How to import a folder with 500GB files export from iPhoto to Photo

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Danee2006 Author

Level 1

8 points

How to import a folder with 500GB files export from iPhoto to Photo

Hi,

I want to import 500Gb photos which were export from iPhoto to Photo. However, every time i want to import, the app hangs. It hangs even before the "Import New Photos" get enable. After some searching on web, I tried the disable "copy photo to library" option, then at least I can stay clam and wait until the "Import New Photos" button enabled. However, the loading keeps on, and it hangs and I have no chance to click on that enabled buttons :(

Also notice that, in the import preview, there are a lot of thumbnails generated by iPhoto.

Does anyone know what should be the best way to import? And how can I just import the original and not those thumbnails? Some people suggested to import the files batch by batch, as Photo may detect duplicate (does thumbnail considered to be duplicated?). This quite painful, as the photos are in a plain folder, even scrolling to select photo batch by batch may takes quite a lot of time. (very slow)

Thanks in advance for any comments.

Dan

iMac Line (2012 and Later)

Posted on Apr 29, 2021 5:18 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

TonyCollinet

Level 7

23,909 points

Apr 30, 2021 12:53 AM in response to Danee2006

Are you trying to import the whole iPhoto library? This is not the correct way, and will, as a minimum, cause the problems you are seeing.

The correct way is to convert the iPhoto library to a Photos library by opening it in Photos.

If you don't already have a backup of the iPhoto library, make sure you take one first (the migration can (rarely) go wrong.

When you have a secure backup of the library, open the photos app, while holding down the option key. If the iPhoto library is shown in the resulting list, select it and click open.

If it is not, click "other library" and locate it from the browser. The migration will start automatically.

Bear in mind - depending on the size of your library it might take a long time to update, and sometimes the progress indicator doesn't move for a long time. You'll need to be patient, AND leave your Mac on (connected to power) until it completes.

You will then have two libraries on your system, your current library, and the converted iPhoto library. If you choose, you can merge them using one of the options described at the link below. Personally I use Power Photos.

https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-250000662

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Answer 2

léonie

Level 10

197,123 points

Apr 30, 2021 1:23 AM in response to Danee2006

I second Tony's recommendation to convert the original iPhoto Library instead of exporting from iPhoto and then importing the iPhoto photos as individual files. By exporting and reimporting are you losing the connection between the originals and the edited versions, all your albums and events.

Preparing 500 GB of photos for import will take a very long time. Photos has to compare the photos to the photos already in the library and to create thumbnails to show them in the browser. And you may be running out of memory, if Photos has to cache the thumbnails for thousands of new photos for import.

If you only have the exported files, import them not all at once but in small groups. This way you can see more easily, if Photos encounters image files or videos in a format, that is no longer supported by your current system version. iPhoto supported different media formats from the current version of Photos. You need to detect these files and weed them out and convert them to a compatible format.

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How to import a folder with 500GB files export from iPhoto to Photo

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