iLife '11 installed and now iPhoto won't open, "damaged or incomplete".

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Level 1

15 points

iLife '11 installed and now iPhoto won't open, "damaged or incomplete".

I was unable to use iDVD after having Mountain Lion installed. I had an iLife '11 disk and I installed it. I didn't see any changes in the application folder so I used the iLife '11 disk again, found the iDVD application and selectively installed it. Now I have and iPhoto icon with a white circle crossed out and when I try to open iPhoto, I get the message, "You can’t open the application “iPhoto.app” because it may be damaged or incomplete."

I don't know what version of iPhoto I have because there are just two dashes after the "version" when I Right Click and select "Get info" on the iPhoto.app line in Finder.

I have been reading support blogs for hours last night and this morning. I am afraid to try any of the fixes because I have already caused problems for myself and my problem doesn't seem to exactly match anyone elses problem, but seems to be a mixture of more than one problem.

I have a backup harddisk that was set to the time machine before I had my computer repaired. It only backs up to Dec 2, 2013. I have not hooked it up again yet out of fear that it will start backing up and mixing old with new. I had Lion before the repair (new video disk) and when I received the computer, Mountain Lion was installed. This was last week. I specifically asked that Mavericks not be installed because I was reading so much unhappiness with it.

So - any help extremely appreciated. I am frozen.

Posted on Feb 11, 2014 5:22 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Yer_Man

Level 10

162,278 points

Feb 11, 2014 5:31 AM in response to SCSilverfox

You need to reinstall. There is no choice.

Note the instructions below for reinstalling from Disk:

To re-install iPhoto

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

2. Download it from the App Store to reinstall It's on your Purchases List* there.

For older versions that have been installed from Disk you'll need these additional steps:

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.

*Sometimes iPhoto is not visible on the Purchases List. it may be hidden. See this article for details on how to unhide it.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4928

One question often asked: Will I lose my Photos if I reinstall?

iPhoto the application and the iPhoto Library are two different parts of the iPhoto programme. So, reinstalling the app should not affect the Library. BUT you should always have a back up before doing this kind of work. Always.

I specifically asked that Mavericks not be installed because I was reading so much unhappiness with it.

There is much unhappiness with every version of every Os and App everr released - roll back to the release of Mountain Lion and you'll see exactly the same type of commentary. In the main, much of this commentary is useless.

The problems are manifold: for a start, happy people are less likely to review, unhappy people are much more inclined to. That's why we don't have thousands and thousands of posts on this forum from all the people who have no problems saying "look I have no problems". Unhappy people get cross and are more likely to express that anger in negative reviews.

Then what about the reviewer? What is his or her knowledge, experience and skill level? No doubt they are having problems, and real ones, but how do you know if their issues are problems with the app, their own inexperience, third party conflicts and so on. I've seen people on here claim the fact that iPhoto won't edit video is a bug. I've seen hundreds and hundreds of posts from folks on here who are certain they've found a bug, only for their glitch to be resolved. No review is worth anything unless you know something of the reviewer, his or her knowledge and experience.

So frankly, I never bother with those reviews on any such stores, not just iPhoto on the Mac App Store.

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Answer 2

SCSilverfox Author

Level 1

15 points

Feb 11, 2014 6:27 AM in response to Yer_Man

Thank you for the prompt prompt answer. I am late to an appointment. I will report back as soon as I have opportunity to go by your instructions one by one with a calm mind. This afternoon. Thanks again.

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Answer 3

SCSilverfox Author

Level 1

15 points

Feb 11, 2014 1:02 PM in response to Yer_Man

God Bless you and Old Toad. What a mess I made for myself. This worked. It took about 3 hours getting all the extra downloads as well as the originl installation. I wrote a few notes along the way because more was needed and just in case someone else has my same ineptness.

Notes:

The application icon in my Applications Folder would not go into the trash. I opened Finder /Applications and was able to drag the iPhoto.App from there into the Trash.

I tried all the the options for deleting the iPhoto pkg files since my original iPhoto was with Snow Leopard OS X 2009. I didn't know which to start with since my present OS X is Mountain Lion 10.8.5. I finally found the files in option 2c.

I had several instances of iPhoto pkgs and deleted them all.

I installed iPhoto from my iLife '11 disk. I did get the warning notes that the certificate was expired. I had read about this in these support pages and knew to set my date back to before Nov 2011. This was the same case with all the updates that I installed later. After the initial installation, I could not open iPhoto. A popup told me I had to install updates. I clicked on software update button and a page came up that said I could not connect to the APP STORE.

I found an update called iPhoto 9.1 (cannot remember where) and installed that update, fearful because not sure it was the right one. When I clicked on iPhoto I again got an instruction that I may need to reinstall the application, to be sure all updates were installed for the application and for OS X, but there was no button to click for further updates.

I remembered a support blog of Old Toad that gave versions and links to updates. I had copied that, thankfully, so I opened it and installed all those updates, one by one.

What a relief to finally the the normal iPhoto icon and a bigger relief that it open with my photographs. You guys are awesome and I cannot thank you enough.

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