Photos previously deleted from iPhoto, cannot rebuild library on new iMac

Question

I purchased a new iMac and restored from Time Machine.   In the past, I moved some photos from my previous imac to store on a hard drive.  In iphoto, the thumbnails were still present but could not open (message:  cannot find file).  I lived with this because I knew where I could find them if I wanted them.
Now, when I first open iphoto it tries to rebuild the library.  I get the error message for every single one of these photos (hundreds), asking if I want to cancel or find photo.
I there some way I can resolve this without clicking on hundreds of error messages?  When I did this, eventually iphoto closed and I had to start all over again.
Thank you for you help.  My new iMac is running Mountain Lion.

Answer 1

Is sound like the original files for those many thumbnails are gone.  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 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. 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.
If that doesn't give you a good library you can try this:
Starting over from scratch with new library
Start over with a new library and import the Originals (iPhoto 09 and earlier) or the Masters (iPhoto 11) folder from your original library as follows:
1. Open the library package like this.
2. Launch iPhoto with the Option key held down and, when asked, select the option to create a new library.
3. Drag the subfolders of the Originals (iPhoto 09 and earlier) or the Masters (iPhoto 11) folder from the open iPhoto Library package into the open iPhoto window a few at a time.
This will create a new library with the same Events (but not necessarily the same Event names) as the original library but will not keep the metadata, albums, books slideshows and other projects.
The library will contain all of the orignal files that are in your current library.
Note:  your current library will be left untouched for further attempts at a fix if so desired.
OT