Moving content from iPhoto library to external hard drive

I recently copied my iPhoto library to an external hard drive. I've just updated some albums and created new albums. What's the easiest way to move this new content to my hard drive without having to copy and move the entire iPhoto library again?

iPhoto: How to move the Library folder to a new location
See also:
iPhoto: Issues with FAT32-formatted drives

Similar Messages

  • Iphoto library on external hard drive now does not show all the photos when i access it from macbook

    i backed up iphoto library to an external hard drive.  Deleted photo library on the macbook.  After transferring some new photos to macbook from a camera, when i access the iphoto library on external hard drive only the new photos show up.  Originals are still in files, but don't appear when opening iphoto library on external hard drive.

    Make a temporary, backup copy of your library if you don't already have one (Control-click on the library and select Duplicate from the contextual menu) and  apply the two fixes below in order as needed:
    Fix #1
    Launch iPhoto with the Command+Option keys held down and rebuild the library.
    Select the options identified in the screenshot. 
    Fix #2
    Using iPhoto Library Manager  to Rebuild Your iPhoto Library
    Download iPhoto Library Manager and launch.
    Click on the Add Library button, navigate to your Home/Pictures folder and select your iPhoto Library folder.
    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
    In the next  window name the new library and select the location you want it to be placed.
    Click on the Create button.
    Note: This creates a new library based on the LIbraryData.xml file in the library and will recover Events, Albums, keywords, titles and comments but not books, calendars or slideshows. The original library will be left untouched for further attempts at fixing the problem or in case the rebuilt library is not satisfactory.
    OT

  • I am trying to save photos from iphoto to an external hard drive

    Help!
    I bought a "WD Elements" external hard drive to save photos and make more room on my Macbook Pro. I can't move pics from iphoto to my "WD Elements" hard drive . I've recently gone on a few vacations and have a few thousand pictures to download. I'd like to save them onto my computer and then my external hard drive, but would first like to place old pics from iphoto onto the external hard drive and I am unable to figure out how to do this. I've tried selecting pics and then dragging them into the "Elements" external device, but this is not working (a white circle with a line through it pops up, as if I am unable to do this). When I select pics and click export, a message says that it's unable to export these pics to the hard drive device.
    Please help! ~Thanks!

    1. What format is the external drive? It sounds like it's ina format that Macs can't write to. Is it a NAS or NTFS?
    2. Easiest thing: just move your iPhoto Library to the external
    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.
    Regards
    TD

  • Transfering pictures from iphoto's to external hard drive

    Hi All,
    Could someone help me as I'm going around in circles?
    My hard drive is nearly full, so I need to transfer my photos from iphotos to my external hard drive and delete them on my powerbook. Everytime I either drag the 3200 pictures and drop into my hard drive or copy and paste it comes back saying one of my pictures is busy so it's unable to complete the process. And this stops the computer transfering any photos? I've tried moving the pictures in question, but then it quotes another picture?
    Can anyone advise the best way to transfer photo's to my EHD without this challenge ocurring?
    I would appreciate any advise.
    Kind Regards
    Danny

    It may be a terminology issue but Apple uses the word "import" for any transfer of photos from the phone to a computer (or to an external drive attached to a computer). http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4083
    You can (I believe -- haven't tried it) import them directly to an external drive attached to a Mac by using Image Capture. Image Capture is in Lauchpad -- probably in the "Other" folder in Lauchpad. Easiest way to start it is via Spotlight Search. It can be set to open automatically when a phone or camera is connected by opening iPhoto and going to menu named iPhoto and opening Preferences.
    With the phone connected, the bottom of the Image Capture window allows you to select where you want the photos to be saved.

  • Trying to copy iPhoto Library to external hard drive for backup.  Error message:  The Finder can't complete the operation because some data in "iPhoto Library" can't be read or written (Error code -36).

    Trying to copy iPhoto Library to external hard drive for backup.  Error message:  The Finder can't complete the operation because some data in "iPhoto Library" can't be read or written (Error code -36).

