Moved Library to external drive and can't get my library!

Someone please help me! I have moved all my photos to an external drive but do not understand how I can get iPhoto to automatically recognize this and grab my photos into the library on startup. I did the same thing in iTunes and had no issues!
I'm sure its an easy fix....I just have no clue how to do it. Any help would be appreciated.

Welcome to the Apple Discussions.
Quit iPhoto. Hold down the Option key as you launch iPhoto. A dialog box will ask you to Choose or Create a library. Select Choose, then navigate to the iPhoto Library folder on your external drive. It should open in exactly the same condition as before you moved it.
Regards.

Similar Messages

I have my iTunes library on external drive and can access from any PC. However I cannot access from new MacBokk Air.

My iTunes library is on an external drive and been using it on two PCs with no problem.
Now that I got a new MacBook Air I want to access the same iTunes library from the external drive and keep all the library and media on that external drive.
When I try to change to another iTunes library by hitting "option" with iTunes and select the library on the external hard drive I get the following message:
"The iTunes library file is locked, on a locked disk, or you do noy have write permission for this file."
I have read many posts in which many suggest to go to the library or media file on the PC and right click to make sure the read only tab is not checked.
I uncheked the read only tab and gave full permission to all the iTunes files and folders.
The unusual part is that I can use this external drive on many PCs that I have tried with no problem at all.
I just select a different library, which is on my external hard drive and everything works, play lists and everything.
However, when I try it on a MAC i get the message stated above:
What can I do to be able to access my External iTunes library from new MacBook Air while keeping everything on the external drive like I can on PCs?
I am running latest version of iTunes and Mavericks.
Please advise.

Here are the official Apple Support instructions:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4527
Ciao.

Help! Erased Hard Drive and can't get my library from my iPod to my HD

HELP! I recently had to erase my hard drive and start fresh. I have Mac OS X 10.3.9 cleanly installed. I now have the problem that I can't get my music library from my iPod to iTunes. Many, many hours went into transferring my CD collection into iTunes. I can't fathom going through all of that again! Any suggestions would be appreciated!
iBook G4 Mac OS X (10.3.9)

You can download the songs from your iPod back to your HD with several freeware programs, try out Senuti:
http://wbyoung.ambitiouslemon.com/senuti/
I had the same problem and after installing my OS new i was able to copy back all the songs from my iPod to iTunes. Wasn't able though to keep the playlists, but maybe you find a way how to copy the songs including playlists.
Hope that helped,
Oliver

Is it possible to have your music and videos saved on different external drives and use the same iTunes library?

Is it possible to have your music and videos saved on different external drives and use the same iTunes library?
I am running out of space on my external hard drive and would like to split the movies and music between two external drives while using the same iTunes library is this possible.
My library is stored on the external drive all of my music etc is stored.

Yes.

I had to replace my hard drive and can't get my Photoshop CS2 9.0.2 to activate. I have tried both the phone and the website and have both the serial number

I had to replace my hard drive and can't get my Photoshop CS2 9.0.2 to activate. I have tried both the phone and the website and have both the serial numbers. I can't find a number that works to speak to a live person at Adobe. I need to reduce the pixel size TODAY on some photos and need the program. Is there another way to reduce pixels if I can't get my Photoshop running today?

Intertech Design wrote:
Where do I get the specially assigned serial number????? I don't want to have to purchase anything since I already bought the CS2 and I don't need a newer version.
Follow the prompts at the link provided by Ned.
Everything's there including your new CS2 non-activation download file and your new non-activation serial number.
It's free for existing owners of CS and CS2. Nothing more to purchase.

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

How do I store my iTunes library on an external drive and can I still access it as I would if it was still all sitting on the mini mac?

The mini mac is full and I want to be able to use the 2 tb drive as storage and time machine. How do I get the content onto the external drive and access it it and hoe does new content get downloaded and stored to the drive not the mac? Also can I have 1 drive playing storeage and back up or do I need a second? Basic questions I suspect but not to me!

