Transferring iPhoto Info from External Drive

I have about 5,000 photos in my library and I was recently going through them when I noticed that most of my photos were re-sized/degraded quality. I recenlty purchased a new mac and I put library on a WD 2TB hard drive from my old macbook. (I dragged the "iPhoto Library" icon onto the external drive). I opened up the library on my new mac and about 90% of my photos are only thumbnail size/quality. Are the complete versions of my photos gone forever?

That sounds like the kind of thing that happens when you import one Library to another.
Most simple solution: restore from back up
Regards
TD

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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.

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.
I appreciate your recommendations!

If you're running the library on the EHD as your working library then it's not a backup, it's your working copy.
To have a backup you must have two copies of the the working library on different hard drive. so to use Time Machine you need a dedicated HD just for it. When set up TM will backup your MB Air hard drive and any other EHD connected to it.
If you need to run your library from an EHD because your MBA doesn't have enought room and you want to use TM to backup your files including the iPhoto Library you'll need to have 2 EHDs.
So where do you want to run the library: on your MBA or on the EHD?
If you intend to run the library on your MBA make sure it's up to date and then reformat the EHD as OS X Extended (journaled) with Disk Utility. Connect it to the MBA and launch TM. It will ask if you want to use that drive for you backup and click yes. From there it's automatic. The first backup will take a while so have your MBA plugged in to a power outlet and let TM do it's thing.
This website has the best information on TM available: Apple OSX and Time Machine Tips
An alternate solution would be to use a backup application that can make incremental backups like Synk Pro. It will copy only those new or modified files from your working library to the backup copy on the EHD. I use it and have it configured to do the copy as soon as I quit out of iPhoto to keep the writing to disk at a minimum. Synk Pro will backup any selected file or folder you select so it doesn't have to be the entire hard drive if you don't want it. Personally I think TM would be a better solution for you as it will backup other files that may be important to you, i.e. music, documents, movies, etc.
OT

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

Transferring iTunes library from external drive

My computer recently died so I had to get a new computer. I was able to salvage my iTunes library from the old hard drive and put it on an external drive. My library is still on the external drive and I want to transfer it back to iTunes on my new computer. I also want to be able to sync up my iPhone with the hopefully updated iTunes. I haven't been able to back up my iPhone in two months since my computer died. When I plug in the iPhone to back it up, it only asks if I want to clear the whole phone and upload what is on the new computer, which isn't everything from the hard drive.
Hopefully you can point me in the right direction.

+I was able to salvage my iTunes library from the old hard drive and put it on an external drive.+
Were you able to get the entire itunes folder? Does it have a file named iTunes Library.itl in it?
The iphone sync info is in yet another folder. Which I don't know about, since I don't have an iphone, but I can help you get your content back into itunes.

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

Backing up iphoto running from external drive

After transferring the iphoto library to a second external drive (other than the one being used to backup the internal drive with Time Machine), is there a way to backup the second drive with Time Machine while still continuing to backup the internal drive? To clarify, I would be running iphoto off of an external drive to free up space on the internal drive but since Time Machine is backing up my internal drive how do I now get it to also back up iphoto since it is now running off of the external drive?

That is really a time machine question rather than an iPhoto question
I found that by default TM was backing up everything - internal drive and two external volumes - I simply went tot he TM preferences and told it not to backup my extrenal volumes which are clones of my internal drive - launch TM and look at that it shows - I think you will find it is backing up your external drives
LN

Multiple iPhoto libraries from external drive. How to work with them all

I'm not an expert user so forgive me. But I have tons of pictures and videos of family.
I've had to save 2 libraries on an external drive and going on my 3rd. I had to do it because the computer was running super slow and giving me warnings. Each library is about 115GB.
Now my question is: Whats the easiest way to work with all libraries a the same time? I create slide shows and videos and often need pictures and videos that are in the different libraries..... problem being, I have to close a library, open the next, import and export photos from one to the other.......
I think you get my point.....any suggestions are appreciated.

Thank you again Larry.
Unfortunately some horrible thing just happened . I was getting ready to put your advice to work and...........
I went to verify all my libraries were in the External drive (My passport for Mac) before I did anything else. I couldn't find the drive. I called the company and apparently the is a problem with the drive and my only option is to try recover the data from a recovery data service....
What did just happen???? I'm still hopeful I can recover it. and I may have a back up in another drive.
So this is semi-related question. How many back ups of your pictures should you have to be safe? and How do I know which devices are reliable? I thought these two Mt Passports from Western Digital were ok? Any advice?

How to Recover Playlists when Transferring iTunes Library from External Drive to New Computer

iTunes library copied to external drive and then loaded to new computer. All songs are there but all of the playlists that I had set up do not appear. I cannot figure out how to retrieve/recover them. The back-up was not done by me so I'm not sure of the steps that were followed. Is there something special that needs to be done when backing up to external drive in terms of saving playlists? Help!

Hello TNCGRCT,
It sounds like the library was successfully transferred to the new computer, but the songs were imported into a new iTunes library. If you still have access to the external drive, or better yet the previous computer, we will want to transfer the iTunesLibrary.itl file and open it with iTunes:
iTunes: How to open an alternate iTunes Library file or create a new one
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1589
More helpful information...
Where are my iTunes files located?
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1391
iTunes: How to move your music to a new computer
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4527
Thanks,
Matt M.

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

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

Incomplete iphoto backup from external drive

Hi. I just bought a Western Digital My Book to store my IPhoto library since I am out of space on my internal hard drive. I successfully copied my IPhoto library onto the new drive. I set up Time Machine to backup my library onto my Time Capsule. When I looked into the backup drive, only some of the photos are backed up. It seems very random and several of the photos have a blank thumbnail. When I try to restore those photos, it does not work. Furthermore, when trying to solve the problem, I attempted to delete random photos from my IPhoto library to see if I could restore them from my backup. When I deleted certain photos from my library, it also deleted those from the back up disk. That is just crazy and I don't know why that is happening. If anyone has any advice for me, I would appreciate it very much. Thank you. P.S. My old back ups (from before I moved the library) are fine and also IPhoto has been closed during the backups so that is not the issue.

caliscrapper wrote:
When I deleted certain photos from my library, it also deleted those from the back up disk.
No, deleting an original won't delete the backup. (Time Machine will, eventually, delete the backup copy though).
Are you sure you're looking at the backups of the new version of the library (on the external HD), instead of the ones from your internal HD?
Try this: Start iPhoto. Make sure it's looking at the iPhoto library on the external HD, then select +File > Browse Backups..+ from iPhoto's menubar.

Transfering iphoto Library from external HD to my new MB Pro.

I have searched these forums and can't seem to find a straightforward answer. I just want to transfer my complete iphoto library to my new mac.
How do I do this? Everything is on my external HD. I screwed up my itunes import (my playlists didn't transfer and songs are duplicated)....and I don't want to screw this up.
Thanks!!!
Kim

I actually don't have anything in the Finder sidebar that says "Pictures"
Click on the item with the house icon and drag the iPhoto Library into the Pictures item inside.
I have a folder that says "All Images"
That's a predefined search, not a folder.
I guess all the pics are on the new one...but how do I get from the "All Images" folder into iphoto now?
Follow the instructions above, or launch iPhoto, select them all, and drag them into the open iPhoto window.
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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

Transferring iPhoto Info from External Drive

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