joojiep

Q: Cannot open iPhoto library from external drive

I just got a new MacBook Air, and am trying to open my 37 GB iPhoto library from my old Mac from an external hard drive. The new Air will not open it, and I get the error message that there is not sufficient storage space to open the library, and that the library needs an estimated 130 GB (!!) to open. First of all, why would it need so much space, considering it's 37 GB, and secondly, I have 202 GB open on my hard drive.

 

I'm concerned I won't be able to access my old photos - is there any way to do this?

 

Thank you!

Julianne.

MacBook Air (13-inch, Early 2015), OS X Yosemite (10.10.5)

Posted on Oct 19, 2015 8:44 AM

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Q: Cannot open iPhoto library from external drive

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  • by Allan Eckert,

    Allan Eckert Allan Eckert Oct 19, 2015 8:48 AM in response to joojiep
    Level 9 (53,581 points)
    Desktops
    Oct 19, 2015 8:48 AM in response to joojiep

    What application are you using to open the library?

     

    Yosemite 10.10.5 has Photo as an application by default. If you haven't installed iPhoto on the new MBA, Photos might be having trouble opening the iPhoto library.

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Oct 19, 2015 8:54 AM in response to joojiep
    Level 10 (106,848 points)
    iLife
    Oct 19, 2015 8:54 AM in response to joojiep

    Are you trying to open the iPhoto Library in iPhoto or in the new Photos.app?  Do you have iPhoto 9.6.1 installed on your new MacBook Air?

     

    What is the file system on the external drive with your iPhoto Library? Is it directly connected or remotely mounted? And which version of iPhoto created the library?  Sorry for all the questions, but I am trying to understand how you are using iPhoto on your Macs.

  • by joojiep,

    joojiep joojiep Oct 19, 2015 8:54 AM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 19, 2015 8:54 AM in response to léonie

    Ah, thanks to both - that must be the problem. Sorry for my ignorance! I realize I am using "Photo.app" and haven't yet downloaded iPhoto. Will do so right away - that should solve the issue, no?

  • by joojiep,

    joojiep joojiep Oct 19, 2015 8:57 AM in response to joojiep
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 19, 2015 8:57 AM in response to joojiep

    It looks like I can only download iPhoto 9.4.2 through Mac's website. But I see from another forum that once downloaded, I can update iPhoto to 9.6.1?

     

    Thanks again.

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Oct 19, 2015 9:01 AM in response to joojiep
    Level 10 (106,848 points)
    iLife
    Oct 19, 2015 9:01 AM in response to joojiep
    It looks like I can only download iPhoto 9.4.2 through Mac's website.

    That is only an update.  You need a full installer.

     

    Which version of iPhoto do you have on your old Mac? If it is iPhoto 9.6.1 copy that version over.

     

    Otherwise sign into the AppStore and check, if iPhoto is listed in your Purchase history, the fourth tab of the App Store. If you are seeing iPhoto there, you can click the Install button to download and install it. If it is showing "update" instead of Install, remove any old,incompatible iphoto version from your Applications folder. Restart the AppStore. Do you now see "Install"?

  • by joojiep,

    joojiep joojiep Oct 19, 2015 9:12 AM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 19, 2015 9:12 AM in response to léonie

    This is a bit of a disaster - I no longer have my old MacBook, but it was old (from 2010), so I don't think the iPhoto was a 9.6.1 version. And iPhoto is not listed under the "purchased" tab in my AppStore. I had no idea this would be a problem... where can I get iPhoto?

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Oct 19, 2015 9:23 AM in response to joojiep
    Level 10 (106,848 points)
    iLife
    Oct 19, 2015 9:23 AM in response to joojiep

    Apple does no longer sell iPhoto. And the versions sold on iLife installer DVDs at Amazon or eBay cannot be updated to version 9.6.1. You need an AppStore version.

    Check, if iPhoto is only hidden on your Purchases page:   Hide and unhide purchases in the Mac App Store - Apple Support

  • by joojiep,

    joojiep joojiep Oct 19, 2015 9:33 AM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 19, 2015 9:33 AM in response to léonie

    I'm following the instructions you linked to, but there is no button to "View Hidden Purchases" on my account information page in the App Store...

