Import Preparing to import... hangs

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Import Preparing to import... hangs

I am using iPhoto 9.4.2 under Mountain Lion 10.8.2. I am unable to import photos into my iPhoto library anymore. This happens both with photos already on my disk and photos from web pages.

After I start to import, iPhoto hangs with "Import Preparing to import..." in the top of the iPhoto window.

I have used all 4 steps in Photo Library First Aid (including Rebuild Database) without resolving the problem.

I tried using iPhoto Library Manager to rebuild the library, but this app launches iPhoto and starts an Import which hangs (I left it alone for several hours without any progress shown for importing events).

My iPhoto Library is 11GB in size. I have 22.5GB free on my boot drive. My iMac has 8GB of RAM.

iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.7)

Posted on Dec 8, 2012 11:20 AM

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Answer 1

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Old Toad

Level 10

207,367 points

Dec 8, 2012 11:28 AM in response to RaiderJim

Try this: launch iPhoto with the Option key held down and create a new, test library. Import some photos and check to see if the same problem persists. If it does log into another user account and try iPhoto there. If that also fails then it's a problem with the application and it should be reninstalled. To do so you'll have to delete the current application and all files with "iPhoto" in the file name with either a .PKG or .BOM extension that reside in the:

HD/Library/Receipts folder (10.5 and earlier)

or from the /var/db/receipts/ folder (10.6) .

or from the /private/var/db/receipts folder (10.7 or later)

Then install iPhoto from the source it came from originally.

OT

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Answer 2

RaiderJim Author

Level 1

18 points

Dec 8, 2012 7:46 PM in response to Old Toad

I tried a new test library, a new user account, and a complete reinstallation of iPhoto 9.4.2. All of these steps failed to resolve the import hanging problem.

I thought that changing my e-mail account from me.com to icloud.com might have messed up something so I changed the account back to me.com, but this did not resolve the problem.

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Answer 3

Old Toad

Level 10

207,367 points

Dec 9, 2012 8:23 AM in response to RaiderJim

Book into Mac OS X: Starting up in Safe Mode and see if iPhoto works there. It if does then there's a system component that causing the problem, possibly damaged. A long shot but any port in a storm.

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Answer 4

RaiderJim Author

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18 points

Dec 9, 2012 11:38 AM in response to Old Toad

Yes, iPhoto import worked in Safe Mode.

I also noticed in the finder (safe and regular mode) that a right-click on a file and selecting Copy "filename" is not working anymore.

There must be something wrong with my system. Maybe I should try to reinstall Mountain Lion from the App Store.

Thanks!

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Answer 5

Old Toad

Level 10

207,367 points

Dec 10, 2012 9:12 AM in response to RaiderJim

It's beginning to look like a reinstall of the system is in order. This Apple document describes reinstalling Mt. Lion: OS X: About OS X Recovery. Be sure you have a backup of your drive so that you don't lose any documents.

This MacWorld webpage also describes the process: Hands on with Mountain Lion's OS X Recovery and Internet Recovery | Macworld

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Answer 6

RaiderJim Author

Level 1

18 points

Dec 10, 2012 10:31 AM in response to Old Toad

I did the reinstall yesterday using the OS X Recovery process that I discovered in the OS X online help.

The Import process in iPhoto is now working again.

Thanks!

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