contain your photos - and again NEVER make any changes to the content of the iPhoto library - no dragging - no changes - never go into the library
We need to know exactly what you did
And probalby the easiest solution is to load your backup from before you messed things up
For reference after you get things working
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

Move iPhoto/iMovie libraries to external drive

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