Need Help! Unable to open files from external hard drive in iMovie

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Need Help! Unable to open files from external hard drive in iMovie

Help! My hard drive is totally full so I am trying to pull video off and put it onto an external drive. I have two external drives - one Western Digital and one Toshiba. Both are formatted for Mac Extended (Journaled) --not that I know what that means, I've just gathered that's what they're supposed to be from reading these great forums.

The files are showing up in the external drives but they will NOT OPEN in iMovie. It acts like it's going to open but then nothing. Some of them will open in QuickTime Player and the majority will (act like they are going to) open in iMovie, but then once iMovie starts, there is nothing there. I am so scared to delete them off my computer until I know for sure they will be retrievable from at least one of the external drives.

Desperate for answers at this point. I've had two appointments with the Genius bar with other problems getting to this point. Now I'm stuck again. Thank you so much for any help or suggestions!!

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Jan 2, 2013 9:51 PM

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Answer 1

knox1011 Author

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Jan 2, 2013 10:09 PM in response to knox1011

Just wanted to add that I am using iMovie '11 if that makes a difference. Thank you!

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Answer 2

Sopjai

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Jan 3, 2013 6:29 AM in response to knox1011

Did you move the files within iMovie? If you used finder it will lose track of them, so move them back where they came from (with Imovie closed), when you open imovie it should find the files where it last thought they were. If that works, then move them again from inside iMovie events browser.

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Answer 3

knox1011 Author

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Jan 3, 2013 7:26 AM in response to Sopjai

Thank you for the suggestion. I was moving them in Finder, (just as the Genius showed me but obviously he wasn't quite a genius after all!) 🙂 However, even after moving a file onto the external drive within iMovie like you suggested, it's still not working. Trying to open the files from the external drive, they will only open in QuickTime Player, and also only as individual clips. Any other suggestions would be very much welcomed!

Thank you.

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Answer 4

Jan 3, 2013 7:38 AM in response to knox1011

Here are instructions on how to move the files.

https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-4141

iMovie will only see them if they are in the iMovie Events folder at the top level of the drive. If you move them using iMovie, they will automatically be put there.

To see all your drives, in iMovie, click VIEW/GROUP EVENTS BY DISK

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Answer 5

knox1011 Author

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Jan 3, 2013 8:46 AM in response to AppleMan1958

I am thankful for your help but I beg you to forgive my ignorance! I am still having trouble moving the files. I've read over the instructions 10 times. What I can't seem to figure out is how to select "Copy project” or “Copy project and Events.” I just don't see where that is. I drag and click, while holding the Command key, but then it starts to copy the event into the external drive w/out ever giving the option of Copy Project or Copy Project & Events. Please let me know what I'm doing wrong. I feel so silly. Thank You!!

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Answer 6

Jan 3, 2013 8:59 AM in response to knox1011

I think if you do a plain old drag, it will copy. If you hold the Command key while you drag, it will move.

If you are moving Events, you do not get that option. You only get the option you are describing if you move or copy a project. It will then offer to move the associated events.

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Answer 7

knox1011 Author

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Jan 3, 2013 10:16 AM in response to AppleMan1958

I am about to throw in the towel. Now all of my iMovie projects are gone. I have no idea how or where. Just gone. Says there are 0 projects. I was going to ask about how to move all of the footage that I haven't yet made into projects yet, but that seems like putting the cart before the horse now that I can't locate any of the projects. I think I probably need to go back into the store for another appointment. I don't know what a seemingly simple action is causing so much frustration.

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