    That code is
    -36
    ioErr
    I/O error (bummers)
    Make sure the EHD is formatted OS X Extended (journaled) and run Disk Utilty on the EHD and repair the disk.  If that fails to help I'd try the following:
    Using iPhoto Library Manager  to Rebuild Your iPhoto Library
    Download iPhoto Library Manager and launch.
    Click on the Add Library button,                         
    navigate to your Home/Pictures folder and select your iPhoto Library folder.
    Now that the library is listed in the left hand pane of iPLM, click on your library and go to the Library ➙ Rebuild Library menu option
    In the next  window name the new library and select the external HD as the location of the newly rebild library.
    Click on the Create button.
    Note 1: 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.
    Note 2:  Your current library will be left untouched for further attempts at a fix if so desired.
    OT

  • Exporting from iPhoto 11 to External Hard Drive

    I am trying to export some of my pictures in iPhoto to me external hard drive.  I am able to do it, but when I open the pictures that have been exported, they have lost their info, for example the date the picture was taken.  What appears in the info is the date that I exported them.  Is there a way to export but retain the date?

    You need to check both the Include boxes.
    No, you do need an application that's aware of Exif - and that includes simple photo viewers. It does not include the Finder.
    In more detail:
    There are two kinds of metadata involved when you consider  jpeg or other image file.
    One is the file data. This is what the Finder shows. This tells you nothing about the contents of the file, just the File itself.
    The problem with File metadata is that it can easily change as the file is moved from place to place or exported, e-mailed, uploaded etc.
    Photographs have also got both Exif and IPTC metadata. The date and time that your camera snapped the Photograph is recorded in the Exif metadata. Regardless if what the file date says, this is the actual time recorded by the camera.
    Photo applications like iPhoto, Aperture, Lightroom, Picasa, Photoshop etc get their date and time from the Exif metadata.
    When you export from iPhoto to the Finder new file is created containing your Photo (and its Exif). The File date is - quite accurately - reported as the date of Export. However, the Photo Date doesn't change.
    The problem is that the Finder doesn't work with Exif.
    So, your photo has the correct date, and so does the file, but they are different things. To sort on the Photo date you'll need to use a photo app.

  • Need to transfer iphoto library to external hard drive

    need to transfer iphoto library to external passport drive. It will not let me drag and drop

    Welcome to Apple Support Communities
    The external drive is formatted in NTFS, a format that OS X can't write in. You have to erase the external disk.
    First, open Finder, choose the external drive in the sidebar, under "Devices", and copy all the content of your external drive to another folder like Desktop.
    Then, follow these steps to format the external drive in "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)" as Format > http://pondini.org/OSX/DU1.html Finally, drag the iPhoto library to the external drive

  • Moving iPhoto library onto external hard drive

    I would like to transfer all of my photos over to my external hard drive as my MacBook is filling up fast.
    I followed the directions on moving the iPhoto library onto my external hard drive. I can see the iPhoto icon on the external drive. I no longer see it under Me/Pictures.
    If I select the iPhoto icon on my external hard drive to open iPhoto, it opens without any photos. If I press "option" while opening iPhoto from the icon at the bottom of the screen the only option I have is from the following: Users/Me/Movies/iMovie Projects.localized/iPhoto Library. This option does open iPhoto so that I can see my photos. There is an option there to "Create New" so I added my hard drive. But if I use that as my default, I get no pictures.
    A couple of questions. How do I complete this process? Where are my pictures now? I'm assuming they are on my external hard drive. I didn't delete them from my MacBook so I'm also assuming they are there but not visible.
    Thanks

    As we're not sure what you have done exactly it's hard to be certain how to progress.
    This is how you move an iPhoto 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.
    There is no way you've done that if you can no longer see the Library at Me/Pictures.

  • Moving only part of iphoto library to external hard drive

    I would like to only move part of my iphoto library to an external hard drive.  Trying to archive my older pictures.  I know how to move the entire library but not so sure on how to move only parts of the library.  Do i need to create a second archived library and move the pictures I want to archive to that archived libary and then move the archived libary to an external hard drive?

    Here's one way to do it:
    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

  • Iphone won't sync after moving iPhoto library to external hard drive

    I moved my iPhoto library to an external hard drive, now my iTunes will not sync with my iphone. It has an error when syncing photos and quits
    iPhoto works just fine, iTunes works just fine. This only occurs when syncing. Please help!