1. Drag the library to the external drive, launch iTunes with the Option key held down, click on Choose Library, and point it there.
2. Get a second. Having the backups on the same drive as the original data won't help when that drive fails.
(66929)

Moved iTunes Library to external drive- now can't move iPad purchase to Mac

I moved my iTunes Library to an external drive because I didn't have enough internal HD space to move a movie purchased on the iPad to my Mac. Now iTunes won't sync my iPad - and wants to reformat it - because it says it was formatted on another Mac.
I've tried Aiseesoft iPad Manager but the movie - a iTunes+ movie, so I assume it is a package of some sort - doesn't show up in the movie pane.
This is a really crappy position to be put into. If I could re-download the movie I'd just reformat my iPad and be down with it. Unfortunately, this is not an option.
Help!

As a best practice, you should move your content to an external drive and import references to into iTunes rather than moving the whole database and app files. In iTunes > Preferences > Advanced, uncheck "Copy files to iTunes Media folder when adding to library". This will keep all your music and movies on the external drive, but iTunes and all references to the content on your desktop.
I know that's not what you wanted to hear as a fix, but this is how I have my MacBook Air setup and it works fine with the iPad. My son tried to move the whole app and database to a hard drive and we had endless problems with it.

I moved my itunes library to external drive and now itunes wont work.

I moved my itunes library to an external drive and now itunes cannot find the library. I followed a youtube video and all seemed to work fine until i deleted the old library and emptied the trash. Prior to deleting and emptying the trash I checked preferences to verify the path of Itunes was to the external drive. It seemed to work even when I moved the original library to the trash.
Now when I launch itunes the song listings show but the songs cant be found. I checked the volume of my itunes that I moved to the external and it was about 4 GB that i moved. I have approx 2000 songs.
Any suggestions?

Hold down the alt/option Key when you start iTunes a dialog box will open
Select Choose Library and select the itunes library on your external drive

Moved ITunes folder to external drive now can't get Ipod to sync

I have moved my ITunes folder from laptop to external drive. Had to move each album folder individually to ITunes and when I went to Sync my Ipod, says its in Restore mode and can't get out of it as it stays in Restore mode over and over and over.

As a best practice, you should move your content to an external drive and import references to into iTunes rather than moving the whole database and app files. In iTunes > Preferences > Advanced, uncheck "Copy files to iTunes Media folder when adding to library". This will keep all your music and movies on the external drive, but iTunes and all references to the content on your desktop.
I know that's not what you wanted to hear as a fix, but this is how I have my MacBook Air setup and it works fine with the iPad. My son tried to move the whole app and database to a hard drive and we had endless problems with it.

How to transfer itunes library to external drive and keep playlists and ratings

I don't have much space on my laptop. I have attached an external drive. I want to access my Itunes library from
the external drive. All attempts to move the library now result in me losing my "playlists" and even more importantly
my ratings and genre information.
How can I move the library with all my associated data intact such as the playlists, ratings, genres?
I want this external drive to be the main location where I access my Itunes library.
Once that is done I will work on backing it up, as that will be the only place that the data exists.
Also, will my Apple TV be also be able to access my Itunes library with playlists. thus far I have not been able to do this.

Start by consolidating your library. When you consolidate, any songs in the iTunes Library that are not in the iTunes Music Folder are copied to the Music Folder and the Library is updated to point to those new files. Files already in the iTunes Music Folder have no changes made to them: Consolidating your library - Windows
Then copy the iTunes Folder to your external drive. Copying the whole folder brings with it the iTunes Music folder and also the iTunes Library (iTunes Library.itl in Windows) database file which holds all the information about your songs (Playlists, Ratings, Play Counts, Last Played, Date Added, etc). You'll get more information including the Folder/File structure in this article: What are the iTunes library files?
Disconnect your external drive and connect it to your new computer, copy the iTunes folder to the new pc. When you copy the iTunes folder make sure you put it into the default location on the new computer. On a PC this is \Documents and Settings\Username\My Documents\My Music\ (or C:\Username\Music\ in Vista). You should also use the same version of iTunes on both computers.
Once you have copied everything over hold down the Shift key in Windows when opening iTunes. In the resulting dialogue you will get the option to create a new library or navigate to an existing one. Navigate to where you placed the copy of the library file and open it up: How to open an alternate iTunes Library file
If you have any iTunes purchases in your library don't forget that you'll need to authorise your new computer to play them. Also if you are disposing of the old one remember to deauthorise it so you don't use up one of your allowances: About iTunes Music Store Authorisation and Deauthorisation

How do I combine iTunes movies and music on external drive and play both from same library?

