iPhoto LIbrary missing after Snow Leopard upgrade MISSING FROM TimeCapsule!

Anyone who lost their iPhoto library, did Time Machine start a new backup that might have deleted the older backup? Was there enough space on the backup drive for the newer backup?
Just wondering, is Time Machine deleting complete backups to save space, or selected files first to recover space?

When I did the new installation of 10.6 and connected the Time Machine backup drive, it started a new backup, though it initially said it will do so in 50 minutes. I then stopped the backup process, since I wanted to restore my user data. Did Time Machine start the deletion in the background by picking large files first, which in that case would be the iPhoto library package?

Anybody lost their iPhoto library though there was enough space on the back up drive for a complete new backup?

Does anyone else find it curious that my post of Sept 28th does not show up - and the latest posts on this issue are Sept 7th. I think Apple is blocking further posts and is very well aware they released a product that has destroyed data - without proper testing first. I doubt this post will show up either.
This leads me to the conclusion, they have no resolution and they know they have made a BIG mistake. Damage control Apple?

Ok - My mistake, Apple didn't delete my post! So has anyone got any answers? Doesn't it seem that it's crazy we have to go out and find third party software to solve a problem Apple created? I've spent $200 on software and countless hours on trying to recover my photo's - no luck so far. I've tried:

Photorescue
DiskWarrior
And a utility an IT engineer I know has

If I get anywhere, I'll let everyone know. Where is Apple when you need them? I was about to buy a new 17" $4.5 thousand dollar machine. I'm holding off until ... - should I go back to PC??

You asked: _+Where is Apple when you need them?+_

This is a user to user forum. If you want help from Apple, take your machine to an Apple Store Genius or arrange a phone call: http://www.apple.com/support/expert/

And, you wrote: _+I think Apple ... released a product ... without proper testing first.+_

Apple has an extensive end-user beta test system for all OS updates and upgrades. They did test the software with end users. Personally, I have upgraded three Apple computers, each with multiple iPhoto Libraries, and I have not lost a single photo.

So... there must be a difference between the "standard" or "normal" machines used in beta testing (my machines are plain vanilla) and the machines experiencing this problem.

I suggest that every user who is having the problem post a list of all third party applications and utilities that were on their machines before the upgrade. Perhaps - as a community of users - we can use our keen eyes looking at the lists of third party add-ons and identify a source of the problem? And, if we can identify the problem, we can report it to Apple at: http://www.apple.com/feedback/macosx.html

As the shadowy person says in 'Disclosure': "Solve the Problem". 😉

For missing iPhoto libraries on external drives please check out this article.

http://www.fatcatsoftware.com/blog/2008/disappearing-iphoto-libraries-on-externa l-drives

I don't get it. Everyone I know that have installed 10.6 have had no problems or very minor dificulties. I even offered my personal assistance here in this forum and no one has contacted me directly. I am really suprised that people are having trouble. This seems to be isolated to a few persons. I hope all works out for those that need some help.

Hey everyone,

I hope my contribution helps. I recently just upgraded to Snow Leopard, and after it had finished, i tried to open iphoto and found all my photos had vanished. Tried the suggestions that were made here, but had no luck. Funny enough i had just bought a time capsule and second external hard drive, in which i intended to use for backups. Planned on backing up everything after the snow leopard install. Having never had any issues with failing hard drives, i have never seen the importance of backing up. Just loved the coincidence that when i finally decided i might start to be safe, i loose so much valuable data. haha

Ok, i managed to get mine all back and i know that this might not be the same for everyone, but what had happened to me is...

When i had finished installing snow leopard, it took you through the whole set it up screen. It made me enter a username, and i created one different to the one i had been using for leopard. This being because it wouldnt let me use my old one.

So even with exhaustive search's through finder, i couldnt find any jpg's whilst logged into my newer log in name. Funny thing is in network preferences/user it wouldn't let me create a user going by my old user name, it kept saying this name was already being used. That clued me in, to the fact that, even though i couldn't see my old user account anywhere, it must still exist. A simple log out and log in to that account brought everything back up.

All i have to say is PHEW!

Hope this helps, but it did sound like you guys had more serious issues! Though i thought i did too until this!

Folks,

I spoke to a senior Apple manager who is friend and looked into this. Many of you who like me experienced this problem are posting to the list and trying various things, but are not opening problems against Snow Leopard with Apple Support and therefore not getting Apple's support organization or ultimtely development engaged.

Everyone that bought the Snow Leopard upgrade is entitled to free support for 90 days after the purchase. Go to http://www.apple.com/support/contact/ and open a problem report.

I installed SL from an 'upgrade' disc on my nearly new iMac under the discount offer; no problem. I then did the same on my older i-Mac using a full purchase disc; again no problem. I then tried a full install installing on another of my slightly older Intel iMacs (my wife's!!) and it 'lost' her images. I have noticed that in Applications on this iMac I have a 'previous' iMovie and the new one post-SL side by side. However with iPhoto I have a 2007 dated version (the one I was using before SL) just on the Hard Drive and the newer post SL 2009 version in Applications. I can see a library of about the right size. If I open iPhoto 2007 it says I have updated matters and cannot use them with this (old) version of iPhoto. If, however, I open the 2009 iPhoto it has all my photo folders in place but not one image in any of them. It will not allow me to selct the old libarary (it's greyed out). I have imported some jpegs I have found around the place but of course they just arrive unsorted and I do not want to have to manually search out and import all the images only to have to re-sort them all into folders. What has happened to the images? Why can I see the folders, which must be part of the library, but mot the images in the folders? Also spotlight isn't working. I get a blank box and can enter a search request but no results are displayed. Any conection? Any ideas?

