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Iphoto is showing most of my thumbnails as black

ok im on imac running 10.7.3 using iphoto 11 (9.2.1) with a 1Tb HD


My iphoto library is saved on my imac HD, and i do back up onto my external 1Tb HD using Time machine. However i can not go back and rebuild from that as i had a problem and i had to delete all saved backups to free up space on it as it stopped saving my backups. I am now desperately trying to free up space to allow the back ups to restart!!! As i can not afford another larger HD.


However i do have 1 back up of my entire 'pictures' folder from my HD, to an external HD which is 239Gb in size.


I opened up iphotos 3 days ago and for seemingly no reason - many of my thumbnails are showing up as black, Also the thumbnails of events are showing up black, when i lcick on them the actual photo is still there, so i am assuming its a thumbnails issue.


I have tried rebuilding the thumbnails and indeed the whole library, to no avail. i have reset permissions also no help it seems.


User uploaded file

the more upto date thumbnails are fine it seems to be older thumbnails. which appear as above, as i say when i click them the actual photos appear no problem,


So i have tried rebuilding entire library - doesnt work,

have tried rebuilding just the thumbnails - as soon as i do this it then begins to try to find the thumbnails and rebuild

User uploaded file

i then get this message

User uploaded file

I click cancel (as it just wont find the photo if i try to), but then another alert comes up and another etc etc etc, after 5 hours the progress wasnt even visible after 2 days it was just visible as a tiny blue progress bar!!!!!!!!


So i am now at a loss, i have tried rebuilding via library manager, but for some reason this just crashes!!!!!!


as you can see i have 26,000 photos as i do this for a living.


If anyone has any ideas on how i can restore my thumbnails would be greatly appreciated.


thank you in advance


Kris Watson

x

Posted on Feb 18, 2012 10:16 AM

Reply
22 replies

Feb 18, 2012 11:38 AM in response to jtrottweiler

Are you running a Managed or a Referenced Library?


A Managed Library, is the default setting, and iPhoto copies files into the iPhoto Library when Importing. The files are then stored in the Library package


A Referenced Library is when iPhoto is NOT copying the files into the iPhoto Library when importing because you made a change at iPhoto -> Preferences -> Advanced. (You unchecked the option to copy files into the Library on import) The files are then stored where ever you put them and not in the Library package. In this scenario you are responsible for the File Management.

Feb 18, 2012 4:09 PM in response to Yer_Man

im not sure Terence, thank you for your reply as i see you seem to be a specialidst on this area, and i am certainly not.

I will check and get back to you, however, how do i chekc if i am one or t'other?????sorry for not knowing the diff.

although i am fairly ofay with most mac things, i am obviously a nice in most areas!!!!!!!

let me know whAat you think and ill let you know from that.

cheers and thanks for your help

Kris

Mar 3, 2012 2:50 AM in response to jtrottweiler

Download iPhoto Library Manager and use its rebuild function. This will create a new library based on data in the albumdata.xml file. Not everything will be brought over - no slideshows, books or calendars, for instance - but it should get all your albums and keywords back.


Because this process creates an entirely new library and leaves your old one untouched, it is non-destructive, and if you're not happy with the results you can simply return to your old one.

Mar 6, 2012 4:29 AM in response to Yer_Man

HI Terence,


thanks for your reply, i did try that initially but had problems,

so i d/loaded a new version of Iphoto Manager and it seemed/seems to be working ok, It started straight away copying everything, and relatively quickly.


however it seems now to be stuck at trying to rebuild a video for which it says it cant find the files and it wont/cant seem to go past it.


I have tried clicking 'stop' to stop it searching for them, i have tried clicking 'cancel' when it gives me the option, but it keeps trying to find them and wont go past rebuilding the same event!!!!!!


Any ideas of my next step, thanks you so much for your help on this,


Kris

Apr 12, 2012 7:15 AM in response to Yer_Man

Hi Terence,


i was wondering if you might be able to offer me any more advice on my options for my iphoto library.

I have tried rebuilding however it takes 3-4 days just to doa small percentage of the entire library - meanwhile i cant use my mac, as im worried it will crash and ill have to start all over again.

All the actual photos are there, just not the thumbnails!!!!!!!!!!


1. Could i start a new library from a back up??? And would i need to delete the exsisting one or do i just drag the iphotos folder into the main window?

2. Could i start a new library from just dragging the the photos, or iphoto folder?? which one should i drag across to start a new library?


Any other ideas would be very helpful.


thank you

Iphoto is showing most of my thumbnails as black

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