Yikes, half my photos have gone to iphoto.data....

Half my photos disappeared from my library, I found them in iphoto library DATA but how do i get them back in my library? It won't let me import them back...
imac Mac OS X (10.4.8)

David,
Rebuilding the thumbnails is okay to do and should not cause problems. (Although I've read several threads where the database broke after a rebuild attempt. I don't know why this happens.)
If your backup is current, from right before the upgrade, I think you should try to have iPhoto open it as your library. Is it a backup of the entire iPhoto Library folder, with all pieces inside intact? (Or did you only copy folders and files inside that folder?) A complete iPhoto Library folder should work. Here's how to do it.
Make a backup of your backup Library folder, just in case. Move the current, broken iPhoto Library folder (the whole thing) outside of your Pictures Folder. Rename it (iPhoto Library Broken). Move your original backup iPhoto Library folder into the Pictures folder. Hold down the Option key and launch iPhoto. You will be asked to create a new library or choose one. Click choose, and navigate it to the backup library. If the backup is a version 5 library, iPhoto will probably tell you it needs to update it. Allow it to update. Hopefully nothing goes awry again. Perhaps you should disable your Mac's sleep mode before doing this, so it doesn't try to sleep or shut down during the library update.
Old Toad has a tip about a file inside the iPhoto Library folder called "Library6.iPhoto". This is only created by version 6 of iPhoto. If your update is successful this could help in future. Keep a current copy of this file, because in the event of a power disruption while iPhoto is writing to its database, this file can get corrupted and ruin the whole library. If you keep it backed up and the database gets damaged, you can replace the broken file with the backup and restore your library without having to start over again.
Let us know if your backup is able to update and function properly. If it doesn't work, you will need to elicit the help of Old Toad or Terence Devlin.

Similar Messages

All my photos have gone from iPhoto is there any way i can recover them?

I turned my laptop on and when i opened iphoto it asked me to create a new library as there was no existing one, therefore all my photos have disappeared. There are no photos in the trash and my laptop is a macbook pro and it's not old. Please help i had a lot of important photos!
Thank you

Download and run Find Any File to search for a file named "Library6.iPhoto". There's one in every iPhoto library. FAF can search areas that Spotligh can't, like invisible or system folders. If there's a second iPhoto Library on your hard drive FAF will find it.
OT

I updated my 4s to os8. more than half my apps have gone. what now?

i updated my 4s to os8. more than half my apps have gone. what now?
backed up t my imac, told it to restore software, thought i would get my apps back. where are they? phone says facebook still there, but i don't know where as there is no icon! can't find the "search" command place either. i miss my instagram.

i downloaded the file iPhone4,1_7.1.2_11D257_Restore and saved it on desktop..then opened itunes. Pressed Shift button (using windows) and clicked update button, selected the file from desktop and updated.

All of photos have disappeared in iPhoto

Murphy's Law. After several days of detailed keywording, cropping, etc with thousands of my personal photos (I'm doing a family album prep), they're GONE from iPhoto '08. My last backup is a month old too so installing the back up is something I'd like to avoid.
What happened? My best guess is that some kind updating glitch messed up the software. Last night, I logged back in to my computer, turned on iPhoto and got a message that said something like "Your thumbnails need to be upgraded, please proceed..." I did. Then suddenly every folder and the events were blank. No pictures.
I spent about two hours on blogs and forums including this trying to find a solution. None so far.
Does this ring a bell with anyone or any hints on how I can restore my latest round of photos w/ their keywords, modified data, etc?
As a heads up, I have tried the following which don't appear to do trick if I'm doing correctly:
-I held down the Option key and tried to load iPhoto library manually in case it rerouted.
-I also looked at my old iPhoto library icons (previous to iphoto'08) to compare or possibly rebuild but I can't open those older versions at all.
-My original, modified, etc folders still seem to be there (thank goodness) but I can't seem to get access to them in the iPhoto environment.
Any advice or insight would be appreciated. Meanwhile... I'm trying to figure it out!
Cody

