Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

User profile for user: Elizabeth Oliver
Elizabeth Oliver Author
User level: Level 1
19 points

Issues after new HD install, Tiger reinstall, Data Migration

Installed new HD on 12" PowerBook G4. Installed fresh Tiger. Used Migration Assistant with my old HD in an enclosure connected via firewire. No problems with migration.

Launched iPhoto, repeatedly crashed. Eventually it launched, states the number of photos in status bar, but only thumbnails display in certain view modes...or they would be there for a moment, then disappear. Where my photo would be displayed I could see the filename of the photo with a dashed box line above it.

Looked in my iPhoto Library folder in pictures and the original files seem to be there, but the preview on the right only shows JPEG title, not the picture itself (I think it used to show the actual picture in preview). Have to open the photo to actually see it. Not sure if this matters.

Read some threads and decided to try and rebuild. First chose the Rebuild the iPhoto Library Database - nothing really happened on the screen and still no pix. Quit and relaunched, this time picked the first rebuild option, Rebuild the Small Photos' Thumbnails. It started doing it, then iPhoto crashed again. Relaunched, and now there are no filenames under the dashed gray boxes where the photos should be. Currently still have the album titles.

Suggestions? Still have old HD in enclosure with entire database. Want a relatively smooth, clean fix so things get back to normal.

Please let me know if other details are needed.

Sincerely,
Elizabeth

PowerBook G4, Mac OS X (10.4.11)

Posted on Aug 5, 2008 11:35 PM

Reply
24 replies
User profile for user: Elizabeth Oliver
Elizabeth Oliver Author
User level: Level 1
19 points

Aug 5, 2008 11:47 PM in response to LarryHN

Thanks - I will try it but need help on this detour to my old HD. I have only booted to it not used it as an extra drive that I can pull files from. I just turned it on/plugged it in and it's not being recognized. I bet you have the answer to this challenge! If not, I'll have to go digging for that info and then try your suggestion.

tty soon I hope!
E
Reply
User profile for user: Elizabeth Oliver
Elizabeth Oliver Author
User level: Level 1
19 points

Aug 6, 2008 11:50 AM in response to LarryHN

Hmmm, on to the next troubleshooting step. I did boot to the old HD in the enclosure, copied the folder over to new internal HD, restarted to new internal HD, still no iPhoto luck. Photos are grayed out dashed boxes, thumbnails are there then disappear, rebuild didn't fix and the App likes to crash.

Do I reinstall just iPhoto App? Can that be done? Or do you have other plpans for me, my new guru friend? LOL

thx
Elizabeth
Reply
User profile for user: LarryHN
LarryHN
User level: Level 10
106,110 points

Aug 6, 2008 12:38 PM in response to Elizabeth Oliver

On your internal drive which iPhoto library did you access - the old one or the one copied from the EHD?

To specify which library launch iPhoto while depressing the option (alt) key and use the select library option

While the library is open you can right click (control click) on a photo in iPhoto and use the show file command to see the path to the photo you are looking at

LN
Reply
User profile for user: Elizabeth Oliver
Elizabeth Oliver Author
User level: Level 1
19 points

Aug 6, 2008 12:59 PM in response to LarryHN

LarryHN wrote:
On your internal drive which iPhoto library did you access - the old one or the one copied from the EHD?


I accessed the one copied from the EHD over to the new IHD Pictures folder.

LarryHN wrote:
To specify which library launch iPhoto while depressing the option (alt) key and use the select library option

Did that, pointing to the library folder in the Pictures folder of sidebar.

LarryHN wrote:
While the library is open you can right click (control click) on a photo in iPhoto and use the show file command to see the path to the photo you are looking at

Also pointing to the right place.


Here's the other strange thing - kinda mentioned before but worth restating. If I navigate to the Originals folder and pick any year of photos, any roll number, when I select a .jpg the only Preview I get while in this Finder window is the blank white page with JPEG on it. Just to test things, I did the same thing when I was booted into the old EHD - when I select a picture file there, I can actually see the image in the Preview pane of the Finder window. Hope this helps with troubleshooting.
Reply
User profile for user: Yer_Man
Yer_Man
User level: Level 10
162,308 points

Aug 6, 2008 1:47 PM in response to LarryHN

Here's the other strange thing - kinda mentioned before but worth restating. If I navigate to the Originals folder and pick any year of photos, any roll number, when I select a .jpg the only Preview I get while in this Finder window is the blank white page with JPEG on it. Just to test things, I did the same thing when I was booted into the old EHD - when I select a picture file there, I can actually see the image in the Preview pane of the Finder window.


