Question re: Copying an old iPhoto Library to a new Mac

Hi -
I have an old, G5 PowerPC iMac, running OSX 10.4.11 and iPhoto '08 (version 7.1.5), and a new (2013) MacBook Pro running OSX 10.9.3 and iPhoto version 9.5.1.
I'd like to know if I'd have any problems copying the old iPhoto Library (22 GB) from the G5 iMac to the new MacBook Pro. I'm concerned that the great difference in versions would prevent the library from updating to the current version once it is copied. Thanks for any information or help anyone can provide. Thanks,
Shelly

Copy the library to your new Mac.
To be able to upgrade it to iPhoto '11 run the iPhoto Library Upgrader on your newer Mac, see this document:
iPhoto '11: About the Library Upgrader

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I can't copy my old iPhoto library from a external HD to my new mac?

Hi. I just bought a new mac and want to have all my old iphoto pictures from my old mac into my new iPhoto library. I've tried to copy the old iPhoto library into a external HD(works fine), but the problem is that I can't copy it out from the external HD an in to my new mac again. It just say that it doesn't work because it doesnt have enough storage.
I don't get why it would say that, because the old iPhoto library is 89.55 GB and I haven't used any memory at all on my new macbook pro, and my old macbook pro has memory enough to have the iPhoto library on it (the mac is 5 years old and has almost a full memory), so why can't my new macs memory manage the iPhoto library when my old mac can? It doesn't make sense at all.
I've googled it, and it says everywhere that it should work by simply copy to external HD and move over the library from there and into the pictures folder, but this definitely doesn't work for me.
I hope that some please can help me with this, I don't know what do to.

Do you know how much space the cheapest macbook pro with reatina has?
http://www.apple.com/mac/compare/notebooks.html
A basic MBP may only have
128GB solid-state drive

Moving my old iPhoto library to my new macbook

I recently purchased a new Macbook and did not use Migration Assistant to set it up. I want my iPhoto library moved to my Macbook intact. My old computer is an iMac G4 running OS X 10.4.11. That computer has iPhoto 2.0.1. I dragged my iPhoto Library on to an iPod in disk mode and dragged it from that device onto my new Macbook which is running Snow Leopard and iPhoto '09. I started iPhoto on the Macbook and pointed it to the old iPhoto Library. It started up fine, updated the Library and went through its Faces recognition routine. Super, except that my old machine tells me that my Library holds 4818 images and iPhoto on my new machine counts just 3415 images.
Can someone help me understand the discrepancy and how to rectify? Thank you.

Hello Old Toad:
Thanks for your second response to my photo dilemma--I've been unusually busy the past ten days and haven't been able to try your suggestion. Part of the "busy" was exasperation at Apple over the download of the iPhone upgrade 4.0; I didn't understand all the ramifications of the upgrade and thus lost all the remaining photos on my iPhone except those taken with the iPhone camera. Luckily for me, that numbered over 1100 so all was not lost. I told a friend who has both iPhone and Mac desktop of my inability to download photos from iPhone to laptop, and he said he has been doing it for over two years! I asked him to show me how he does it. We then tried it with my iPhone but were stopped by a message on his desktop saying it could not download photos from my iPhone because I didn't have iTunes 9.2 installed. At home I opened iTunes on my MacBook and found that I did have 9.2 installed. I plugged my iPhone into my computer and to my utter amazement in less than 30 seconds iPhoto opened up and asked if I wanted to download x number of items. That had never happened before, and I don't know why it happened now. Two possibilities come to mind: that iTunes 9.2 was downloaded recently as part of an upgrade bundle and I hadn't tried the photo download SINCE the upgrade--in other words, all I needed was iTunes 9.2? Or, that in the iPhone 4.0 upgrade a mechanism was installed to accomplish the task, but neither explains my friend's success at the same task. If anyone else is as puzzled by this as I am, I'd like to hear about it. Also, why was such a seemingly simple question/task so difficult to find a solution to?
Sincerely,
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How can I import my old iPhoto library into my new version of iPhoto?

Just purchased new iMac and am trying to import my old iPhoto library, but keep getting Unreadable Files message. I have the library file and see that it shows up as an iPhoto Library under the Kind column.

Now that you're tried to open the correct library once see if you can perfor the following: apply the two fixes below in order as needed:
Fix #1
Launch iPhoto with the Command+Option keys held down and rebuild the library.
Since only one option can be run at a time start with Option #3, followed by #4 and then #1 as needed.
Fix #2
Using iPhoto Library Manager to Rebuild Your iPhoto Library
1 - download iPhoto Library Manager and launch.
2 - click on the Add Library button, navigate to your Home/Pictures folder and select your iPhoto Library folder.
3 - 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.
4 - In the next window name the new library and select the location you want it to be placed.
5 - 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.

How do I import my old iPhoto library to my new macbook Pro?

