I have lost my iphoto library, it is now just a white package icon

Good point. In my case I'm copying directly from a Mac boot disk in Target Disk mode. So yes it's HFS+.

I'm sure the issue comes down to different users/groups/ACLs and POSIX permissions on the different machines.

I've taken to

sudo chmod <yadda yadda>

and

sudo chgrp <yadda yadda>

to try to force the darn files to behave as I'm actually just trying to migrate them all to my new Mac Mini.

I've also tried using "Path Finder" which has some interesting features for tweaking those interesting bits to help the Finder understand what's going on.

Stranger still is that the Finder sees a grayed out folder, yet in Pathfinder I can see the entire tree of files, and doing a

cd /Volumes/Media/<yadda yadda> 
ls -al

I can see all the files too!

So annoyingly, I'm able to see completely different universes depending on which tool I use to investigate.

I perceive the core issue is this "UTI" which seems to be related to the file "kind". The "kind" is "iPhoto Library" for the correct folders or "package" for the incorrect folders, the "UTI" (according to Path Finder) is something like iphoto.library for the good folders and "package" for the problematic ones.

Furthermore, in some cases these files are showing Zero k and nothing in Package Contents, in Finder even though the files are all there via Path FInder and command line.

I sure would like a "Fix Permissions" for files like there is for apps...

I've got a 2007 iMac with Lion with a 2 Tb drive containing my main user/administrator and a huge Media folder.

Ive got a new Mac Mini OSX server with Mavericks, and two (2) 1Tb drives. The Media folder is 1.2 Tb so that's already a problem for straight migration.

With the iMac in Target Disk mode, using a Firewire 400 to Firewire 800 cable connected directly to my new Mac Mini, I booted the Mini.

Skipping some details about how the first migration failed silently and thus I was surprised when continued with First Time setup, it made me create a new user on my new machine.

So I migrated my User and Apps to the new box, it worked fine.

Using that user, the same one that I used on my old machine I then attempted to copy an 800Gb subdirectory from the 2Tb target disk to the still empty 1Tb second hard disk on the new server.

This is where the problems started. Permissions. X did not copy. (Not Permitted) or something to that effect. Some of my iPhoto Libraries would not copy, some file within the iPhoto Library packages would not copy.

Working ONLY with tools to manipulate permissions (chmod, chgrp, getfileinfo, Path Finder tools, ACL tools in Path Finder), I was able to get the files back in to shape so that certain apps could see and copy files (Path Finder, and cp, and rsync).

I'm not familiar with the launch services database, but does it really have a list of each application and each file that it's supposed to be able to launch? That's what it sounds like you're implying. I suppose I could try what is happening here: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5508791

In any event the fact that the system has put me in a place where the Folder is gray and inaccessible in Finder, Fully visible in Path Finder and command lines, and that it's opaque why there's a difference or why it's suddenly not automatically openable by iPhoto because of the UTI, or the "Kind", means that for any human who get's a little off the migration path, it is NOT easy.

Sure if you've done 100s of migrations, every migration is easy. Not so for for the end user consumer who is perhaps going from a 1Tb HD to a 256 SSD once in five years. How the "average, not migrating hundreds of computers" human could survive it so that they really do end up somehow with an intact system, is baffling really.

Brute force is what its taking me and careful management of millions of files. Not simple. Why is the "expert" belittling the problems that truly exist in my experience? I don't know.

Migration Assistant often doesn't play well with iPhoto libraries. Connect the two Macs again as you did before, Target Disk Mode, and manually copy the library.

You know Old Toad, it does indeed seem like the issue is entirely iPhoto Library related!

Thanks for pointing that out! Of the millions of files I have on the disk, it is the iPhoto Libraries their subfolers which are causing the failures because of permissions.

Everything else is doing pretty well. I just wanted to bulk copy EVERYTHING over to the new drive so that I could (at 100x the processing power of the 2007 Dual Core, and 5x the speed of the disk access) work in the latest iPhoto and clean everything up. I figured it would be easier to copy the files and work that way than continue to work on the old box before migrating.

Annoyingly, Target Disk mode bulk copy is where I ran into permission problems.

I went through the Source disk from my original machine and tried as thoroughly as possible to setup perms and file type/creator ish stuff so that I could copy.

Now I've just wiped the Destination disk and am starting over using CCC. Hopefully that will do the trick since I'm using the OLD box to do the copy, with the NEW box in Target Disk mode.

I love how easy Apple makes it to handle machine to machine transfer (but for this insane permissions stuff).

Hello there, since his problem is close to mine i think you guys might help me.. i accedently deleted my iPhoto library a while ago, and now i'm trying to get it back, i downloaded the iPhoto library manager and found the library in my trash as a white page icon and it's size is 26.80 GB! so i got it out of the trash then tried to open it but it keeps on opening it in something called " Terminal " showing my last log in and my user name ;/ .. please can anyone explain whats wrong and is it possible to get my photos back? 😟

my iPhoto version is 9.2

Mac OS X version 10.7.3

Try adding

.photolibrary

as a file suffix. So that it reads iPhoto Library.photolibrary

Didn't work 😟 , it asked me to choose an application to open it with i chose iPhoto and this is what i got, the loading circle kept spinning

Well it did work in that iPhoto is now trying to open it and not the Terminal.

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 early versions of Library Manager it's the File -> Rebuild command. In later versions it's under the Library menu.)

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

Ok I'll try the first option, but do I have to backup? I don't have an empty external drive right now

If you have to ask 'do I have a back up' then the answer is 99% no, you don't.

Boot into the Recovery volume (boot with the Command + R keys held down) and reinstall the system.

It appears that MacKeeper has damaged your system so a reinstall will get you back to a good system. You will not lose any personal files in the process.

😟 😟 .. ok gonna buy one right now, what do you think about western digital hard disks? are they good enough? any recommendations for a good one?

These are the ones I use. I have had great success with them.

OWC Mercury Elite Pro From: 500GB to 5.0TB USB 3.0 / FireWire 800 / eSATA

Unfortunately I couldn't find it in stores, I might order it soon thank you for your recommendation. I got the WD My Passport Ultra 500GB for now.. 🙂

If you get a WD drive I would repartition it to 1 volume and reformat it before you use it to OS X Extended (journaled) and not install any of the WD software that comes with it. That software is not compatible with Mavericks.