Isn't that the Finder -> View -> Show Icon Previews Setting?

As for the issues with the Library I would rebuild it a couple of times, and if that fails then 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.

Regards

TD
Reply
User profile for user: Elizabeth Oliver
Elizabeth Oliver Author
User level: Level 1
19 points

Aug 6, 2008 3:23 PM in response to Yer_Man

Terence Devlin wrote:
Here's the other strange thing - kinda mentioned before but worth restating. If I navigate to the Originals folder and pick any year of photos, any roll number, when I select a .jpg the only Preview I get while in this Finder window is the blank white page with JPEG on it. Just to test things, I did the same thing when I was booted into the old EHD - when I select a picture file there, I can actually see the image in the Preview pane of the Finder window.


Isn't that the Finder -> View -> Show Icon Previews Setting?


Double checked the Finder -> View -> Show View Options and both Show Icons and Show Preview Column are checked. In Finder I am a "View as Columns" person - in trying to fix this iPhoto issue I noticed that only see that JPEG placeholder in the Column Preview for each photo file as opposed to the photo itself. Wanted to mention in case it's relevant.

As for the issues with the Library I would rebuild it a couple of times, and if that fails then 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.

Have tried to rebuild several times through the Apple-Option combo key hold upon launching iPhoto; it fails to work and/or iPhoto crashes.

Tried to rebuild with iPhoto Library Manager...iPhoto crashes in the middle of it (repeated times). The album titles are there, but no photos and no gray-dashed boxes either.

Hmmmmmmmm. I am willing to do whatever it takes! Let me know and thanks.

Elizabeth
Reply
User profile for user: Yer_Man
Yer_Man
User level: Level 10
162,308 points

Aug 6, 2008 11:56 PM in response to Elizabeth Oliver

Elizabeth

There's something awry in the library to cause all those crashes. It could be a damaged jpeg file (or files).

My next step would be to make a new library and start over.

To create and populate a new 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
Reply
User profile for user: LarryHN
LarryHN
User level: Level 10
106,110 points

Aug 7, 2008 8:51 AM in response to Elizabeth Oliver

Just verifying things I find confusing - are all of these correct?

you can boot from the external HD but can not mount it to use it when you are running from your new internal HD

When you are running on your external drive iPhoto works correctly

When you boot from your new internal drive you can find both the iPhoto library you moved over with migration assistant and the one you copies directly from your old EHD and they both fail the same way when you access them from iPhoto - and they both display differently in the finder than they do when you are running on your old drive

I'm still thinking that there is something else that I am just missing here - creating a new library is pretty sure to work but it does not seem like it should be necessary - except I don't have a better idea 😟

LN
Reply
User profile for user: Elizabeth Oliver
Elizabeth Oliver Author
User level: Level 1
19 points

Aug 7, 2008 6:21 PM in response to LarryHN

Terence Devlin wrote:
My next step would be to make a new library and start over.

I will definitely do that if needed, but man I don't wanna! Not trying to be lazy, just don't know when I will ever have time to resort 3000 pix. I know that may seem like a small amount, but it's mucho to me. 🙂 It just seems like I can do something else since iPhoto is running fine when I boot into my extHD. On to LN's comments and replies...



LarryHN wrote:
Just verifying things I find confusing - are all of these correct?

you can boot from the external HD but can not mount it to use it when you are running from your new internal HD

At one time that was true, but now it seems OK. Booted up to internal HD with Ext HD attached today and it mounted fine. Musta-been user error!
When you are running on your external drive iPhoto works correctly

Yep!
When you boot from your new internal drive you can find both the iPhoto library you moved over with migration assistant and the one you copies directly from your old EHD and they both fail the same way when you access them from iPhoto - and they both display differently in the finder than they do when you are running on your old drive.

Correct, correct, correct...and correct.
I'm still thinking that there is something else that I am just missing here - creating a new library is pretty sure to work but it does not seem like it should be necessary - except I don't have a better idea 😟

What about reinstall? I have my iLife '06 right here. Could I dump iPhoto as an App and all iPhoto Library folders in my Pictures folder? Then install iPhoto alone from iLife? But I wonder what I would do from there since I don't want to really create a new library (mainly because as I mentioned in reply to Terence, don't know when I could create all my folders, etc.).

Still thinking - and lovin' y'alls help!!
THANKS!!
Eliza
Reply

Issues after new HD install, Tiger reinstall, Data Migration

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple ID.
Learn more Sign up