Level 1

5 points

Cannot restore iPhoto library due to "permissions"

My laptop HD was dying, so I replaced it. Rather than doing a full Time Machine restore, I decided to upgrade from Leopard to Snow Leopard and just start all over and streamline my laptop dragging and dropping most documents from old manual backups, but the iPhoto library is the one thing that is only backed up on Time Machine.

Because I renamed the laptop and it's a fresh install, when I click on iPhoto and go to "Browse Backups" it does not go to my original iPhoto library backup.
If I navigate to the backup I want using the Finder to go through the Time Capsule, when I click on the iPhoto library and choose "Restore to..." I get the message "The operation can’t be completed because you don’t have permission to access 'iPhoto Library'."

If I simply drag the folder to iPhoto I get: "The iPhoto Library is a Time Machine backup, and so cannot be used as the main library. Relaunch iPhoto with <option> key held down to choose another library."

I have tried to check the permissions (get info) on the Time Machine and that folder, but I cannot see anyplace where my permission would be limited.

Anyway, looking for anyway to restore just the old iPhoto library from Time Capsule to my fresh laptop installation.

MacBook Pro/ Mac Pro Dual Core, Mac OS X (10.6.1), Time Capsule 500MB

Posted on Sep 27, 2009 10:30 PM

89 replies

bj5411

Level 1

0 points

Oct 31, 2010 10:06 AM in response to Jcweez

I had similar problems. After upgrading to iPhoto 11, the application was extremely slow and was even freezing when I tried to use the "Create Card" function. I tried to restore my old library from my Time Capsule but I got the ".. you do not have permissions..." message. I tried several of the proposed solutions in this thread (font removal, boot in safe mode, etc.).
The ONLY solution that worked for me was the zip and unzip solution discussed in this thread, Iphoto 11 seems to be working well now, including the create card function. It took a while to do the whole thing because of the size of my library.
I think Apple should look at all these issues and come back with some better solution than leaving us in the cold.

Oct 31, 2010 11:33 AM in response to Stan Fisher

Stan Fisher wrote:
the problem is not the ownership as set in iPhoto, but rather that Time Machine takes root ownership of iPhoto libraries stored within it.

Perhaps so, but I was suggesting that permissions change technique as something to use after the iPhoto library was retrieved from the Time Machine backup, using whatever technique worked to do the retrieval.

Jan 21, 2011 7:25 AM in response to MattIseman

I had to erase my hard drive, and the Apple genius told me not to restore all my data lest I reproduce the issues that led to my laptop's poor performance issues. So I had to restore individual files back onto my laptop.

I had the same problem with being unable to restore my iPhoto library from my Time Machine backup due to a "permissions" error. I solved it by locating the version of my iPhoto library I wanted in my "Time Machine Backups" via the Finder (not by entering the Time Machine). Then I compressed the iPhoto library via File:"Compress iPhoto library". The zip folder was saved on my desktop. Then I moved the zip folder into my User:Pictures folder, and decompressed it in the Pictures folder. It becomes "iPhoto library 2". Click on it, and it will ask if you would like to open it in iPhoto. [Make sure you do not already have iPhoto open.] Say YES and it becomes your default library. All of my albums were also intact.

Good luck! Figuring this out was ****.

Feb 10, 2011 8:09 AM in response to sbrand

sbrand - it doesn't seem anyone else commented on or noticed your message, but I have to say THANKS! That was the trick for me as well.

I was rebuilding a new boot drive after my old one failed. I had a good backup, but not a bootable backup, so I was restoring off Time Machine in stages. Most things worked fine launching Time Machine from the Finder, but not iPhoto. I got the same "permissions" error after copying roughly 1.5 GB of 17.0 GB.

After reading ALL the responses on this thread and some others, your's was the simplest, so I tried it first. Worked perfect on the first try. All 17 GB in one shot.