    Put your iPhoto library on the external hard drive and hold your Option key down when opening iPhoto. Then just select the library on the external drive. You can have multiple libraries too.
    Dave M.
    MacOSG Founder/Ambassador  An Apple User Group  iTunes: MacOSG Podcast
    Macsimum News Associate Editor  Creator of 'Mac611 - Mobile Mac Support'

  • Moving iphoto library to external hard drive.

    My mac mini is fast running out of disk space and I am trying to move the iphoto library to an external hard drive.
    I have copied the library across to the external disk, renamed the exisiting library and have now tried to restore/rebuild the iphoto library using the new library on the external disk. All of the albums/events/faces appear in the finder window but iphoto hangs for up to 8 hours before I force quit and try again. I only have 20gb of photos and would not think the library should take this long to rebuild??
    I am running Lion along with the most current update of iphoto.
    Any assistance greatly appreciated.

    That article is missing a key piece of info:
    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.
    Regards
    TD

  • Can't access iPhoto library on external hard drive (from Mavericks days) now that I'm running Yosemite on my Macbook.

    I have an iPhoto library on an external hard drive (from when I had Mavericks), but now that I've upgraded to Yosemite, "Photos" won't open my iPhoto library. Ideas for how to import that iPhoto Library into Photos?

    "Photos" won't open my iPhoto library. Ideas for how to import that iPhoto Library into Photos?
    What is the file system of the external drive, and how is the drive connected?  DO you get an error message? If yes, which message?
    You can only open a library on a directly connected drive, formatted MacOS Extended (Journaled).  If the drive is correctly formatted, hold down the alt/options key while you are launching photos, and then select your library from the Library Chooser Panel.
    If the library is not listed in the panel, use the "Other Library" button.

  • IPhoto library on external hard drive will no longer open

    I'm hoping that someone will be able to point me to a simple solution to my problem...
    I'm running iPhoto 9.6 on a  MacBook Pro (Retina, 13 inch, mid-2014).  The OS is Yosemite 10.10.1.  Because the flash storage is only 250GB I have my main iPhoto library (146GB) on a partition of an external 1TB Lacie Rugged drive.  The external hard drive also has partitions for Time Machine Backup and SuperDuper Bootable Clone.  I have a separate, much smaller iPhoto library on the MBP which contains recent photos.
    Yesterday I failed to reconnect my MacBook Pro to the power source when I put it back on my desk.  The result was that the battery went below 5% and the MBP turned itself off and also ejected the external hard drive (some time after I reconnected the power cable there were dialog boxes on my screen informing me that each of the three partitions had been ejected incorrectly).  I waited until the MBP was fully charged before I tried to open my 'main' iPhoto library on the external hard drive.  I received a message that the library would have to be upgraded to work with the computer (very odd, because it had already been upgraded last October when I upgraded from Mavericks to Yosemite and has been working without any real problem ever since then).
    After some hours when the only message on the screen was 'Rebuiding Thumbnail Caches' I pressed Cmd+Option+Esc I saw that iPhoto was 'Paused'  - that message subsequently changed to 'Not Responding'.  I 'Force Quit' iPhoto but the iPhoto library will not open at all from the external drive.
    As a test I quit iPhoto and re-started using the Option key and chose to open the iPhoto library which is on the internal drive and it opened without any problem.
    I recall that it used to be possible to fix this sort of thing (perhaps not) by trashing the com.apple.iPhoto.plist file, however, I don't seem to be able to find it :-(
    I'm really at a loss as to how I should approach this problem and I would be very grateful for any suggestions that can be offered.
    Cheers
    Tricia

