Restore iphoto library from external drive

Help - I'm in a panic!
Our iPhoto library is housed on an external drive, and opens automatically from that external drive when we plug a device in or open iPhoto. I plugged in my iPhone today to upload photos, I was prompted to update to a newer version of iPhoto, and upon completing the update my iPhoto library now says that it is corrupted and needs to be backed up. I can't find the library in Time Machine to back it up - it is not detecting my external drive when I go to past backups. Help! How do I restore my library?

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 Library Manager it's the FIle -> Rebuild command)
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

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Help Restore iPhoto Library from external drive

Shortly after upgrading to Maverick my hard drive died, a complaint for another board. Anyway, I was foolish and did not back up my hard drive. However, after apple replaced the hard drive I had them give me the old drive. I bought a case for it and was able to manually pull over all the data I needed except for the iPhoto library. I noticed when pulling the information over if I pulled an entire folder over that more than15gb or so it would fail. But if I went an pulled over some groups of them (about 1GB) at a time it would work. The problem is the iPhoto Library only shows as on file/folder, and I cant figure out how to access it as indidivuals files. Is there a way to break up the iPhoto library into all the files so I can pull them over. The file is currently about 150gb and fails everytime I try to drag it over.

The library is a package and can be entered as shown in this screenshot:
So if you can't move the entire library over at one time you can do the:
Launch iPhoto Library Manager and use it to rebuild the library on the EHD. However, have the rebuild library be created on the new internal HD.
OT

Can't read iPhoto library from external drive

I suddenly can't can't read iPhoto library from external drive. I have talked to WD and nohing is wrong with the network drive. I can open images and files from it. But, I can't read in iPhoto Library.

Network Drive? a NAS?
iPhoto needs to have the Library sitting on disk formatted Mac OS Extended (Journaled). Users with the Library sitting on disks otherwise formatted regularly report issues including, but not limited to, importing, exporting, saving edits and sharing the photos.
Basically, you need to move the library to a correctly formatted disk.

Restore iphoto library from external disk backup

Dear all,
I need to restore all the iPhoto library after have backup and formatted my MacBook pro with iPhoto11.
Before to format the hard disk I have copied all the "Pictures" folder to an external HDD and it also includes a file named "iPhoto Library".
Then I have formatted the hard disk, installed the OS Montain Lion and iPhoto11 and the iPhoto library was empty at the beginning.
I tried to simply copy the file "iPhoto Library" from the external hard drive backup and substitute the original emply file. Then when I run the iPhoto it said "iPhoto library was probably created with a newer version of iPhoto and cannot be opened" and I could just quit. So I have restored the original empty file.
I've noticed that the file "iPhoto Library" is an archive and can be opened by itself. Is there a way to copy the right files from that archive?
I tried to find a solution in the website http://support.apple.com/kb/PH2504 but it's not valid in my case.
Hope you guys can help me since I had very important pictures in the archive!!
Thanks in advance.
GP

Depress and hold the option (alt) and command keys and launch iPhoto - rebuild your iPhoto library
LN

Can't read iPhoto library from external drive via airport extreme base stat

I can't seem to open my iPhoto library from my external USB drive that is hooked and being shared through my airport extreme base station. If I plug the external drive directly to my mac via USB it works but not when going through the base station.
This only started happening when I upgraded from iLife'06 to iLife'08.
Anyone have any ideas on how to fix?

That's a problem that many are posting about. Haven't read of a solution yet. Be sure to report the problem to Apple at: http://www.apple.com/feedback/iphoto.html.
Do you Twango?
TIP: For insurance against the iPhoto database corruption that many users have experienced I recommend making a backup copy of the Library6.iPhoto database file and keep it current. If problems crop up where iPhoto suddenly can't see any photos or thinks there are no photos in the library, replacing the working Library6.iPhoto file with the backup will often get the library back. By keeping it current I mean backup after each import and/or any serious editing or work on books, slideshows, calendars, cards, etc. That insures that if a problem pops up and you do need to replace the database file, you'll retain all those efforts. It doesn't take long to make the backup and it's good insurance.
I've written an Automator workflow application (requires Tiger), iPhoto dB File Backup, that will copy the selected Library6.iPhoto file from your iPhoto Library folder to the Pictures folder, replacing any previous version of it. It's compatible with iPhoto 08 libraries. You can download it at Toad's Cellar. Be sure to read the Read Me pdf file.

