My iPhoto won't open

As a Test:

Hold down the option (or alt) key and launch iPhoto. From the resulting menu select 'Create Library'

Import a few pics into this new, blank library. Is the Problem repeated there?

its letting me download photos and open them in the the new blank library but now i still cant get into my old one can you help at all?

Back to the original library:

Option 1

Back Up and try rebuild the library: hold down the command and option (or alt) keys while launching iPhoto. Use the resulting dialogue to rebuild. Choose to Repair Database. If that doesn't help, then try again, this time using Rebuild Database.

If that fails:

Option 2

Download iPhoto Library Manager and use its rebuild function. (In Library Manager it's the FIle -> Rebuild command)

This will create an entirely new library. It will then copy (or try to) your photos and all the associated metadata and versions to this new Library, and arrange it as close as it can to what you had in the damaged Library. It does this based on information it finds in the iPhoto sharing mechanism - but that means that things not shared won't be there, so no slideshows, books or calendars, for instance - but it should get all your events, albums and keywords, faces and places 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.

Regards

TD

What do you do if nothing happens when you hold down command+option when launching iPhoto? I'm getting the same freezing behaviour as if I just open it normally, so no options to repair or rebuild. I've tried holding down the option+command keys until a dialogue window pops up but after a couple of minutes I've assumed it's not going to.

Depress the keys and launch iPhoto. Keep them depressed until the menu shows up.

I've done that and held them down for over 5 minutes. Surely you don't have to hold them down longer than that?

As a Test:

Hold down the option (or alt) key and launch iPhoto. From the resulting menu select 'Create Library'

Import a few pics into this new, blank library. Is the Problem repeated there?

I was able to get the dialogue asking whether I wanted to create a new library, I did that but then it froze up again; wasn't able to import any pics.

Another test:

Create a new account (systempreferences -> accounts or Users & Groups on 10.7 and 10.8), make a new Library in that account, import some shots and see if the problem is repeated there. If it is, then a re-install of the app might be indicated. If it's not, then it's likely the app is okay and the problem is something in the main account.

Tried that, and got the same freezing behaviour as on my main account. So it looks like there's something up with the app. To reinstall it, do I need to delete it first and then reinstall via the App Store?

To re-install iPhoto

1. Put the iPhoto.app in the trash (Drag it from your Applications Folder to the trash)

2a: On 10.5: Go to HD/Library/Receipts and remove any pkg file there with iPhoto in the name.

2b: On 10.6: Those receipts may be found as follows: In the Finder use the Go menu and select Go To Folder. In the resulting window type

/var/db/receipts/

2c: on 10.7 or later they're at

/private/var/db/receipts

A Finder Window will open at that location and you can remove the iPhoto pkg files.

3. Re-install.

If you purchased an iLife Disk, then iPhoto is on it.

If iPhoto was installed on your Mac when you go it then it’s on the System Restore disks that came with your Mac. Insert the first one and opt to ‘Install Bundled Applications Only.

If you purchased it on the App Store or have a Recent Mac you can find it in your Purchases List.

Looks like uninstalling and reinstalling has done the trick. Thanks very much for your help. 🙂

Thanks for this recommendation, Terence Devlin!!!

"Option 2 - Download iPhoto Library Manager and use its rebuild function" worked wonderfully for my issues getting iPhoto to open.

I am following this thread and trying to get iphoto to open.

I am concerned that if I unistall and then install again I will loose all of my photos that I have stored in iphoto

1 - typically uninstalling and reinstalling the iPhoto application is not the solution - only in extremely rare cased is it

2 - uninstalling and reinstalling the application will not affect yoru photos - unless something goes wrong - which is why you must alwasy have a backup expecially when upgrading or installing

3 - unless you have a good backup (I do two daily) you are 100% guarenteed to lose your photos (and other files) some day - bad things happen

4 - if you want help rather than try random low probability fixes start a thread and include your details - software versions - symptons - recent changes - etc

LN