Move Projects and Events to External Hard Drive?

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Level 2

197 points

Move Projects and Events to External Hard Drive?

I have read some old posts on this topic, but just want to double check. It is ok to move my existing iMovie projects and events to an external drive, to free up all the disk space? Everything will stay intact, right?

Also, what about the Disk Image files I created thru iDVD that now reside on my desktop? Can I move those there, also?

I have an external drive that was previously used for Time Machine backups (I have another one for that now). As I understand it, I erase that drive (I think that part I will be able to figure out). Then, I read that I do not move the Projects and Events from Finder, correct? Can someone verify that and tell me where I move them from in order to maintain all the work I did in adding titles, transitions, etc.? Thanks.

Mac OS X (10.5.7)

Posted on Jun 18, 2009 10:36 AM

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Answer 1

Jun 18, 2009 10:44 AM in response to Joey C 2

I'm just the #2 on this part of the board, but I confirm.. :

Joey C 2 wrote:
.. It is ok to move my existing iMovie projects and events to an external drive, to free up all the disk space? Everything will stay intact, right?

right, read below..

Also, what about the Disk Image files I created thru iDVD that now reside on my desktop? Can I move those there, also?

these are 'solid' files, you can drag'em around as you like..

.. I erase that drive (I think that part I will be able to figure out).

apps/utilities/disk utility..

.. Then, I read that I do not move the Projects and Events from Finder, correct?

a 101% correct..

.. Can someone verify that and tell me where I move them from in order to maintain all the work I did in adding titles, transitions, etc.?

just drag the Events _in iM_ to the new location - done.

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Answer 2

Jun 18, 2009 10:49 AM in response to Joey C 2

Karsten is correct. a few more things....When you move items within imovie you need to hold the command key down or else it will only copy everything. Also, when you move the project to the external drive, it will ask to move the events. Thats the best workflow. ie move the project with the command key to the macos extended journaled formatted hard drive!

Also, I once had a problem where the project got messed up on the move. I have no idea why. So i make a duplicate project--JUST IN CASE. Then once everything is ok. I delete the duplicate so not to confuse myself.

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Answer 3

Joey C 2 Author

Level 2

197 points

Jun 18, 2009 2:17 PM in response to Sheryl Kingstone

Sorry, but I must still be missing something. I erased everything from the external hard drive and formatted it as you indicated. I have that drive showing on the desktop and it is empty. I open iMovie and drag a project there and nothing happens. I did not hold down Command key as I figured I will try to copy it first, and if it works, then I can delete it from iMovie. But, since that failed, I held down the Command key and dragged the iMovie Project to the external hard drive, but again, nothing. What am I missing?

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Answer 4

Jun 18, 2009 2:23 PM in response to Joey C 2

You should see a small Icon for the external drive in the Event List in iMovie. If you don't, click VIEW/EVENTS BY DISK. All this dragging and dropping is done in iMovie, not with the Finder.

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Answer 5

Joey C 2 Author

Level 2

197 points

Jun 18, 2009 2:43 PM in response to AppleMan1958

OK, I was trying to drag it to the disk icon on the desktop, not within the iMovie window. I just tried as you instructed, and was able to move an event to the new external drive, but cannot drag a Project there. What do I need to do in order to drag the Projects?

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Answer 6

Joey C 2 Author

Level 2

197 points

Jun 18, 2009 5:09 PM in response to Joey C 2

I figured out what I was doing wrong. I had been attempting to drag the projects into the disk icon that appeared under the Events part of the window. I had not gone all the way to the bottom of the Projects part of the window (I have a lot of projects in there). So, I did not know there was another disk icon under the Projects part (top half) of the window.
t

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Answer 7

gmac975

Level 1

0 points

Aug 16, 2009 8:54 AM in response to AppleMan1958

Hello, What if the external HD icon in the Events List in iMovie '09 has a little yellow triangle with an exclamation point in it? That is my situation. So when I try and drag a project to the icon it doesnt copy over? Do you know what that might indicate? Thanks

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Answer 8

Sep 4, 2009 10:53 AM in response to gmac975

did you ever get an answer to the question about the little exclamation point?

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Answer 9

Schipa

Level 1

0 points

Sep 5, 2009 8:39 AM in response to jeneimovie

I believe the HD icon with exclamation mark means the drive is not in Mac OS extended format which iMovie don't allow file relocation to such drive. I try to reformat my external HD to Mac OS extended format and iMovie identify the drive as valid (without the exclamation mark) and relocation can be done inside iMovie.

But such HD format is not allowed with the NAS I own (Synology 409) which I intend to store the iMovie event in one of its HD. Any suggestion?

Thanks.

Message was edited by: Schipa

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Answer 10

Sep 5, 2009 9:21 AM in response to Schipa

You can reach a NAS through a symbolic link.
I am not an expert on symbolic links, but if you do s search of the discussions with an advanced search with my name and the words symbolic link, you will find several people who describe the technique.

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