Q: Best way to prepare iPhoto 8.1.2 for OS upgrade

Thanks very much for responding.

With regard to letting iPhoto repair my iPhoto Library:  I looked at the link you provided and the only reference I see to Repair (the first option listed in the dialog box) is the last bullet:

In iPhoto '11, select the option to "Repair the iPhoto Library Database" to check the iPhoto Library database for inconsistencies and repair them, if necessary.   iPhoto '11 also includes the option to "Rebuild the iPhoto Library Database from automatic backup," which performs the same functions as it does in iPhoto '09, but should only be attempted if the "Repair the iPhoto Library Database" option does not help.

To me, the implication is that the Repair option does not apply to iPhoto ’09.  Am I misinterpreting something?

A more general question about Repair:  obviously with any computer operation there is a potential for problems.  How risky is doing a repair?  What unforeseen consequences might I have to cope with?

You refer to running the repair before upgrading to a new version of iPhoto but not before upgrading the OS—is that correct?

It looks to me like the only option for upgrading iPhoto is the new free downloadable version but that only works with MacOS X 10.10—so it would not work with Mountain Lion.  Am I correct that versions of iPhoto between my 8.1.2 and 9.6 are not available?  And therefore I cannot upgrade iPhoto until I have Yosemite?

Thanks for bearing with me--this is generating a lot of anxiety

Thanks for adding more information. 

I want to be very sure I understand what you mean.

I’m assuming that if I hold down the Command and Option keys and open iPhoto version 8.1.2, the dialog box I get will actually look what you have posted rather than what is in the Apple document cited earlier. 

You say “Option #4 is necessary in case there’s no previous backup.”  Am I correct that Option #4 refers to the fourth check box:  Examine and repair iPhoto Library file permissions?   The very first step is to make a backup of the iPhoto Library.  Is the examination and repair of permissions a different kind of backup?

You say the 6^th box is used for Faces and Places.  If these are features I do not use, do you still advise running this item?

Should I click all 3 of the boxes at once or is it better to run one and then the next?

You mention Yosemite and iPhoto 9.6 but as I mentioned in my original posting, I am planning to upgrade to Mountain Lion at this point.  Would I be correct that you recommend running these items before any OS upgrade?  And before any iPhoto upgrade as well?

Thanks so much for your help.

Panic time!  I just ran the 3 recommended steps and I now have only 5523 pictures instead of nearly 18,000.  It appears to me that I have nothing either taken digitally or scanned from slides since 2011. 

What do I do now?

No I don't see a "Recovered items" folder anywhere.  At this point, is your advice the same as Old Toad's?

I have never had to recover anything from Time Machine before. 

I assume I would select Restore All and say Yes when asked if I want to replace my iPhoto Library--??

Confusion reigns. Please forgive so many questions but I am trying not to do anything stupid. Also sorry I cannot seem to paste in screen shots to my post so I have to resort to descriptions

I restored my iPhoto Library from the Time Machine backup.  However:

1. I have a copy of iPhoto Library Manager version 3.2.4 already on my machine.  I believe I downloaded it years ago (following instructions in a Missing Manual book) in order to be able to move the iPhoto Library to a Shared folder so that two Users on the same iMac could access iPhoto.

Can I use iPhoto Library Manager version 3.2.4 to do the rebuild?  The FatCat website seems to indicate the version I have is still viable. However, when I open iPhoto Library Manager and check for upgrades, I get an error message it cannot upgrade because it “Encountered unknown tag html on line 2.”

Is this a problem?

2. When I open iPhoto Library Manager, it lists two iPhoto Library Folders.  There is the one I would expect to see located in /Users/Shared/iPhotoLibrary, which has appropriate albums listed and says Version 8.1.2.

The other folder is located in /Users/Medley/Pictures/iPhotoLibrary, lists only 3 Albums called Library, Last Roll and Last 12 Months and says version 6.0.5. This looks like a remnant from an earlier version of iPhoto??  Do I need to be concerned about it?

3.  iPhoto Library Recovered Photos.  Yes, I do have such a file BUT it contains only 212 items all modified in 2011.  So this file was not generated by yesterday’s attempt to rebuild.  I spot checked and these pictures all seem to be in iPhoto. Can I (should I) delete this folder and its contents?

4.  When I opened iPhoto after restoring from back-up, all Events and Photos appear to be there but the most recent Event is a combination of the same photos that were in the two previously loaded Events.  Is this anything to worry about or can I just delete it?

Again many thanks for bearing with all my questions and many many thanks for your help this far.