People - I suggest you at least try this method before you go to the trouble of some of the others.

nwriko2

Level 1

9 points

Feb 16, 2011 2:13 AM in response to David Porter9

please help

i'm embarrassed to admit that i do not seem to be able to "zip a file" inside time machine. "geoban" who originally came out with this solution says to right click on the iPhoto library but when i do so i do not get the compress option which i normally get when i'm not in time machine.

can anyone help?
"sbrands" solution mentioned by "Spencer Swift" doesn't work for me because my iPhoto doesn't open at all!

thanks

Message was edited by: nwriko

nwriko2

Level 1

9 points

Feb 16, 2011 5:18 AM in response to nwriko2

just in case i wasn't clear enough in my explanation, "David Porter9" on this thread page 2 wrote :

"I pulled a zipped file of the Time Machine archived library when it was last intact onto my desktop"

how can that be done? (a normal restore don't work due to "permissions")

Pondini

Level 8

38,863 points

Feb 16, 2011 8:26 AM in response to nwriko2

You don't do that via Time Machine, but the Finder.

See the tan box in #E9 of [Time Machine - Frequently Asked Questions|http://web.me.com/pondini/Time_Machine/FAQ.html] (or use the link in *User Tips* at the top of this forum).

couto27

Level 1

2 points

Mar 5, 2011 5:57 AM in response to MattIseman

plug the hard drive to mac

in finder just go manually to your external hard drive (backups time capsule ) until

finder > your external hd > backup > latest >macintosh hd > user > your name >image > iphoto library

copy and paste to your mac and open voila fixed

Mar 15, 2011 4:49 PM in response to couto27

I bunged up my iPhoto library by having it on the same external partition as my Time Machine Backups and then creating a folder for it, moving it into that folder, getting some nasty error message, changing the permissions from _unknown to admin read/write, and then spilled a beer on my keyboard. After trying a lot of these suggestions plus using iPhoto Library Manager software to no avail, I tried importing the library into Aperture 3 and... it's working

But it's going to take a while. I'll post back with the final results.

Mar 21, 2011 1:32 PM in response to signalius

Yep, that seemed to work. But it took a long-*** time. Aperture 3 takes a great deal of RAM when it's doing something like this, up to 3 gigs. patience is not something I'm known for and I like to interrupt system processes when I think they're hanging up and not working, usually with disastrous results.

Gubbz

Level 1

10 points

Jul 4, 2011 12:58 PM in response to MattIseman

I too had this problem and I've found the simplest solution imaginable. Take note, if the idea of rebuilding your iPhoto library is only slightly better than gnawing off your own arm, then this is not for you, BUT it did get back ALL my pictures, all 22,000 of them.

Open up iPhoto and tuck it to one side, clearly able to see the left-hand side bar.
Open up your time machine disk and navigate to the iPhoto library you need.
Drag the iPhoto library into the Photos section of iPhoto (I suspect there are many variations that work for this last bit, but I wasn't going to go stopping it importing my pics)
Wait while it imports everything that was previously stored (and I mean everything)

It's not an individual importer, not is it a nice and elegant solution at restoring the way it was, but it is a simple solution for those struggling with restoring from a Time Machine backup.

Jul 6, 2011 9:28 AM in response to sbrand

In my zeal to clean up and clean out my hard drive, I managed to fully and completely delete my iPhoto library. Brilliant.

Sbrand, I thank you for posting up your experiences and solution. I followed your guidance and within a very short amount of time, had fully recovered my pictures, events, faces and places.

Thanks again!

Jul 13, 2011 2:23 PM in response to Gubbz

That's a simple and brilliant solution... Thanks mate... 🙂

Gubbz

Level 1

10 points

Jul 13, 2011 2:55 PM in response to MattIseman

Another simple one (bit tidier than my last one) is to again locate the old iPhoto Library that you can't restore with Time Machine, get iPhoto to restore it or simply told you don't have the permissions to allow you to copy it.

1. Locate the Time Machine iPhoto Library on your backup disk

2. Right click / CTRL click and select 'Show Package Contents'

3. Open 'Masters' folder

You can now see all the folders of iPhoto images by Year > Month > Day they were taken (I think, or edited, I am unsure), so you can just drag the folder of images into your new installation of iPhoto. I just dragged the Masters folder, but if you only needed to restore the pics of a particular year, month or day, then that's up to you. This way compared to my previous is nicer in that you don't get the multitude of duplicate images iPhoto uses for Faces etc

Masters > 2011 > 07 > 08 would be photos from 8th July 2011, nice and simple 🙂

Jul 18, 2011 9:38 AM in response to Holy Fire 001

Yes it opens a library but how do I save it to continue to use it. It is only the backup for that date and you cannot add anything to it.

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Cannot restore iPhoto library due to "permissions"