Cody:
Welcome to the Apple Discussions. What is appears to have happened is the library's database file, Library6.iPhoto, has been damaged. If iPhoto is interrupted in any way while it's writing to the file this can happen. If you've got a recent backup of your library or the dB file you can get most everything back except what's changed since the last backup.
You can try rebuilding the library as follows: launch iPhoto with the Command+Option keys depressed and follow the instructions to rebuild the library. Select the first three options.
If that does not resurrect the library you're faced with starting over with a new library and importing the Originals folder from the old one as follows:
Creating a new library while preserving the Events from the original library.
Move the existing library folder to the desktop.
Open the library package like this.
Launch iPhoto and, when asked, select the option to create a new library.
Drag the Originals folder from the iPhoto Library on the desktop into the open iPhoto window.
This will create a new library with the same Events as the original library if you have the Finder checkbox unchecked in the Events preference pane.
However, depending on how many new photos are in the current library vs your backup you might consider moving the current library to the desktop and the backup into the Pictures folder.
You can then import the Originals folder from the damaged library into the backup library, telling iPhoto not to import duplicates. That will bring in only those new photos that were not in the backup. You will retain the keywords, comments, etc. as of the backup date. Better than losing all of them.
In the future to help protect yourself from this type of file damage and library loss see the tip at the end of my signature.
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. iPhoto does not have to be closed to run the application, just idle. You can download it at Toad's Cellar. Be sure to read the Read Me pdf file.

All my photos have disappeared from iphoto!!! I can find them in spotlight

Hello All! Help!
I was importing photos from a compact flash card into iphoto which was successful. I powered down for the night, the next time I opened up iphoto my entire library seemed to have disappeared(about 5000 images!) All that was left was the new import. It was as though the prog had reset itself there were no albums etc left at all. I understand that my photos live in the iphoto library folder in my pics but that about it! I have never understood the bizarre set up for these sub folders and how they work. Nor do I understand the other elements of the iphoto folder i.e. iphotodb etc. I noticed that I had two library folders as well and when I spotlighted jpg's that I have at least doubled up on images. Its a mess! Can anyone tell me exactly the way it should all be set up, in laymen's terms? Where the folders should live and in what order? And how to get rid of all the duplicate jpgs that have somehow been created? Without having to go through 5000 images by hand!!!

Thanks for your response Terence.
That is what I've done already. iPhoto could not open. After the hard drive and logic board were replaced (for other issues) and OS X Leopard reinstalled, I rebuilt the library manually, and now the same thing has happened again, iPhoto crashes on start up. iPhoto Manager did not fix it, iPhoto cannot rebuild its own library for some reason, and I don't want to have to repeatedly rebuild the library by hand having already done it once. I've noted other posts about keeping constant library backups, which I can start doing, but I was wondering if perhaps going to a newer version of iPhoto would resolve this issue. There are so many similar posts on here perhaps iLife 5.0.4 is really not compatible with Leopard. I would prefer to get this version of iLife to work instead of trying to upgrade.

Photos have disappeared from iphoto library

Hi, I am using iPhoto version 6.0.6 and I can't get some of the old photos to show up in the library.
I had a lot of pictures, had to switch computers, and during the transfer, the old photos no longer show up in the library. I was using an older version of OS X before, now I'm using 10.5.6 on this computer.
When I am in iPhoto, and go to file - import to library - user - pictures - iPhoto Library active - originals - (year) - (roll #) - (file #).JPG and hit "import", a window pops up that says "unreadable files: 1 The following file could not be imported. (The file is in the iPhoto Library folder)
So it won't let me import, it sounds like because it is already in the library, which it should be, but it doesn't show up in the library. Newer photos that I have downloaded from the camera show up in the library like normal and they stay there. They are in the same location (user - pictures - iPhoto Library active - originals - (year) - (roll #) - (file #).JPG) as the photos that don't show up.
Any ideas how I can get these photos to show up in the library? I am considering a switch to iLife 9, by the way.