I have a new laptop pro and I don't want all my files similar to my old laptops so I didn't use the migration assistant. All I want is iPhoto to be the same on my new laptop as it is on my old laptop.
Is there a way to do this? Can I just grab the iPhoto library folder located in user/pictures/iPhoto Library and drag over to the new mac to copywrite it? or will that still not preserve the faces, places, and event's database?
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Caleb

I have a related situation. I recently purchased a new Macbook and like the originator of this post, did not use Migration Assistant to set it up. Also like the originator, I want my iPhoto library to move to my Macbook intact. My old computer is an iMac G4 running OS X 10.4.11. That computer has iPhoto 2.0.1. I dragged my iPhoto Library on to an iPod in disk mode and dragged it from that device onto my new Macbook which is running Snow Leopard and iPhoto '09. I started iPhoto on the Macbook and pointed it to the old iPhoto Library. It started up fine, updated the Library and went through its Faces recognition routine. Super, except that my old machine tells me that my Library holds 4818 images and iPhoto on my new machine counts just 3415 images.
Can someone help me understand the discrepancy and how to rectify? Thank you.

Installed new osx lion can't copy my photos from the old iPhoto library to the new one..

hey guys hope u can held me ..
when i open the new iphoto libary it says i need to istall an older version of iphoto libary ...

1 - you never "copy" an iPhoto library to any other iPhoto library - exactly what did you do
2 - installiung Lion typically has no effect on iPhoto - you are only upgrading the OS - not the iLife software
Exactly what is the error message - I am not aware of iPhoto ever saying tha tyou need to inatall an older version of anything and it is impossible to ever "install" an iPhoto library - you install the iPhoto application - it creates or converts the iPhoto library
We need to know what version of iPhoto you have and exactly what is said when you launch iPhoto
LN

I'm trying to transfer my iPhoto library to a new mac and I can't find the library on my old mac.

When I "revel in finder" a photo in my iPhoto app on my old mac, it shows the path: hard drive, user, meghanica, library, iphoto library and so on. BUT when I go to my hard drive and try to follow that path on my laptop, there is no "library" folder to open in meghanica. I have tried to spolight the library folder with no luck. All of my photos that I've looked at in iPhoto show this path. I can't figure out why when I go to my hard drive, it's not there. Any ideas? I'm using updated iPhoto '11 on os x Lion on a macbook pro. Thanks!

It sounds like the library might have been placed in your Home/Library folder which is invisible.
NOTE: In Lion and Mountain Lion the Home/Library folder is now invisible. To make it permanently visible enter the following in the Terminal application window: chflags nohidden ~/Library and press the Return key - 10.7: Un-hide the User Library folder.
For Mavericks, 10.9, go to your Home folder and use the View ➙ Show View Options menu to bring the this window:
When you find the iPhoto library move it to your Pictures folder.
OT

How do you transfer pictures from old iphoto library to a new one?

So my iphoto wasn't working, did the whole delete the plist and make a new library pressing "alt". But now i want to know how i can transfer all my photos into the new library, or some how fix the old library (because i really don't wanna move everything into a new library).
please someone help me,

Option 1
Back Up and try rebuild the library: hold down the command and option (or alt) keys while launching iPhoto. Use the resulting dialogue to rebuild. Choose to Rebuild iPhoto Library Database from automatic backup.
If that fails:
Option 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, faces and places 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.
Regards
TD

I can't open my backed-up Iphoto Library on my new Mac with upgraded iLife. How can I retrieve all my pics??

Having backed-up my old iMac using time machine, thinking to open up my iPhoto Library to retrieve all pics from Time Machine, but iPhoto doesn't let me open it. First a pop-up appears: "The photo library needs to be upgraded to work with this version of iPhoto. Your photo library will not be readable by previous versions of iPhoto after the upgrade. The upgrade process for very large libraries may take an hour or more to complete." When I click Upgrade another pop-up appears "You can’t open your current photo library using this version of iPhoto. You have made changes to your photo library using a newer version of iPhoto. Please quit and use the latest version of iPhoto." But I am using the latest version iLife 11. Is there a way to open up the library in a different way, so I can get my pics back???

It sounds like the restored database is damaged.
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.

How to export iphoto library to my new mac

I just got a new mac and want to transfer my old iphoto and itunes libraries to my new mac. What is the best way to do that?

Connect the two computers together via a network or FireWire target mode or USB and drag the iPhoto library from the old computer to the pictures folder of the new and launch iPhoto
ITunes is probable similar but the iTunes forum is the place to find out
LN

Moving Events and iPhoto library to a new Mac

I just picked up a new Mini for my HTPC. I would like to move the Events and photos that I already have on my other Macs to the new one. I exported all of the photos to a flash drive and then imported them in on the new Mini, but of course it just imported the photos. It did not organize them at all.
Bottom line, is there any way to move my existing library over to a new Mac without having to re-label all events and stuff like that?
Thanks guys,
Steve