How to move iPhoto Library from external drive to new mac?

I have exported a copy of my iPhoto Library from my old mac to an external hard drive. How can I import entire library into iPhoto of new mac? When I click Import to Library, I'm unable to highlight iPhoto Library file listed on my external hard drive in Finder. Any suggestions? Thanks.

Is the iPhoto library on the new computer empty? If it is, quit iPhoto and just drag the iPhoto library on the New Computer to the trash and drag the iPhoto library from the EHD to the pictures folder on the new computer - there is no importing involved - you NEVER want to import an iPhoto library into another iPhoto Library
If you want to run the new computer with the iPhoto library on the external drive simply launch i{Photo while depressing the option (alt) key and use the select library to point to the EHD
LN

Can't copy Iphoto library from external drive to hard drive

I have a 210 gig iphoto library that I am trying to copy from an external hard drive with 440 gig of avaliable space. I am getting a message say it can't copy because there is not enough space. The math doesn't add up

Try the following:
1 - run Disk Utility and repair disk permissions.
2 - launch iPhoto with the Command+Option keys held down and rebuild the library.
3 - Run Option #4, Rebuild Database, followed by Option #1.
4 - try dragging the library to your internal drive again.
OT

Time capsule stuck restoring iPhoto library from iCloud drive

I bought a new macbook pro. I used Airport Extreme Time Capsule to upload everything from old mac to new mac. Everything worked fine except on thing. My iPhoto library wouldn't transfer. It showed up in the new iCloud drive with a cloud and an arrow pointing down. I then tried to restore a previous version from time capsule (again it had been stored in iCloud drive), but it has been stuck on "copying "iPhoto library.photolibrary" to "cloud drive"" for many many hours. My iCloud drive has 190GB free and my iPhoto library is 20GB. Can anyone figure out what is wrong.

sanjaydeepika wrote:
I am restoring wirelessly again to note the error message, it still has 15 hours to go!
You don't remember what the message was? Not even roughly?
Hint: when you get an error message, take a screenshot of it so you'll know what it says.
My network is just a wireless ADSL Router connecting my Mac & TC. If I want to connect via ethernet cable, do I need to connect TC with Router?
Either connect both your Mac and the TC via Ethernet, or connect them directly.
because connecting Mac & TC did not work.
What do you mean? What happened? Error messages? If so, what?
Can I connect using the ethernet cable now while the restore is on to speed up the restore?
Yes. Once it's connected, and on, make sure Ethernet is above WIFI in System Preferences > Network. That will insure that OSX will use Ethernet when both are active.
If it isn't, click the "gear" icon at the bottom and select Set Service Order. On the next window, drag Ethernet to the top.

Unable to copy iphoto library from external drive to internal drive

iPhoto '09 8.1.2 (424)
I have a very large iPhoto library (282GB, 34k photos) spread between multiple computers, which as been consolidated on a single external drive now (1 TB Western Digital Mac OS Extended (Case-senstive, Journaled). I'm trying to get the big library on the external drive back on my Mac Pro so I can break the merged libraries into smaller libraries in a safe fashion.
There is nothing on the internal drive, but I keep getting an error about 62GB into the copying that reads: "You cannot copy "[Library Name]" to the destination because its name is the same as the name of an item on the destination, except for the case of some characters." ... But there's nothing on the internal drive!!!
I've renamed the library on the external drive, then tried copying it -- no dice. I've created a new folder on the internal drive and tried copying it to the new folder -- same error at exactly the same spot in the transfer. I've even reformatted then zeroed out the internal drive -- same error, same spot. Anyone know a solution or have ideas about what I'm doing wrong?
Many thanks!

I think the error report is bogus and the issue is not on the receiving volume but a locked or damaged file within the library.
Try rebuild the library: hold down the command and option (or alt) keys while launching iPhoto. Use the resulting dialogue to rebuild. Include the option to check and repair Library permissions.
FWIW, I don't see what you gain by a: splitting the library at all and b: copying it back to the MacPro to do it.
Regards
TD

Had to restore iPhoto library from external hard drive. Key Photos Blank!

Photos seem to be there, but the key photos are either blank or all have the same one photo. How can I restore the key photo setting to automatically use the first photo in each group?
Is there anything else I need to do to formalize this process and get iphoto running normally again?
Thanks!

