Carol Matz

Q: How do I do a partial migration to Yosemite?

Hello, I used Migration Assistant to move everything from my old iMac (running OS 10.8) to a new iMac running Yosemite. Unfortunately, the iPhoto Library would not convert to Photos on the new computer. Some folks on here suspected my iPhoto Library (in iPhoto 8) had some problems and so I did a REBUILD. However, now I'm unsure how to migrate over JUST my iPhoto Library. I believe that with Migration Assistant, I have to move everything (there was no "triangle" to open on my name to choose individual items).

 

1. If I do a complete migration again, will it duplicate all the files? (Obviously I wouldn't want that...)

 

2. I have my old computer still hooked up to a Time Capsule... is there a way to choose just the iPhoto Library on the Time Capsule to move it to the new computer?

 

Thanks so much!

Carol

Posted on Dec 4, 2015 6:35 AM

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Q: How do I do a partial migration to Yosemite?

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  • by rkaufmann87,

    rkaufmann87 rkaufmann87 Dec 4, 2015 7:40 AM in response to Carol Matz
    Level 9 (58,436 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Dec 4, 2015 7:40 AM in response to Carol Matz

    Carol, if you rebuilt the iPhoto library on the old computer then simply put that library on a flash drive or EHD. Then copy it to the location where your Photos library resides which is likely ~/Pictures the ~ indicates your home folder. Once the library has been moved to the new machine, follow the instructions in Get started with Photos for OS X - Apple Support

  • by Carol Matz,

    Carol Matz Carol Matz Dec 4, 2015 8:04 AM in response to rkaufmann87
    Level 1 (59 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Dec 4, 2015 8:04 AM in response to rkaufmann87

    Thanks... however my iPhoto Library is about 100GB! Can I simply find the iPhoto Library on my Time Capsule and move it to the new computer from there?

  • by rkaufmann87,Solvedanswer

    rkaufmann87 rkaufmann87 Dec 4, 2015 8:46 AM in response to Carol Matz
    Level 9 (58,436 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Dec 4, 2015 8:46 AM in response to Carol Matz

    You have several options, if you use the Time Capsule for Time Machine backup then you may be able to navigate to the library if the TC was also used for backing up the old machine.

     

    If for some reason that cannot be done, then you can connect the two Macs using Target Disk Mode which will require Firewire cable and a FW to Thunderbolt adapter .TDM is explained in Share files between two computers with target disk mode - Apple Support. They also mention AirDrop in that article, however I STRONGLY recommend against using AirDrop on a 100GB file.

     

    Finally if all else fails, get another EHD and move the file onto that EHD and then connect to the EHD to the new computer and move it to that machine. You can then use the EHD to create a bootable clone backup using SuperDuper or Carbon Copy Cloner or use it for additional storage. I would use it to create redundant backup, having one backup source can be risky because a back up can fail too!

  • by Carol Matz,

    Carol Matz Carol Matz Dec 4, 2015 8:45 AM in response to rkaufmann87
    Level 1 (59 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Dec 4, 2015 8:45 AM in response to rkaufmann87

    Okay thanks! Yes, the TC is actually still connected to my old computer, and has backed up the rebuilt iPhoto Library. I hope it's possible to do it from the TC for sure!

     

    Thanks for the other options... since using Target Disk Mode will require me purchasing stuff, I'll try an EHD (which I believe I have somewhere!)

     

    I plan to move the TC to the new computer once I can get this all done... hopefully that rebuild helped (or I'm *^$#%^*)   I have all my photos and videos burned to discs (DVD-Rs)... but that would be a colossal pain!

     

    Thanks for your help "r"

  • by rkaufmann87,Helpful

    rkaufmann87 rkaufmann87 Dec 4, 2015 9:44 AM in response to Carol Matz
    Level 9 (58,436 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Dec 4, 2015 9:44 AM in response to Carol Matz

    If you have a EHD laying around that has 100MB available that is the solution!

  • by Carol Matz,

    Carol Matz Carol Matz Dec 7, 2015 6:28 AM in response to Carol Matz
    Level 1 (59 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Dec 7, 2015 6:28 AM in response to Carol Matz

    Well, I put the rebuilt iPhoto 8 library on an EHD and put it onto the iMac running Yosemite... same thing happened. Then I did an experiment, and just put a folder of 30 JPGs into Photo -- and the SAME thing happened (conversion stalled out at 3%). So at this point, would I be correct to assume that the Photo application on the iMac running Yosemite is corrupt (or there's a problem with it)? If so, how do I restore that program.

     

    This is a computer my brother gave me (because my iMac is late 2009 and probably on its last legs). Before he gave it to me, he took it to an Apple store and had them "wipe" it clean, and basically set everything to default (as if it were new). I migrated everything over via ethernet cable. My whole iTunes library is there, everything else.

     

    At this point, is my only option taking the computer and EHD in to an Apple store to see if they can resolve it?

    Thanks so much, Carol

  • by Carol Matz,

    Carol Matz Carol Matz Dec 7, 2015 7:20 AM in response to Carol Matz
    Level 1 (59 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Dec 7, 2015 7:20 AM in response to Carol Matz

    Amendment:  it's not iPhoto 8, it's iPhoto '09 version 8.1.2

    I had tried the iPhoto upgrader utility anyway, but it wouldn't run it and said it was unnecessary.

  • by rkaufmann87,

    rkaufmann87 rkaufmann87 Dec 7, 2015 7:26 AM in response to Carol Matz
    Level 9 (58,436 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Dec 7, 2015 7:26 AM in response to Carol Matz

    Try this, move the iPhoto library to the new iMac. Attempt to open it by Option-Command and double-click it. I'm not sure it will work, but it might. Option - Command is the repair library command for Photos. If that does not work, you can take the EHD to your local Apple Store and see if they can open the library.

  • by Carol Matz,

    Carol Matz Carol Matz Dec 7, 2015 7:44 AM in response to rkaufmann87
    Level 1 (59 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Dec 7, 2015 7:44 AM in response to rkaufmann87

    Looks like we struck out... when I tried that, it said the library wasn't recognized. I guess I have to TRY to get an Apple Store appt. Fingers crossed they can figure this out. Even if I keep my old iMac for now, one day I'll be confronted with the same problem...

  • by Carol Matz,

    Carol Matz Carol Matz Dec 14, 2015 6:50 AM in response to Carol Matz
    Level 1 (59 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Dec 14, 2015 6:50 AM in response to Carol Matz

    I finally got this issue resolved and wanted to report back in case anyone has the same problem. Bottom line: by spending my entire day at the Apple store and on the phone with senior tech support, apparently it is a KNOWN problem that some people will have problems moving their iPhoto libraries into Photo (on Yosemite and El Capitan).

     

    After exhaustive triage, and everyone assuming my library was corrupt and there was no way to fix it, and I'd have to do a manual import... I finally spoke with an Apple Care senior advisor, who was able to give me a REDEMPTION CODE FOR iPHOTO. I imported my old iPhoto Library (iPhoto 8.1.2) into the last version of iPhoto... which updated the library, and immediately was transferrable into my Photos on Yosemite.

     

    SO... why the %^& -- if this is a known issue happening to people -- do they make the last version of iPhoto unavailable in the app store??? I wasted countless hours on this crap and ruined my entire Sunday (and had to get someone to help me haul in a 27" iMac to the mall), when all I needed was an application that should have been made available to me immediately.

     

    Anyone out there with this problem, now you know! I hope this helps!