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move iphoto library to external drive

Hi everyone. I'm a first-timer here. I'm trying to free up space off my local hard drive and want to move an iphoto librabry to an expernal drive. When I do I get this message after more than an hour: "The Finder can’t complete the operation because some data in “File Name” can’t be read or written. (Error code -36)". I wonder what I can do to move the library? If it's a corrupt photo(s) or video(s) how can identify which one(s) is/are corrupt as there are literally thousands of photos and videos. Any help is appreciated. Cheers.

iPhoto '08, Mac OS X (10.6.8), External Western Digital T2

Posted on Apr 1, 2012 2:48 PM

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Posted on Apr 1, 2012 3:06 PM

What format is the extrenal drive? How are you moving the iPhoto library?


Moving the iPhoto library is safe and simple - quit iPhoto and drag the iPhoto library intact as a single entity to the external drive - depress the option key and launch iPhoto using the "select library" option to point to the new location on the external drive - fully test it and then trash the old library on the internal drive (test one more time prior to emptying the trash)



And be sure that the External drive is formatted Mac OS extended (journaled) (iPhoto does not work with drives with other formats) and that it is always available prior to launching iPhoto



And backup soon and often - having your iPhoto library on an external drive is not a backup and if you are using Time Machine you need to check and be sure that TM is backing up your external drive



LN

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Question marked as Best reply

Apr 1, 2012 3:06 PM in response to Fieldhouse

What format is the extrenal drive? How are you moving the iPhoto library?


Moving the iPhoto library is safe and simple - quit iPhoto and drag the iPhoto library intact as a single entity to the external drive - depress the option key and launch iPhoto using the "select library" option to point to the new location on the external drive - fully test it and then trash the old library on the internal drive (test one more time prior to emptying the trash)



And be sure that the External drive is formatted Mac OS extended (journaled) (iPhoto does not work with drives with other formats) and that it is always available prior to launching iPhoto



And backup soon and often - having your iPhoto library on an external drive is not a backup and if you are using Time Machine you need to check and be sure that TM is backing up your external drive



LN

Apr 1, 2012 7:40 PM in response to LarryHN

Hi LarryHN


Thanks for your answer. Unfortunately that's what I have been doing. I formatted the extenal drive correctly.

Here is my process and the results.

1. I click and drag the library to the external drive.

2. The library begins to copy to the externat drive.

3. After about an hour I get the message: "The Finder can’t complete the operation because some data in “File Name” can’t be read or written. (Error code -36)"

4. My only option is to click OK.

5. I hit OK and the dialogue box disappears.

6. I see that 26.92GB have copied over to the external hard drive.

7. BUT the librabry is 33.72GB


So I don't know what that warning means, or how to successflully copy over the entire library. I have tried this twice with the same results.


Any help is appreciated.

Apr 1, 2012 11:07 PM in response to Fieldhouse

That warning means that there is a file or files within the Library package that the Finder can't copy. This might be because the files is locked or damaged. It may be a photo or could be any of the support files.


Download iPhoto Library Manager and use its rebuild function. Rebuild to the new location. 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.

move iphoto library to external drive

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