Problems transfering iPhoto library

Hi - I'm trying to transfer an iPhoto library from my laptop (Macbook, 2009) to an iMac (from 2008) by using an external hard drive. I copied my iPhoto library from the laptop onto the external hard drive and plugged the external HD into the iMac. I then copied this iPhoto library to the "Pictures" folder on the iMac. When I tried opening this library (I double clicked the library from finder), it opened an entirely different library... I then tried opening it straight from the external...same thing. I then plugged the external back into my laptop and tried opening the SAME LIBRARY, and it was the correct library i originally copied from my laptop. All the info for the file stays the same, it's just when I open it on the iMac, it seems to be a completely different library! (The library that does open on the iMac is one that was previously on it before I inherited it... which I thought had been deleted...) Help please! Thanks in advance!

When I tried opening this library (I double clicked the library from finder), it opened an entirely different library... I then tried opening it straight from the external...same thing.
Then you probably transferred the wrong library.
Look again on your laptop, which library you actually are opening on the MacBook.
Do you have the same iPhoto version on both machines? If the iPhoto library on your MacBook 2009 was created by a newer iPhoto version than you have installed on your iMac, the iMac may not recognize the Library and simply open aother library.
In this case, make sure you have compatible iPhoto versions on both macs.
Regards
Léonie

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I am running a 3 year old MacBook with iPhoto 08, my hard drive is nearly full mainly with photos so I have just purchased a G-Drive Hitachi 500GB external hard drive, with a view to storing my iPhoto library thus enabling me to create some space on the computer hard drive.
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Hi Terence
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1. Throw away the new empty Library and put the transferred one into the PIctures Folder. Then Hold down the option (or alt) key key and launch iPhoto. From the resulting menu select 'Choose Library'
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2. What does "slightly odd" mean? Note that there are changes between iPhoto 08 and later, and iPhoto 1 and 6, in particular how the files are accessed. For help accessing your photos in iPhoto see this user tip:
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If you don't know the model, find the Serial# & use it on one of these sites, but don't post the Serial# here...
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Problems restoring IPhoto Library after hard disk crash

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Scott
That Library is gone. What you need to do now is start over with a new Library.
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Hello! I searched long and hard before posting this, but I couldn't find a good answer.
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Trouble transferring iPhoto library from a time machine back up.

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You need to restore the library from the TM backup by opening TM
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Dd you download and run the iPhoto Library Upgrader?
And did if then open and upgrade the library?
The Mac store did a complete back up of my old Mac on an external disk, but I have a feeling that maybe the library backup within this just isn't right.
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Transferring iPhoto Library to External Drive/Time Machine

Hi LarryHN and Terrence Devlin (and any others who can answer my questions);
I have successfully transferred my iPhoto Library for the first time to an new external drive (thank you LarryHN and Terrence Devlin for your awesome threads). Would I be able to do this again when my iPhoto Library on my laptop requires another transer without changing the first transfer?
However, another part of LarryHN's thread is that the iPhoto Library transfer to an external drive is not a back up, why is it not considered a back up? I am trying to utilize Time Machine (also for the first time) but they are recommending I use an external drive with nothing on it (as they would be wiped out). Luckily I haven't wiped out my iPhoto Library on my laptop and am willing to re-do that after I set up Time Machine.
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This website has the best information on TM available: Apple OSX and Time Machine Tips
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OT

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Ignore it
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