iPhoto backup and external storage

You can archive the older images to the external. But there is no reason not to have the whole library on the external. I have all of mine of externals.

Make sure the drive is formatted Mac OS Extended (Journaled)

1. Quit iPhoto

2. Copy the iPhoto Library from your Pictures Folder to the External Disk.

Now you have two full versions of the Library.

3. On the Internal library, trash the Events you don't want there

Now you have a full copy of the Library on the External and a smaller subset on the Internal

Some Notes:

As a general rule: when deleting photos do them in batches of about 100 at a time. iPhoto can baulk at trashing large numbers at one go.

You can choose which Library to open: Hold down the option (or alt) key key and launch iPhoto. From the resulting menu select 'Choose Library'

• You can keep the Library on the external updated with new imports using iPhoto Library Manager

Hi Terrence,

I have seen you commenting on this issue to various questions. I want to back-up my iPhoto Library to an external drive. So far I have a drive I time machine too and I have copied my library to my work NAS server. I assumed I would be able to use this back up to specifically view my photo's on another device, but reading your threads I wonder if it is formatted correctly, I haven't actually tried to use it since backing up, I will do next. How do I find out how our NAS drive is formatted? (as you can probably tell I am not the technical person who set it up and they have now left our studio).

Any advice appreciated.

Lucy

You can not use your iphoto library on an NAS - it is not even a good idea to store it on a NAS - a NAS is not just a disk but a headless computer system and does not store the library correctly

LN

So I should time machine to my external drive and maybe also copy the iPhoto Library on to it to, so I can start up from it easily should I want to from another device. I guess actually 2 separate drives for each would be better. Any good way to do incremental saves to the iPhoto Library? Mine is 55GB. I do have Cloud storage, but not sure if that should be used for this.

Oh, so sorry and THANK YOU very much for replying!!

You must have two drives - one to run your iphoto library on and a second for your TM backup

And the iphoto library can not be on a NAS

LN

LN,

Can I use the same external drive to time machine my laptop and my desktop? i.e. will it create two folders of back-ups (a folder for each device) or do they need to be separate?

You can partition the drive, so that it reads as two drives to the Finder.

http://arstechnica.com/apple/2014/06/how-to-create-a-test-partition-for-the-os-x -yosemite-beta/

I recently moved a good bit of my photos to an external drive but I am having trouble using my pictures from my external drive. When I choose the library from the external drive I get these choices: Connect a camera or memory card; Drag photos into iPhoto; or Choose file> Import to Library. If I choose to Import will my pictures then be put back on my computer? What is the right choice here. Thanks. Brian

I recently moved a good bit of my photos to an external drive

How exactly did you "Move a good bit of you photos"? the iphoto library mot ever be modified - it is a single entity and must always be kept intact

the directions you were given for moving you library moved it all

You can archive the older images to the external. But there is no reason not to have the whole library on the external. I have all of mine of externals.

Make sure the drive is formatted Mac OS Extended (Journaled)

1. Quit iPhoto

2. Copy the iPhoto Library from your Pictures Folder to the External Disk.

Now you have two full versions of the Library.

3. On the Internal library, trash the Events you don't want there

Now you have a full copy of the Library on the External and a smaller subset on the Internal

Some Notes:

As a general rule: when deleting photos do them in batches of about 100 at a time. iPhoto can baulk at trashing large numbers at one go.

You can choose which Library to open: Hold down the option (or alt) key key and launch iPhoto. From the resulting menu select 'Choose Library'

You can keep the Library on the external updated with new imports using iPhoto Library Manager

LN

Hi Larry, You are right. I did move my entire library, all 125gb. So, now how do I see it? Do I choose the option to Import, (when I choose the library from the external drive I get these choices: Connect a camera or memory card; Drag photos into iPhoto; or Choose file> Import to Library) because that is the only option that allows me to go further. If I do this, aren't I just putting the pictures back on my hard drive? Any help you can give is appreciated.

So, nothing from anyone in the Apple community? Looking at all the different post about Yosemite, Apple clearly has a problem with the OS functioning properly on all the application, especially iPhoto. We, the non-techies, buy Apples for their simplicity and functionality. Nothing about Yosemite and iPhoto is simple or functional. Apple should publicly let us all know when they have fixed all the bugs with Yosemite, and in the future only release something when it is fully ready.

Signed an unhappy customer,

Brian McNally

Dear unhappy customer

Perhaps you misunderstand what this forum is and who posts here. Let me explain it to you, The people who respond here are all volunteers, people who give of their own time and knowledge, such as it is. They don't work for Apple. They are not paid by Apple or anyone else. This is all explained in the terms you agreed to when you signed up. So, sorry if they don't respond on whatever imaginary schedule is in your head. But don't be an unhappy customer with a somewhat grand sense of entitlement to other people's time and efforts. Stop being lazy and try a little yourself. You know, this question has been answered on this forum - quite literally - thousands of times. It's even mentioned in this very thread. Twice. There is a search function, you know. Use it.

Make yourself happy.

Can I use the same external drive to time machine my laptop and my desktop?

Yes. See this tutorial: Can I back up 2 or more Macs to the same external HD?