I lost my iphoto Library when I was moving all my files over to my Mac Mini. I had a clean mini with Leopard and had my photo library on my external only. I was messing around with the Time machine and i think it did a back up which I stopped right away, but I think it deleted the iPhoto library and my iTunes library.(the mini probably had an empty iPhoto library) So now I used Data rescue to try and find it and all of the files from that external are on my mini's desktop with just numbered jpeg files & mp3 files.One folder says recovered music & recovered pictures. Of course there is nothing that says iphoto library and all the files are so mixed up.I have been going thru all the photos and just dragging them in, but it is getting so tedious....Help! Oh, and the photos are very pixelaed now....would that be because they are just jpeg files....I am not sure if they were prior to this whole problem. I have a feeling there is no way around this. Thanks in advance. Robin

Old iphoto library from an old computer's hard drive doesn't open anymore

My old computer broke some time ago, but I got the hard drive saved with its iPhoto library. I used to be able to open the old iPhoto from the old computer's hard drive with my new computer connecting them, but now it says that the old iPhoto cannot be opened because I have to update to a newer version, but the only button I can press is 'quit'. So I don't know how to get a newer version of iPhoto to my old hard drive or how to get the pictures out of the old iPhoto. I have a separate iPhoto in my new computer.
When I press 'show content' of the old iPhoto, there are no pictures anywhere.
Please help, I have my old pictures there!
Thank you!
Best regards,
Petra

I used to be able to open the old iPhoto from the old computer's hard drive with my new computer connecting them, but now it says that the old iPhoto cannot be opened because I have to update to a newer version, but the only button I can press is 'quit'.
Petra, do you mean, you opened the old iPhoto application from the old computer on your new computer or did you open the iPhoto Library?
If you have a newer iPhoto version on your new computer, try to open your old iPhoto Library with the newer iPhoto version on your new Mac.
What was the old iPhoto version on the old Mac, and which version do you have now? And which version of MacOS X?
If you now have iPhoto 9.5.1 on your new computer, launch this version while holding down the options key (sometimes called alt key). This will bring up the library chooser panel. Select the old library on your old drive. iPhoto should offer to upgrade the library., unless your old library has been created by a very old iPhoto version.
If the old library had been created with iPhoto '08 or earlier, you need first to run the iPhoto Library Upgrader to prepare the library.
See this document: iPhoto '11: About the Library Upgrader
After running the upgrader, proceed as described above.
-- Léonie

Lost password to old iphoto library

What can I do if I lost the password for an old Iphoto library?
My new computer wants to upgrade it before it will open.

What can I do if I lost the password for an old Iphoto library?
There are no passwords for iPhoto libraries? What are you needing? If you have the iPhoto library on an encrypted disk image then you are in trouble and that has nothing to do with iPhoto - you need system level support for encrypted disk images
My new computer wants to upgrade it before it will open.
The library? See above - the Application? Then you need password help for your Apple ID - again that has nothing to do with iPhoto - you click on the lost password link
ln

Old iPhotos library

Looking for things cluttering up my hard drive. Noticed my old iPhoto library and the new Photos library are the same size. I've opened Photos and used it. iPhoto has been removed from my dock, I understand it's still in my apps folder. Do I need iPhoto or my old iPhoto library anymore? Is it safe to delete it?

If your version of iPhoto has been updated to the latest version, it will still be available in your Applications Folder. If it was not kept up-to-date, you can re-download it from the Purchased section of the App Store. I think it is a good idea to keep the old app and library until you test drive the new version. I am using Photos and have found that if you click on View> Show Sidebar, you can choose to show your photos in your old iPhoto Events view. This keeps your old organization available. There will be no more support for iPhoto and I would expect that there will be many improvements made to Photos in the future.

How do I import an iPhoto Library (V.7.1.5) created on my old MacBook (10. 6.8) into my new Macbook pro (10.9.1) running iPhoto 9.5.1? I tried copying onto memory stick and moving to new mac, but new iPhoto doesn't recognise the library.

How do I import an iPhoto Library (V.7.1.5) created on my old MacBook (10. 6.8) into my new Macbook pro (10.9.1) running iPhoto 9.5.1? I tried copying onto memory stick and moving to new mac, but new iPhoto doesn't recognise the library.

So what exactly did you copy over? If it's a 12 gig iPhoto Library then it sounds like the files are there. Perhaps the copy went wrong along the way.
Option 1
Back Up and try rebuild the library: hold down the command and option (or alt) keys while launching iPhoto. Use the resulting dialogue to rebuild. Choose to Repair Database. If that doesn't help, then try again, this time using Rebuild Database.
If that fails:
Option 2
Download iPhoto Library Manager and use its rebuild function. (In early versions of Library Manager it's the File -> Rebuild command. In later versions it's under the Library menu.)
This will create an entirely new library. It will then copy (or try to) your photos and all the associated metadata and versions to this new Library, and arrange it as close as it can to what you had in the damaged Library. It does this based on information it finds in the iPhoto sharing mechanism - but that means that things not shared won't be there, so no slideshows, books or calendars, for instance - but it should get all your events, albums and keywords, faces and places 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.
Regards
TD

Question re: Copying an old iPhoto Library to a new Mac

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