iPhoto won't open. Says CAUTIONThe iPhoto library is a Time Machine backup, and so cannot be used as the main library. Reopen iPhoto with the Option key held down to choose another library.

Question

iPhoto won't open. Says CAUTIONThe iPhoto library is a Time Machine backup, and so cannot be used as the main library. Reopen iPhoto with the Option key held down to choose another library.

I tries to verify that my photos were being backed up on Time Machine to an external harddrive, because I would like to delete my Camera Roll on my iPhone. I was not able to view any photos in my backed up photo library, after entering Time machine. Now, I can't even open iPhoto on my iMac with the pop up box warning me that the library is a Time machine backup....which it shouldn't be, because I'm openning iPhoto on my Mac...NOT the external HD.

What happened, and how do I access my photos?

iMac, Mac OS X (10.7.2), Brother MFC-J615w printer

Posted on Feb 11, 2013 9:38 AM

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Answer 1

Old Toad

Level 10

207,439 points

Feb 11, 2013 9:58 AM in response to brucefrombelle mead

It sounds like you went into the Time Machine hard drive, found a library and "dragged" it to your Pictures folder or wherever on your hard drive. That's not the way to do it.

Go to your Pictures folder and enter Time Machine via the TM menu in the menu bar:

Then follow the instructions in this screenshot:

OT

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Answer 2

Feb 11, 2013 10:13 AM in response to Old Toad

Thanks OT for taking a stab at it, but; Nope, I did no dragging. Only tried to OPEN the photo library; First by looking directly into the HD, and secondly by entering Time Machine. That's when I first saw the spinning wheel and popup CAUTION. After closing TM, and attempting to open iPhoto from my Dock, I still got the same CAUTION that the library is a backup, blah, blah blah....spinning wheel, and the only option was to QUIT iPhoto. Therefore I can not access photos.

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Answer 3

Feb 11, 2013 11:35 AM in response to Old Toad

Can't explain it, but after doing nothing differently ( as far as I know), I now can see photos via TM or by opening the HD photo library. This, however, does NOT give me great confidence that my backup is safe and accessible, so deleting photos from my iPhone ( aka emergency backup) will still be anxiety-prone. :/

😕

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Answer 4

rachpivo

Level 1

0 points

Apr 28, 2015 10:09 AM in response to Old Toad

If I don't want to restore, but simply view the photos that were backed up to an external hard drive, via iPhoto, how do I do this?

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Answer 5

Old Toad

Level 10

207,439 points

Apr 28, 2015 11:00 AM in response to rachpivo

but simply view the photos that were backed up to an external hard drive,

What was backed up to the EHD, the iPhoto Library or just image files? If it was the former launch iPhoto with the Option key held down and select the library on the EHD from the window that appears:

If they are just image files then you'll need a 3rd party image browser or import them into iPhoto and view them within iPhoto.

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Answer 6

rachpivo

Level 1

0 points

Apr 28, 2015 11:11 AM in response to Old Toad

The whole iPhoto library was backed up. However when I launch iPhoto with the option key held down, I don't have the option of selecting my EHD, literally nothing shows up on that box.

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Answer 7

Old Toad

Level 10

207,439 points

Apr 28, 2015 11:41 AM in response to rachpivo

You can't do what you want. The copies of the iPhoto library that Time Machine creates are only for restoring. You can restore the library to the Desktop (if you have enough room) and open it with IPhoto to view the photos. Then when you're done delete it from the Desktop.

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