Total Catastrophe- iPhoto crashed and can't find my photos

Question

iPhoto locked up, causing everything to lock up.  I manually rebooted, and when I reopened iPhoto my library was empty.  My Albums where still there, but empty.  My Web Galleries were there, but empty.  I also had to reconfigure my Mail and iChat...all my configurations where gone and so was my email.  Also got some weird message that my idisk was out of sync.  What the heck happened?  All I really need are those photos back.  They couldn't have just disappeared.

Answer 1

jmweber
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. If not, then you'll need to create and populate a new library.
To create and populate a new 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