How to transfer iPhoto libraries to an external hard drive.

Since your drive is already formatted for mac, there is not much you need to do. A photo library needs to be on drive formatted MacOS Extended, as described here in this link:

Format external drives to Mac OS Extended before using with Aperture

Connect your drive to the computer, so it will show as icon on the Desktop, and than drag the iPhoto library over to the icon of the drive.

Are all your iPhoto libraries of the same version? I'd repair the permissions and the libraries, before moving them to the drive. After repairing the copying will be safer.

To launch into the First Aid Tools to access the Library First Aid panel launch iPhoto with the Command+Option keys held down. Keep holding down the keys, until you are seeing the panel.

1 - verify the format of the external drive - "for a Mac" is not a format - for the iPhoto library it must be Mac OS extended (journaled)

2 - to move the libraries

Moving the iPhoto library is safe and simple - quit iPhoto and drag the iPhoto library intact as a single entity to the external drive - depress the option key and launch iPhoto using the "select library" option to point to the new location on the external drive - fully test it and then trash the old library on the internal drive (test one more time prior to emptying the trash)

And be sure that the External drive is formatted Mac OS extended (journaled) (iPhoto does not work with drives with other formats) and that it is always available prior to launching iPhoto

And backup soon and often - having your iPhoto library on an external drive is not a backup and if you are using Time Machine you need to check and be sure that TM is backing up your external drive

3 - note that the older Photo can not access the library of the newer iPhoto - and if you open the older library with the newer iPhoto it will be updated and will no longer be able to be used by the old iPhoto

4 - to combine iPhoto libraries you need the paid version of iPhoto Library Manager - http://www.fatcatsoftware.com/iplm/ - or the latest version of iPhoto and of Aperture

LN

The error message you are showing, looks like the error message from iPhoto LIbrary Upgrader, not iPhoto Library Manager. Are you sure, you have been running the correct program?

The upgrader is a tool to upgrade iPhoto 7 libraries to newer versions. When it runs, you need to direct it to the library that you want to upgrade using the "Choose Library" button in the lower left corner of the panel. By default it wil try to upgrade the current library, and that usually does not need upgrading. See: iPhoto '11: About the Library Upgrader

You will need to run the upgrader only, if your library is from version iPhoto '08 (v7.x) or older.

I downloaded the iPhoto Library Upgrader, on my imac running 7.x, but it says

You need to run the Upgrader on the Mac with the newest iPhoto.

Then I transfered the file to my Macbook running iPhoto 9.x and before opening it, I ran iPhoto Library Upgrader again, but got the same message.

Because of the same message your library has not been upgraded. Did you select the transferred library by pressing "Choose Library" in the lower left corner of the upgrader panel?

I'm having a similar issue. I'm trying to ultimately get all my photos backed up on an external. I'm first trying to import my iphoto '09 (v.8.1.2) library into Aperture 3 (v.3.4.5). I'm getting the following message:

Do I have to purchase iphoto '11 in order to import my iphoto library to aperture? I only use Aperture now and would prefer not to purchase iphoto '11 if I don't have to. Is there another way to upgrade to 9.4? Looks like iPhoto Library Upgrader is not what I want.

Thanks!

Do I have to purchase iphoto '11 in order to import my iphoto library to aperture? I only use Aperture now and would prefer not to purchase iphoto '11 if I don't have to. Is there another way to upgrade to 9.4? Looks like iPhoto Library Upgrader is not what I want.

If you want to merge it into your Aperture library as library, yes. You need have an iPhoto version that is compatible with the unified library format:

See these documents:

Aperture 3.3: Using a unified photo library with iPhoto and Aperture

Aperture 3.3: How to use Aperture to merge iPhoto libraries

I installed iPhoto Library Upgrader on both machines

Yes, I chose the transfered library by pressing "Choose Library".

You only need the iPhoto Library upgrader, if you want to open the library in the current version, iPhoto '11. If your current version is iPhoto '09, as you are saying, you do not need it. But for a new Mac with iPhoto '11 you will need to upgrade any iPhoto'07 libraries.

. I opened iPhoto and "switched to" the imported library. It opens but there are no files in it. I know the original file that was transfered is 50G.

Your screenshot is showing an empty, new iPhoto library. And that iPhoto Library simply cannot be an iPhoto '09 library. Just look at the icons in the library source list. These gray icons have been introduced with iPhoto '11, version 9.3 or later. We need to get the version numbers straight. When iPhoto is running on your MacBook, is the Dock icon blue/cyan or sunset-coloured? What version number are you seeing in the About panel "iPhoto > About iPhoto"?

If you are really runnin iPhoto '11, try to open your transferred library by selecting it directly and double clicking it.

Do you by any chance have two iPhoto versions on your MacBook?

I hope, LarryHN is still following this thread and can help, with getting the versions sorted . I have only the most recent iPhoto '11, version 9.5.1 available for testing.

That is really confusing. An iPhoto 7.1.5 library needs to be upgraded with iPhoto Library Upgrader to be opened with iPhoto 9.5.1.

I still have the library on my iMac, maybe I should delete the library from my external Hard drive and macbook and try again? Unless you have other advice.

Yes, copy the library again to your external HD.

Then connect the HD to your macbook and run the upgrader. Then try to open the library in 9.5.1