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Oct 19, 2015 9:57 AM in response to joojiep
    Level 10 (106,848 points)
    iLife
    Oct 19, 2015 9:57 AM in response to joojiep

    The "Manage" button to unhide Purchases is only available, if you have hidden purchases.

     

    Do you perhaps have iPhoto on a backup disk of your old Mac?  Or does a family member have a new iPhoto version installed?

     

    If you cannot install iPhoto from the Mac App Store, there is no way to install it on your own. The App Store Support could provide a redeem code so you can download iPhoto, but you will need a very convincing story to talk them into doing that.

     

    On new Macs you should be using the new Photos.app instead. Photos can open your iPhoto Library, but the library needs to be on a compatible external drive with the file system MacOS Extended (Journaled), and the drive needs to be locally mounted, with plenty of free storage.

    See:  Get started with Photos for OS X - Apple Support

  • by Old Toad,

    Old Toad Old Toad Oct 19, 2015 9:59 AM in response to joojiep
    Level 10 (141,085 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 19, 2015 9:59 AM in response to joojiep

    The following is from the App Store Help file:

    Hide and show purchased apps

    • Hide a purchased app in the Purchases list: Hold down the Control key, click the app, then choose Hide Purchase.
    • View hidden apps: In the Account Information window, click Manage (to the right of Hidden Items). In the window that appears, click Unhide for apps that you want to appear in the Purchases list. When you’re finished, click Done.

    OTsig.png

  • by joojiep,

    joojiep joojiep Oct 19, 2015 10:04 AM in response to Old Toad
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 19, 2015 10:04 AM in response to Old Toad

    Thank you both for all this helpful advice. I think the easiest option may be using my family member's older Mac with iPhoto already installed, open up my old library and copy the files over to my external hard drive as normal non-iPhoto library photos. If I do that, it shouldn't be a problem to move them over to the Photos app, no?

     

    Thanks again. I wish I had known about the changing software before buying a new computer!

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Oct 19, 2015 10:16 AM in response to joojiep
    Level 10 (106,848 points)
    iLife
    Oct 19, 2015 10:16 AM in response to joojiep
    as normal non-iPhoto library photos.

    That would be lossy.

    You would have the photos, but lose your events and albums, faces, places, keyword, edits.

     

    If you open your iPhoto Library in Phots the photos will migrate as library, with all your albums and edits. You will have a Photos library, as close as possible to your iPhoto library.

     

    You only need an external drive for the migration, that has enough free storage for the library and the migrated version, plus some additional free storage. And the drive needs to be correctly formatted.

  • by shalall,

    shalall shalall Nov 23, 2015 7:20 AM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 23, 2015 7:20 AM in response to léonie

    Leonie

     

    I have a similar problem at my end

     

    Background: I downloaded IOS Yosemite last month. Since then I have not been able to open iPhoto (on external drive connected by usb) in my new photos app.

     

    1. I tried a fudge from the communities about giving my iPhoto library the extension of '.photoslibrary' and then tried to import it but no luck. I get a message that I need extra 898 GB of disc space even though the library itself if only 233 gb {It is estimated that you need at least 898GB of additional free space.}. Not sure how to achieve that kind of space on a 1TB external hard drive that currently contains this iPhoto library (i.e. already uses 235 gb)

     

    2. Other solutions: I have not been successful in downloading iPhoto 9.6.1 from App store. i) i don't know the current software version for iPhotos; and ii) the App store 'purchased' tab only shows OS X E! Capitan. Nothing else on the page and no updates etc available. How do i actually download iPhotos latest version? which tab?

     

    3. Assuming i get that version, how do i ensure that the download happens to the iPhoto on external drive and not on mac hard disc

     

    4. Lastly, for a iPhoto library of 250 GB, what should by external hard disc capacity be? clearly 1 TB is not cutting it

     

    thanks in advance