Missing imovie files when i moved to library

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Level 1

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Missing imovie files when i moved to library

My imovie files were taking up too much space on my computer so I moved them to my external drive by clicking the circle witht he three dots and chose 'move to library' while my external drive was plugged in. It looked like all 7 projects got moved but when i opened the library on the external drive only 5 projects were there and one of the projects had a question mark icon. When i opened it, it only had half of the clips in there and the other ones were missing.

So my problem is that when you use the move to library option instead of the copy to library option, the files move to the external drive but the original files get deleted. But two projects didnt even move to the external and still got deleted.

Is there any way that these projects are hidden anywhere so i can recover them or are they permanently gone and i have to redo these projects?

Not sure why there would be a move to library option if it is so unstable and such a risk to completely lose my projects in the process.

PS all other projects moved fine and work

Thanks in advance!

MacBook Pro

Posted on Aug 5, 2021 8:54 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Rich839

Level 8

47,664 points

Aug 5, 2021 9:50 AM in response to Maysr

Before moving a project to another library click on the project in the project browser view and then do a File/Consolidate Project Media. That will insure that all of the project media gets transferred with the project.

To recover any lost projects, retrieve them from the iMovie Backups folder. To get to the iMovie Backups folder, follow this file path from the Finder menu:

Go/Home/Library/Containers/com.apple.iMovieApp/Data/Library/Caches/iMovieBackups

When you get there you will see a list of previous backups of your iMovie library. Click on one dated just before your issue started. iMovie will open in that library. Navigate to your projects browser (where your projects are displayed as icons) and see if your projects are intact.

-- Rich

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Answer 2

Rich839

Level 8

47,664 points

Aug 7, 2021 9:20 AM in response to Maysr

After you click on Go/Home, click on the View menu item in the Finder menu at the top of your screen and then click on Show View Options.

In the drop down dialogue box that appears, put a check in the box next to Show Library Folder at the bottom.

After doing the above you should be able to follow the file path to the iMovie Backups folder.

-- Rich

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Answer 3

Maysr Author

Level 1

8 points

Aug 15, 2021 9:31 PM in response to Rich839

Hi Rich. So I found the back up and all the project icons show up that we’re missing but there’s a ? on all the icons and all the video files in the project are missing. Any advice? I feel like I’m half way there.

thank you!

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Answer 4

Maysr Author

Level 1

8 points

Aug 6, 2021 8:36 PM in response to Rich839

Thanks so much for your reply. I have hope now!

but I just tried it and from my finder window I went to Go/Home… but there was no Library option once I got to Home. Am I missing something?

thanks in advance

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Answer 5

Rich839

Level 8

47,664 points

Aug 15, 2021 11:21 PM in response to Maysr

It appears that the media for the projects has been lost somehow. Or the links to them broken.

Go to your Movies folder on your Mac and find the iMovie Library that you are working with. Control-click on the library's icon and then click on Show Package Contents in the drop down menu. You should then see a list of folders that contain the projects and events in the library. Click on one of the projects that displayed the question marks for the clips in the timeline. When the folder opens you should see an Original Media folder in it. Click on the Original Media folder. Is there any media in it?

NOTE: Do not move or modify in any way the contents of the Show Package Contents folder or the project folders within it.

-- Rich

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