Q: move iphoto library to external hard drive

Use an app that will do incremental back ups. This is a very good way to work. The first time you run the back up the app will make a complete copy of the Library. Thereafter it will update the back up with the changes you have made. That makes subsequent back ups much faster. Many of these apps also have scheduling capabilities: So set it up and it will do the back up automatically. Examples of such apps: Chronosync or DejaVu . But are many others. Search on MacUpdate

Thanks, but when I try to drag iphoto library over to my EHD, I get a circle with a line through indicating that it can't be done. I am operating a mac mini with Lion 10.7.4.  I am therefore using iphoto '11. Any thoughts?

Time Machine automatically will back up any volume connected and mounted. You must "excluded" items from the backup, not add them.  Go thru one backup cycle and then open the Time Machine folder on its hard drive and check to see if the EHD is there.

This screenshot shows my iMac and 3 EHDs.  You'll be able to tell if yours is getting backed up or not.

Thanks, but TM is not backing up my EHD. I just connected my EHD to my computer to backup other files. I am unable for some reason, to backup the iphoto library.

First with the EHD connected and mounted force TM to do a backup and then check the TM drive as instructed above.  If that doesn't work try excluding the EHD in TM's preferences, close TM and then open TM again and take it off the excluision list.  Force another immediate backup.

Since you disconnect the EHD to go mobile when you connect it the next time force TM to do a backup right away.  That will make sure it's backed up in case you disconnect it before the next scheduled backup.

http://community.wdc.com/t5/My-Book-Live/Just-got-my-book-live-and-i-have-a-mac/ td-p/131230

NAS drives can not be reformatted. They have their own op system, it seems.

Many have said tha iPhoto will not work with WD MyBook Live.

Has anyone done this successfully?

gm

Message was edited by: gmardre

the iPhoto library must be on a volume formatted Mac OS extended (journaled)

LN

Thanks for the info just transfered my iphoto library over to my EHD and ensured my time machine was also backing up the EHD.

THX! That was exactly what I was searching for. I want my entire library to reside on the ex HDD

lol, couldn't figure out how to post! Just a thanks for the patience and informative answers given here by all of you. Having just bought a WD  'Passport' and not looking forward to re-formatting my Mac and all the other nightmares (nightmares for we Luddites) that accompany the simplist of chores on otherwise smart computers, I feel a lot braver after reading all your entries. 5 points to all of you!!  Cliff.

This worked, but now I have my Iphoto library in two places. How do I safely get rid of the library on my internal drive?

907AKapple wrote:

 

This worked, but now I have my Iphoto library in two places. How do I safely get rid of the library on my internal drive?

If you are positive that you ahve a good iPhoto library elsewherer then simply do like you delete anything on the Mac - drag the iPhoto library to the trash and empty it (I suggest testing iPhoto once more between dragging to the trash and emptying the trash to avoid user errors)

LN

Terrence - I'm attempting to back up my iPhoto library to an external hard drive, per your instructions.  My library is 98 GB.  I'm on my second attempt, the first one aborted overnight due to some sort of library error.  The Copy box tells me it will take 2 days???  Is that normal? 

My iPhoto runs incredibly slow (load/quit).  I'm wanting to "vacuum" the database, the article I'm following advises an external backup first (and not to rely on TimeMachine).  Any other suggestions on iPhoto speed?  Do I simply have too many pictures in it?

Appreciate any advice.

1 - you do not have too many photos - iPhoto is good for upt to 1,000,000

2 - asking how long a copy will take is like asking how long is a piece of string - depends on many things including the speed of the external hard drive, the amound of space on it, the connection (it should be a high speed wired connection - thunderbolt - firewire - USB II or USB III)

3 - what exactly do you plan to do to "vacuum" your library - you should never make any changes of any sort to th elibrary using third party software or the finder

LN

1.  Are you saying I should see no performance decline even at 1 Million pictures?  I currently have about 20,000.

2.  Don't really get your string analogy.  But here's some more data: LaCie 1TB external hard drive, completely empty and freshly formatted  Mac OS Extended journaled, USB connection (not sure what number), Mavericks OS.  Since I last messaged you, my Copy window says 52 GB of 98GB complete, 42 minutes to go.  That's a bit more reasonable.

3.  iPhoto optimization steps are from macexpertguide.com  Nov 14 2012.  I already emptied iPhoto trash, and ran iPhoto Repair Permissions.  Both helped, but still slow.  The "vacuum" steps are: