Iphoto stuck updating thumbnails

I have created a new library but I can't import anything from my original library as there's no picture files on there but there's 31.3 GB space being taken up. I looked in the library's database file and I see a lot of files but there are no photos.

I guess I should just dump the original and import from my backup. Is this what your're suggesting. Do you know why when I tried importing whole batch from back up but then got a message saying there's not enough space to finish import?

Did you look in the Master's folder of the problem library to see if the subfolders contained your image files?

The Master file named "Originals" have several subfiles but they have no photos/files in them.

That's not good news. 😟 Check the contents and size of the folder named iPod Photo Cache. If you've done a lot of syncing to an iPod, iPad or iPhone it can get large and that may answer the size question.

iPod Photo Cache is 0. The file that says "Database" says there's over 30 GB in it but the files are just docs and there are no pics.

I hope you can tell me it's good news I have all my photos backed up in my eternal HD! I need some reassurance that everything's going to be fine : )

I hope also dumping this old rebuilt library into trash and emptying some of it didn't do any harm and that if I just do it again and wait until trash is emptied, I can start over with the new library I already created and continue to import pics from my external HD back on my computer. What do you think?

No, if the Masters/Originals folder does not contain any image files then they are gone. You can verify that by downloading Find Any File and using it to search for ".jpg". That will find every jpg file on your hard drive. You can then check to see if there's any in the library or a hidden library.

Be warned that it will find and list every jpg file on the hard drive, even those in applications and the system folders and packages. It can add up to quite a few.

Can I safely assume the pics are gone, just dump old library and start over by importing photos from external HD? My photos are safely stored on external HD as I imported a few from external and they are now in the new iphoto library I created.

they are now in the new iphoto library I created

Then just copy that library to your Pictures folder to replace the damaged library. No need to go thru importing if there are already in a working library.

I only imported a few so I'll finish importing photos and dump corrupt old rebuilt library into trash and free up more space. THANKS for staying with me on this issue. Peace!

same

This process worked for me. I had to go for the "Rebuild database" option (iPhoto had already tried to do "Repair" of its own accord) and it worked fine.

What I find extraordinary is that there appears to be nowhere in any Apple help that I can find that this "Command Option Click" method is documented. But I guess that's Apple for you.

So many thanks to Old Toad for posting.

It's in Apple's Help/Troubleshooting section as rebuilding thumbnails. Rather hidden but once found is there. 😟

I'm sorry to sound stupid, but how do you go to Apple's Help/Troubleshooting section? I'm on OS X 10.7.5, and my Help Center screen is shown below - searching for "Troubleshooting" or "thumbnails" doesn't yield anything, nor does clicking on any of the links I've tried from this screen.

Use the Help/Keyboard Shortcuts menu option. At the bottom of the list is Troubleshooting:

As I said, Apple has done a good job of hiding it.