stephintexas

Q: how to transfer iPhoto library to Airport Time capsule but lost iPhoto library

I am trying to use my brand new Airport Time capsule as a media server so I copied my entire iPhoto library to it (dragged the iPhoto library to the time capsule from Finder).  Or so I thought.  I clicked on the new iPhoto library within the external hard drive and saw my entire library.  I then proceeded to delete my entire library off of my internal drive (I have a MacBook Pro) by dragging the library to the trash can and emptying the trash.  Here is where my problem now lies.  Now, when I click on the iPhoto logo in the Time Capsule it appears that it's only the application.  No pictures are there and the only library that I can open is a newly created empty one on my computer.  The two other issues are as follows:

1- Although I've deleted the library off of my computer, it did not free up disk space.  Are they still somewhere I don't know about? 

2- I tried restoring my library from the time machine but because I still do not have the free disk space, I do not have enough memory to restore it. 


Help please!!  I can't find any of my pictures now!!


(I am running OS X Version 10.9.5 and iPhoto version 9.5.1)


 

MacBook Pro, OS X Mavericks (10.9.5)

Posted on Dec 3, 2014 7:33 AM

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Q: how to transfer iPhoto library to Airport Time capsule but lost iPhoto library

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  • by léonie,Helpful

    léonie léonie Dec 3, 2014 8:02 AM in response to stephintexas
    Level 10 (107,942 points)
    iCloud
    Dec 3, 2014 8:02 AM in response to stephintexas

    You cannot keep your iPhoto library on a network volume.  It needs to be on a locally mounted drive, otherwise you are risking library corruption and data loss (this document is also valid for iPhoto libraries:   Use locally mounted Mac OS X Extended volumes for your Aperture library)

    and your iPhoto library cant be on the volume where your Time machine backus are, or you cannot backup your photos.

     

    To restore your iPhoto Library from the Time Machine backup connect another external drive to your MacBook Pro, make sure that drive is correctly formatted as MacOS Extended (Journaled), and then restore the iPhoto Library to this drive.

     

    Double click the restored library to open it in iPhoto.

     

     

    I then proceeded to delete my entire library off of my internal drive (I have a MacBook Pro) by dragging the library to the trash can and emptying the trash.

     

    What are you now seeing on your Time Capsule?  Can you post a screenshot?

  • by LarryHN,Helpful

    LarryHN LarryHN Dec 3, 2014 7:59 AM in response to stephintexas
    Level 10 (85,113 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Dec 3, 2014 7:59 AM in response to stephintexas

    How is the TC connected to your computer? Are you using the TC as the backup volume of TimeMachine or only as an external hard drive?

     

    a couple of notes - the iPhoto library must be on a volume formatted Mac OS extended (journaled) - b default he TC is this format

    The iPhoto library must be on a drive with a fast (thunderbolt, firewire, USB) connection to you Mac - it can not be on a network or on a wireless connction

    The iPhoto library can not be on the same volume as a TimeMachine backup

     

    LN

  • by stephintexas,

    stephintexas stephintexas Dec 3, 2014 10:24 AM in response to LarryHN
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 3, 2014 10:24 AM in response to LarryHN

    I am wirelessly connected to my Time Capsule and I only plan on using it as an external hard drive and keeping my time machine on my computer.  I just looked though and it looks like the time machine is backing up on the TC.  Bottom line, my computer is getting really slow/full with pictures so I am looking for a solution for my library.  At this point, I just really would like to get my pictures back.  I really don't want to have to buy another external drive to do this - this is why I purchased the Time Capsule to begin with!  Any suggestions?

  • by Old Toad,

    Old Toad Old Toad Dec 3, 2014 10:27 AM in response to stephintexas
    Level 10 (141,336 points)
    Mac OS X
    Dec 3, 2014 10:27 AM in response to stephintexas
    keeping my time machine on my computer.

    How do you plan on doing that?  A TM backup must be on a separate hard drive in order to be considered a backup.  Please explain in detail what your backup plan is.