I just changed my "My Public Profile" for this forum to show my email address. Perhaps some of you would consider to change your settings to show your email as well.

OK, So I am a long time PC Tech/user. I never went down the MAC Path till just about 6 Months ago. Everything was going PERFECT till a friend of mine said lets upgrade to Snow Leopard. I went ahead and backed up all his business data as I normally do. I then performed the CD Upgrade. I had not opened anything or modified anything at all. Upon completion I then upgraded it to 10.6.1. All was working well I connected his Exchange account to the office, and all was good. He went on the road and called me in a PANIC! All my photos are gone! I said what? Come on. Nothing gets deleted from an upgrade Nothing. Well that’s not the case. He brought back the Mac and I have literally looked EVERYWHERE! All different instances of Iphoto that are on his computer. I then proceeded to remove the hard drive and perform a SCAN only on the drive to look for JPG's. I found everything but the pictures he was looking for. Apparently when he was on a trip to Europe he imported directly into Iphoto. So needless to say that explained why I was not able to find JPG's because from what I am reading Iphoto stores it into a UNIX type database. SO here is where I stop and all of you help me! because I don’t know Crap about Unix and how it stores files, and I certainly don’t know CRAP about MAC enough to be able to locate this database if in fact it was Actually deleted by SL Upgraded, Which i have to say in all my searching (It deleted it).
Questions!

1. Where does it store these files? What is the extension of the database? (Again I looked allover for the so called Iphoto doesn’t exist on his current install)
2. Is there an Extension?
3. Does Iphoto Store the files directly imported as different Extensions into the originals folder?
4. If it stores these into an originals folder how come I can’t even find this folder? (Or once I find the database I will find the folder?)

I realize this is a User form, and that Apple never looks at this stuff which I think is a bunch of crap since its on their site. They should at least monitor their OWN forums and assist users when needed. Oh wait that’s what paid support is for huh? I forgot a money maker why give out the answer when you can charge for it. LOL Anyway I have opened a ticket with them, and not only do I have the 90 day support with SL I also have the Apple care. Well I opened the case Ummm 7 days ago, and No response I was told in 3-5 business days I would hear back. No dice. So everyone in here that says to contact Apple support? Do it.. but don’t expect an answer anytime soon.
I have since made a copy of the hard drive and given the MAC back to the user, and I have the original drive awaiting either a response from users here in the form or from APPLE! I believe one user mentioned a Class action Suit. Well if Apple doesn’t fix this issue someone will be looking that way I am sure. Although I have never sued anyone in my life, it might be worth looking into because I know for a FACT that before SL everything worked like a charm. After SL they were ALL GONE Literally ALL GONE!

Sorry for the long winded post, but I needed to get some answers, and I guess I am asking you all for HELP. As most if you have lost pictures to this upgrade and some have lost whole lifetimes of pictures.

Also if your going to write back telling me I should have made a backup well it just so happens that we did make a backup, but the backup did not include the Iphoto library. And if you’re going to respond saying that something was done incorrectly? DONT because I literally had Mac Assistance when performing this upgrade. I did just do this hap hazardly.

Thank you all!

I welcome all your responses, and I hope everyone is able to get back their Photos.

P.S. if you have lost photos, Stop using that drive, go out buy another hard drive and clone it. Use the New drive in your MAC. This way it will preserve anything you might need later from the Old drive. Always remember your pictures are there they just have to be accessed.

Message was edited by: JamesGII

Message was edited by: JamesGII

First, Mac not MAC. It's not an acronym.

Second, as has been repeatedly stated even on this thread, iPhoto stores its libraries as bundles, directories full of files that appear to the user as a single file. They are normally in the /Users/<username>/Pictures/ folder where the default name is "iPhoto Library." Holding down the option key when starting iPhoto allows you to choose a new library to open, so if you find the missing one, you can sue this method to get iPhoto to use it.

You can also try searching for very large files via the Finder's search function.

John,

If it were that simple I would not be asking for Expert help. I am to the point I am using scanning software. I am using both Mac recovery software, and PC Recovery software that will scan Mac partitions. Although I am finding every single picture that wasnt written into Iphoto. I am not finding a HUGE File called Iphoto.

As for the Mac and MAC, I had no Idea. like I mentioned before I am fairly new to this field and did not intend to upset anyone with the improper Spelling.

Thank you!

I am not finding a HUGE File called Iphoto.

And you won't. Since iPhoto 7 (iLife 08) the old iPhoto Library Folder is now a Package File. This is simply a folder that looks like a file in the Finder. The change was made to the format of the iPhoto library because many users were inadvertently corrupting their library by browsing through it with other software or making changes in it themselves.

What you are hoping to find are the actual jpegs. There may be up to three versions of them. In all cases recover the largest file size. It's the most likely to be the original pic.

Regards

TD

Hi TD

But your post doesn't answer the many core queries on this issue: has SL got a problem/bug that means it corrupts iPhoto and/or TM? As I posted earlier in the thread, I have two SL discs, a full one and an upgrade one (for the iMac I bought just before SL was released and which was offered discounted). This upgrade one worked fine on my 'new' iMac. The full one worked on a year old iMac, but it has not been error free on a slightly older Intel iMac. There were no warnings nor any noticeable differences during the installations. But it seems to have done something to the iPhoto library that means the 2007 iPhoto can't open it and the new 2009 post-SL one can't see a usable new one.

Someone soemwhere must have logged this through official Apple channels and as a result surely we must now know if this is bug that we can expect a soltuion for (and when)?

If not, then what are we all doing wrong? My problem is compounded by the fact that on the machine that suffered the installation error, Spotlight is also non functional so I can't easily search and see what's what until I fix that.

Any 'hard' Apple sourced news welcomed.

MVBW

Mervyn