Russell
By all means upgrade to iPhoto 09, but don't before you fix this problem. All you'll do is roll it along.
That message is exactly what it says. The file is in the iPhoto Library Folder and iPhoto will not import files that are in the active Library folder - a sensible precaution against duplicates.
The reason iPhoto is not showing you files in there is because the Library has been corrupted somehow.
Try these in order - from best option on down...
1. 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 allowing it to overwrite the damaged file.
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 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.
3. If neither of these work then you'll need to create and populate a new library.
To create and populate a new *iPhoto 6* library:
Note this will give you a working library with the same Rolls and pictures as before, however, you will lose your albums, keywords, modified versions, books, calendars etc.
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 on your desktop and find the Originals folder. From the Originals folder drag the individual Roll 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

I don't know what has happened but ALL my photos have disappeared on iPhoto. Help!

All my photos disappeared form iphots and and i dont know why. can anybody help?

What version of iPhoto '11 do you have?
All my photos disappeared form iphots and and i dont know why. can anybody help?
You'll have to tell us more.
In what way did your photos disappear? Does iPhoto launch with an empty window? Do you see error messages?
What did you do directly before your photos vanished? Did you install new software or upgrade software? Did you run any application to clean your mac? Did you move your iPhoto library to a different disk or share it with another user?
Did anything unusal happen, like iPhoto crashing?
Check , if your iPhoto library is still there in your Pictures folder. What is the size of the library? Is it still large enough to be holding all your photos?

HELP, please! My photos have disappeared from iPhoto library & I can only see them on the screensaver.

Firstly, I should say we haven't updated/installed/deleted anything. I just opened iPhoto yesterday and first it told me it couldn't open up without specifying a library, but then it seemed our library has just disappeared. I then created a new library as, I have to admit, me & my DH are complete tecno dummies, but that didn't help much. The only thing which we have done in the past couple of days is set up the screensaver to play our photos. So now we can only see the photos on that - I'm presuming that means they haven't been completely lost (?) but am in a panic as we've got no back-up (three years worth of photos!).
When I go on 'system preferences' (hope that's the correct translation, our computer's using Italian) and the screensaver, I can see 'picture folder' where all the photos are but I can't find that anywhere else on the computer.
Also, I read other threads about similar probs & tried launching iPhoto pressing down 'option & control' but that didn't help me out either.
We also spent half an hour on the phone to the Apple helpline here in Italy (yes, that's a charged call) to try and understand what's gone wrong and the advisor just kept telling us she didn't know how to help us out 'cause our Mac is an old model
Apologies in advance for my complete ignorance about how to solve this problem but I'd be really grateful if someone out there could shed some light on what's happened.

when you say to go to my Pictures Folder, do you mean to go on Finder, then Pictures, then look at the iPhoto library?
Yes. Is there more than one there?
The material in your screensaver are cached images. They cannot be recovered and soon they will go way.
If you have deleted your Library (and it sounds like you have done this, accidentally) the you have deleted your Photos and you need to restore from your back up.
Regards
TD

Photo Collection Gone from iPhoto App

I went to my iPhoto app today on my Mac Pro with OS X Mountain Lion and found Photos to be some other family and the great amount of my prior photos were missing. I could find some of my photos on the Photo Stream but my thousands of pictures are gone. Can someone explain to me what might have happened? How can I recover my prior photos? To my knowledge I have done nothing to iPhoto except put on the updates to the app when they have come through.

