HT201769: iPhoto 6 and later: Rebuilding the iPhoto library

Learn about iPhoto 6 and later: Rebuilding the iPhoto library
AbbyySK
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: Restoring the lost photos.

I imported new photos in iPhoto app on my Mac Air and after I unplugged the usb cord, the photos disappeared. It asked for a new library. I didnt save the photos in a folder but instead copied them directly to iPhoto. I lost all the pictures I saved in iPhoto even before I could back up. Those were my old pictures and really need them back. Can anyone tell me how I can retrieve those photos?

Please help, I really need those pictures back.

MacBook Air, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.5)

Posted on Sep 30, 2013 10:38 AM

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AbbyySK

Q: Restoring the lost photos.

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  • by Terence Devlin,

    Terence Devlin Terence Devlin Sep 30, 2013 10:42 AM in response to AbbyySK
    Level 10 (139,490 points)
    iLife
    Sep 30, 2013 10:42 AM in response to AbbyySK

    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

  • by AbbyySK,

    AbbyySK AbbyySK Sep 30, 2013 11:05 AM in response to Terence Devlin
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 30, 2013 11:05 AM in response to Terence Devlin

    I tried both the options that you mentioned but it didnt work. Thanks anyway.

  • by LarryHN,

    LarryHN LarryHN Sep 30, 2013 11:15 AM in response to AbbyySK
    Level 10 (84,239 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Sep 30, 2013 11:15 AM in response to AbbyySK

    What were you downloading from? A camera? If so then Media Recover probably can recover them on your memoyur card

     

    a best practice to is to never have any computer program (including iPhoto) delete the photos from the card but to import the photos and keep them and then after at least one successful backup cycle has completed and then reformat the card --  I use three very large (32 GB) cards in rotation so I do not reformat for typically a year or more giving me one more long term backup of my photos

     

    LN