    SantaToad.png

  • by stephintexas,

    stephintexas stephintexas Dec 3, 2014 10:31 AM in response to Old Toad
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 3, 2014 10:31 AM in response to Old Toad

    It looks like I can't.  I guess that's issue number 1.  And if I can't store a separate library on the time machine with my iPhoto library in addition to the Time machine, I'm back to square one.  I've got a great back up but do you have a suggestion of what I can do with my iPhoto library (once I find a way to get it back) so that it can be stored elsewhere but still easily accessible so that it frees up space on my computer?

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Dec 3, 2014 10:39 AM in response to stephintexas
    Level 10 (107,942 points)
    iCloud
    Dec 3, 2014 10:39 AM in response to stephintexas
    I really don't want to have to buy another external drive to do this - this is why I purchased the Time Capsule to begin with!  Any suggestions?

    If your iPhoto Library does not fit on your internal drive, you need one drive for the iPhoto Library and other media and your Time Capsule for the backup. There is no way around having two drives - one for the data and one for backup. Or you are risking to lose your photos.

    Small portable drives are no longer that expensive.

  • by LarryHN,Solvedanswer

    LarryHN LarryHN Dec 3, 2014 10:45 AM in response to stephintexas
    Level 10 (85,113 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Dec 3, 2014 10:45 AM in response to stephintexas

    Re-read my post

     

    1 -  the iPhoto library must be on a volume formatted Mac OS extended (journaled) - the default for the TC is this format

    2 - The iPhoto library must be on a drive with a fast (thunderbolt, firewire, USB) connection to you Mac - it can not be on a network or on a wireless connction

    3 - The iPhoto library can not be on the same volume as a TimeMachine backup

     

    You fail on two of the three requirements - the only way to have an external drive is to have one directly  to your Mac that in not a backup drive - you nee an additional drive for data

     

    LN

  • by stephintexas,

    stephintexas stephintexas Dec 3, 2014 6:50 PM in response to LarryHN
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 3, 2014 6:50 PM in response to LarryHN

    Ok all of you smarty pants.  I followed all of your advice.  I bought a 1TB LaCie external hard drive and restored my iPhoto library to it.  Got my pictures back!  Last two questions for you, since you've been so helpful:

     

    1- Although I deleted the original iPhoto library from my actual computer, it never free'd up any space on my hard drive.  Is there somewhere else that I need to delete these?  I emptied the trash but it still shows at 85% capacity

    2- Does this external hard drive automatically back up to my time machine or do I need to set something up separately? 

     

    Thanks again for all of the help! 

  • by LarryHN,

    LarryHN LarryHN Dec 3, 2014 7:04 PM in response to stephintexas
    Level 10 (85,113 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Dec 3, 2014 7:04 PM in response to stephintexas

    1 - have you restarted you computer?

     

    2 - will backup External hard drives - BUT by default it excluded them - open the TM system preference and click on options in the lower right - be sure your new EHD is not listed in the exclude list - if it is select it and click on the - sign to remove it

     

    You are welcome

     

    LN

  • by stephintexas,

    stephintexas stephintexas Dec 4, 2014 5:24 AM in response to LarryHN
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 4, 2014 5:24 AM in response to LarryHN

    1- Yes.  I tried that first.  Restarting did not work.

    2 - Done!  It was excluded. 

  • by Old Toad,

    Old Toad Old Toad Dec 4, 2014 9:13 AM in response to stephintexas
    Level 10 (141,336 points)
    Mac OS X
    Dec 4, 2014 9:13 AM in response to stephintexas
    1- Although I deleted the original iPhoto library from my actual computer, it never free'd up any space on my hard drive.

    Try reindexing the hard drive: Spotlight: How to re-index folders or volumes - Apple Support

  • by stephintexas,

    stephintexas stephintexas Dec 8, 2014 1:01 PM in response to Old Toad
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 8, 2014 1:01 PM in response to Old Toad

    Thank you!!  This worked!!