Trying to make an old MacBook with current iTunes a server for Apple TV. Have burned DVDs to external drive and have added my music to drive. iTunes made a library on the external drive. When I open iTunes to choose a library, I can either get all of the movies or get all of the music, but I cannot choose something that is both. I have even dragged the movies into the same file as the music, hopping that would help, but alas, I can still just have one or the other.
Any help would be so appreciated.
Thank you.

Choose one library and drag the files from the other to the library in the open iTunes application window.
(113949)

Moving music to external drive and combining multiple itunes accounts to 1

Some how I have a couple of different itunes accounts. I had itunes before I got an iphone and bought some music that i listened to on my mac. Then i got an ipod and bought music. Then got an iphone and bought more stuff. And then my new iPhone 4. But the music is all on different "accounts" sort of. When I open my itunes I have under "store"
Purchased
Purchased on Susan's iphone
Purchased on Susan's iphone
But I can't combine them all together on my current iphone 4, yet I bought all those audio books and music!
I asked at the Apple store and they said move all the music to an external drive then plug in the phone and when it asks if I want to do something or other (sheesh I can't remember it all) say yes and it will make one account, delete some of the music, then move the music that is on the drive into that account.
So I have an external hard drive. I have itunes open. I don't want to delete anything until i'm sure I'm going to have it all on the external drive. And i have no idea what to do next. I thought i could just make a folder on the external drive and drag the music there but thats not working, it won't drag. And I have audio books that i bought but can only listen to on the computer it seems i can't move them to the iphone! What a mess.
Can someone help!
Susan

I wrote this a bit prematurely. When I got around to syncing my ipod again that contained the games, they reappeared in itunes. Perhaps this will help someone else.

Moving iPhoto to external drive; have formatted external disk to Mac OS Extended (Journaled), moved the iPhoto library to external drive; when trying to change the library, the iPhoto file on new external is greyed out can't be selected.What went wrong?

Must have done something wrong..
1. formatted external disk to Mac OS Extended (Journaled) - required a partition, but that went fine. Entire new external disk was included in the partition formatted to Mac OS Extneded (journaled).
2. moved iPhoto library to new external disk
3. Holding Option key down, opened iPhoto
4. Choose library feature appeared, however when new library function option appeared and "choose library" selected, the iPhoto folder appearing in the new external drive was greyed out and not able to be selected. Therefore the default library remains the original iphoto library on the Mac.
I've moved the original iphoto library to the trash and then tried to start iPhoto. A message comes up that the iPhoto is in the trash and needs to be pulled out before iPhoto can start (clearly the new iphoto library on the external drive is not being seen.
Can anyone suggest where I went awry? Thanks!

Try trash the com.apple.iPhoto.plist file from the HD/Users/ Your Name / library / preferences folder.
(On 10.7 or later: Hold the option (or alt) key while clicking on the Go menu in Finder to access the User Library)
(Remember you'll need to reset your User options afterwards. These include minor settings like the window colour and so on. Note: If you've moved your library you'll need to point iPhoto at it again.)
What's the plist file?
For new users: Every application on your Mac has an accompanying plist file. It records certain User choices. For instance, in your favourite Word Processor it remembers your choice of Default Font, on your Web Browser is remembers things like your choice of Home Page. It even recalls what windows you had open last if your app allows you to pick up from where you left off last. The iPhoto plist file remembers things like the location of the Library, your choice of background colour, whether you are running a Referenced or Managed Library, what preferences you have for autosplitting events and so on. Trashing the plist file forces the app to generate a new one on the next launch, and this restores things to the Factory Defaults. Hence, if you've changed any of these things you'll need to reset them. If you haven't, then no bother. Trashing the plist file is Mac troubleshooting 101.
Then try select it again.

Moved iphoto to external drive and now can't find it.

I backed up iphoto library on Apple TV and External Hard Drive. Confirmed they transferred and then deleted the file on computer. When I try to run iphoto, it opens a screen that asks me which library I want to use. I can't find the library on my external drive or apple TV drive. Though I can see every picture on my TV. I think I messed this up big time and trying to recover the pictures of my kids. Any help would be appreciated. Clearly I am not computer smart.

1 - in the future never delete a file until you have fully tested the backup you made
2 - depress the option key and launch iPhoto - use the :select Library" option and you should see all available libraries
Report back exactly what happens and what you see if it does not solve your issue
LN

Moved Library to external drive and can't get my library!

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for