What versoin of iPhoto and system are you running? Give this a try: 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.
OT

All of my photos have gone

I have a brand new Macbook Air. Due to the lack of space i copied my library from my old Macbook onto an external hard drive which i have been using without problems for over a month.
Two days ago I created a calendar using my Macbook Air and the library on the external drive. Yesterday I went back onto the computer to finish my project and was told that my library needed to be updated. I clicked ok and then I was told;
The photo library needs to be upgraded to work with this version of iPhoto.
I clicked upgrade and then got this
There is a problem accessing one or more files in your iPhoto library. Do you want iPhoto to repair permissions for this library for you?
I clicked repair and a few seconds later iPhoto opened with no photos.
The iPhoto library is still on my hard drive and it shows that it hols 56GB of data however when i look at the package contents I cannot see any photos.
I am running iPhoto 9.c
My life is in this library, it would be catastrophic if i lost all of the pictures.

can i create another library on my hard drive?
In iPhoto use the command "File > Switch to Library" and then click "Create New" in the Library Chooser panel.
Select a folder on your external drive.
You can also get to this panel by holding down the alt/options key when you launch iPhoto.
To get started with backing up your photos, set up Time Machine. And in the options remove your external drive from the exclude list:
See this link: Mac Basics: Time Machine

My photos have disappeared from iPhoto 11

My hard drive was replaced at the beginning of this year by apple because of the possibility of premature failure. Just before Christmas 2013, i discovered my iPhoto was blank. sometime in January, the photos all reappeared but as of yesterday, they have once again disappeared from iPhoto. The pictures are still on the harddrive as they can be seen using Finder but are no longer grouped by albums. Also, they are locked in Finder. The iMac is running OSX 10.7.5 and the iPhoto version is 9.4.3.
I would like my photos back in iPhoto and would like them to be reliably there when i go to view them. Any suggestions? Apple Support advised me they had never heard of this happening.

Do you have more than one User Account..?
If so, try your Admin and other Account(s).

My photos have dissapeared from iphoto?

I tried to open iphotos but there are no photos there. Its as if I have just opened it for the first time?

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

My older photos are gone from iPhoto, where are they?

I can't see any of my older photos from years past. As I have upgraded iPhoto they have dissappeared. The preferences says that I can only see the last 18 months. Where did my photos go?

Which version of iPhoto and which version of OS X are you on?
Do you have multiple iPhoto Libraries?
Have you tried holding command and option down on the keyboard while opening iPhoto, then choosing Repair Database and clicking Repair?

Some of my photos have disappeared from iphoto

Hi
I'm running iphoto 09 (version 8.1.2 424) on my Mac Book (Mac OS X 10.5.6).
I've just noticed that several photos are missing from various events. In some cases there is only one photo left. This appears to have happened randomly - some of the events are unaffected, others have just a few missing, others most.
Are there any suggestions as to what might have happened and how I could retrieve the photos? There are no thumbnails or anything. They just appear to have vanished!
Many thanks.

OK so I've been digging around in this forum and seen a post which says that dragging photos from iphoto to the Trash Can in the Finder sidebar rather than iphoto's trash can, can corrupt the iphoto Library.
I've always deleted photos from iphoto by doing this - I didn't realise this was something I shouldn't be doing. Could this be the cause? And if so can I do anything to remedy it?
I regular back up everything to an external hard drive but I have never had cause to restore anything from it. Would I be able to do this without losing what I already have, and is there an optimum way to restore photos I don't currently have on the imac which might still be backed up on the external hard drive?
Thank you.

All my 800 photos have vanished from iphoto after I uploaded more photos

All my 800 photos vanished after I uploaded some new photos from my camera to iPhoto.please help, how can I retrieve my photos from iPhoto.?

You may be able to recover photos from a camera card with an app like MediaRecover
There are 9 different versions of iPhoto and they run on eight different versions of the Operating System. The tricks and tips for dealing with issues vary from version to version and OS to OS. So before anyone can help, they need information to work with. Things like:
- What version of iPhoto.
- What version of the Operating System.
- Details. What were you doing when the problem arose?
- Did it ever work properly?
- Are there error messages?
- What steps have you tried already to solve the issue.
Anything else you can think of that might allow someone else to understand your issue.

Yikes, half my photos have gone to iphoto.data....

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for