    Further update ....
    I downloaded and installed iPhoto Library Manager and then chose Library - Rebuild Library.  Unfortunately, when it had finished the result was 0 images in any file or folder.  I checked the log (which is incredibly long) but here's the beginning of it which seems to indicate that the problem is that an essential file is missing -
    2015-01-21 10:49:18.671 iPhoto Library Manager 4.1.11; iPhoto 9.6; OS X 10.10.1; unregistered
    2015-01-21 10:49:19.033 Rebuilding library /Volumes/Pictures/iPhoto Library
    2015-01-21 10:49:19.033 Rebuilt library located at /Users/Tricia 1/Pictures/iPhoto Library (rebuilt).photolibrary
    2015-01-21 10:49:19.035 Building preview…
    2015-01-21 10:49:19.042 Photo transfer settings: source libraries = /Volumes/Pictures/iPhoto Library, copy faces = true, copy places = true, combine album contents = false, photo attributes copied = (comment, date, flagged, hidden, latitude, longitude, name, rating)
    2015-01-21 10:49:19.042 Loading data for library /Volumes/Pictures/iPhoto Library…
    2015-01-21 10:49:19.056 Version number: 9.6
    2015-01-21 10:49:19.057 An error occurred: Trying to load database for library “/Volumes/Pictures/iPhoto Library” failed. Some information such as faces, places, and edit history may not be transferred succesfully. (error = Error Domain=PLDatabaseErrorDomain Code=1 "The SQLite database file could not be found." UserInfo=0x10e9c1c10 {PLDatabaseErrorVendorErrorKey=14, PLDatabaseErrorVendorStringKey=unable to open database file, NSLocalizedDescription=The SQLite database file could not be found.}
    After this each entry has a dialog that basically says the image file is missing from /Volumes/Pictures/iPhoto Library.
    As mentioned in an earlier post I do have another iPhoto Library on my 2008 MacBook.
    Can someone advise the best way to proceed?  I'm thinking that I should erase the partition of my external hard drive that is called Pictures and then connect the external hard drive to my 2008 MacBook and simply drag and drop the iPhoto Library to the Pictures partition.  IIRC, that's the way I moved the iPhoto Library last October when I bought my new MacBook Pro which didn't have enough storage for me to be able to store my iPhoto Library on the MBP.  I could then reconnect the external hard drive to my MBP and the iPhoto Library should reappear, shouldn't it?
    Looking forward to more input ...
    Tricia

  • How to copy iPhoto library to external hard drive?

    I have been trying to copy my iPhoto library to a Seagate external hard drive. I cannot seem to drag and drop the iPhoto library from a Finder box across to the external hard drive. The hard drive has enough space/capacity to hold the library contents but will not allow me to drag and drop. Any tips?

    Not without more information - what happens - what errors do you get - if the external drive formatted Mac OS extended (journaled)?
    This procedure has been used thousands of times successfully
    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

  • Can't Open iPhoto Library on External Hard Drive

    Hi, please help!
    I currently have 2 iPhoto libraries. 1 is on my external hard drive- and isn't recognized by iPhoto anymore. And the other is a newer one, on my internal hard drive.
    Here's what I did:
    I copied my entire iPhoto library to my external hard drive (it is a Seagate, Mac OS extended drive) a few months ago, and I went ahead and deleted my iPhoto library on my internal hard drive. Then I started importing new photos from my camera, and a new iphoto library was created automatically on my internal hard drive.
    I tried to access photos from my old library yesterday by plugging my external hard drive in, and by hitting the "option" key when opening iphoto. Unfortunately, when I search for the library on my external HD, the only items that appear are music. None of my loose photos or my iphoto library are recognized by iPhoto.
    Anyone have a fix for this? iPhoto doesn't recognize that any jpgs/photos are on my hard drive, but when I go through finder- I can see my library, as well as many other jpgs stored on my hard drive.

    Welcome to the Apple Discussions.
    Sounds like iPhoto is not seeing a valid database there.
    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.
    In the iPhoto Preferences -> Events Uncheck the box at 'Imported Items from the Finder'
    Move the iPhoto Library to the desktop
    Launch iPhoto. It will ask if you wish to create a new Library. Say Yes.
    Go into the iPhoto Library (Right Click -> Show Package Contents) on your desktop and find the Originals folder. From the Originals folder drag the individual Event Folders to the iPhoto Window and it will recreate them in the new library.
    When you're sure all is well you can delete the iPhoto Library on your desktop.
    In the future, in addition to your usual back up routine, you might like to make a copy of the library6.iPhoto file whenever you have made changes to the library as protection against database corruption.
    Regards
    TD

Maybe you are looking for