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. Include the option to rebuild the thumbnails - it can take three or four goes to work.

Restoring iPhoto library from time machine

How does one restore iPhoto library from time machine. When I attempt to do so time machine downloads 2/3 of the library and then says: operation cannot be completed because you do not have permission to access iPhoto library. Any advice? I am using so 10.8.2

Try the methods pondini gives here.
http://pondini.org/TM/15.html
Look at the specifics for iphoto..
It is not easy as the versions have changed.. if you are trying to restore a version older than the OS.. not sure what willl happen.
You might also need to do a full restore to an external drive and pluck the library out of there.

How do I restore iTunes library from flash drive backup?

How do I restore iTunes library from flash drive backup?

brigdool wrote:
How do I restore iTunes library from flash drive backup?
HI Brigdool,
It depends how you made the backup.
If you copied your entire iTunes folder onto the flash drive, just copy it back to the appropriate place on the computer.
If you copied individual folders or files, add them back to iTunes by inserting the flash drive in your computer, and then dragging the files into your "Automatically Add to iTunes" folder.
The first method recreates your library as it was, with all playcounts, playlists, etc. The second method builds a new library with the same content.

IPhoto crashed. When reopened, 70 some events were grayed out (no photos). Restored iPhoto library from Time Machine, fewer grayed events. Said yes to a msg on fixing library, 3K more photos. Still wrong. What next to do?

iPhoto crashed. When reopened, 70+ some events were grayed out (no photos). Restored iPhoto library from Time Machine, fewer grayed events. Said yes to a msg on fixing library, 3000 more photos. Still wrong. What next to do?

Do you still have the library that you were using when the crash occurred? If so apply the two fixes below in order as needed:
Fix #1
1 - launch iPhoto with the Command+Option keys held down and rebuild the library.
2 - run Option #4 to rebuild the database.
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 and select the library you want to add in the selection window..
3 - 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.
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 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

Restore iphoto library from Time machine using external drive

I keep my iPhoto library in an external drive (iomega 1 TB) I use Time Machine (Time Capsule) for my back-up of iphoto. The external drive is failing. I have bought an new external drive and wish to restore my iPhoto library to this new drive. The steps for restoring from Time Machine require me to click on the iphoto library and then enter time machine. I cannot do this as the folder is now unreadable in the drive and I do not wish to restore it to this old drive in any event.
I have accessed the time machine drive and can see the iphoto back up is there.
What is my next step?
Robert

See my answer to your duplicate question
LN

How do you locate the file where iPhoto library is kept? I moved iPhoto library from hard drive to external dedicated photo drive.

I am trying to restore some elements of my iPhoto library using time machine.
Apple instructions call for locating the file where iPhoto library is kept, and tells you where it is on your hard drive. But I've recently moved my iPhoto library to a dedicated external hard drive, and copied my i photo library there. when i click on it, all the photos are there, but it's an iPhoto library, not a file.
When I go into time machine and click on the date i would like to enter, most of my apps have a circle with a line through it, unaccessible. So: a related question, how would i retrieve a photo file from time machine's previous backup? thank you.

Thank you!
I am trying to retrieve photo uploads from my Android phone. When I last updated my OS, most of these vaporized, leaving only thumbnails. I have had two lengthy sessions with Apple phone support, but still haven't solved the problem.
Apparently I can't go back to July '14 iPhoto in time machine and browse files; i have to copy the entire library.
Which I just did, taking 2 hours.
In order to open the iPhoto library from July '14, I had to first update iPhoto.
When I went into the files, the same problem existed -- photo files gone, only thumbnails there. So now I'm thinking that it's the update that was the problem. This scares me to death, because when we're asked to update, we don't get a menu of preferences to make sure something has been unchecked, like the copy option i had enabled when opening photo files from my phone, which i store in a dropbox folder.
No one at Apple could tell me why this happened, so I have no idea how to prevent it from happening in the future.
That's why I'm trying to create better backups...but i can't figure out deja vu, because it won't open and sync the iPhoto library folder -- it wants me to find the file, and i don't know where it is on the external dedicated photo drive.
I realize this is about six issues, not one. But I'm really appreciative of any help i can get!

Restore iphoto library from external drive

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