elzi22

Q: iPhoto backup and external storage

I have run out of disc space on my macbook. It is full of photos. Everything is backed up with time machine, but I am going to buy another external HD to store all the old photos. I know I can just copy the whole iPhoto library to the HD, but is there a better way? Perhaps an app that will allow my to incrementally add any new photos, but not try to be an exact copy of the macbook (which will have the older photos deleted). Or should I just start to use iPhoto from an externally stored library (this makes me nervous, and obviously I will need to change Time Machine settings). What is the best system? Many thanks.

iPhoto '11, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Jul 25, 2014 6:12 AM

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Q: iPhoto backup and external storage

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  • by Terence Devlin,

    Terence Devlin Terence Devlin Jul 25, 2014 6:35 AM in response to elzi22
    Level 10 (139,597 points)
    iLife
    Jul 25, 2014 6:35 AM in response to elzi22

    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'

     

  • by elzi22,

    elzi22 elzi22 Jul 25, 2014 8:11 AM in response to Terence Devlin
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 25, 2014 8:11 AM in response to Terence Devlin

    Thanks so much Terence! I didn't know about iPhoto Library Manager. Great advice re batch trashing too. Problem solved and concerns abated.

  • by studiotwo,

    studiotwo studiotwo Jan 21, 2015 8:14 AM in response to Terence Devlin
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 21, 2015 8:14 AM in response to Terence Devlin

    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

  • by LarryHN,

    LarryHN LarryHN Jan 21, 2015 8:27 AM in response to studiotwo
    Level 10 (85,648 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Jan 21, 2015 8:27 AM in response to studiotwo

    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

  • by studiotwo,

    studiotwo studiotwo Jan 21, 2015 10:32 AM in response to LarryHN
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 21, 2015 10:32 AM in response to LarryHN

    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.

  • by studiotwo,

    studiotwo studiotwo Jan 21, 2015 10:32 AM in response to studiotwo
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 21, 2015 10:32 AM in response to studiotwo

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

  • by LarryHN,

    LarryHN LarryHN Jan 21, 2015 10:45 AM in response to studiotwo
    Level 10 (85,648 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Jan 21, 2015 10:45 AM in response to studiotwo

    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

  • by studiotwo,

    studiotwo studiotwo Jan 21, 2015 1:43 PM in response to LarryHN
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 21, 2015 1:43 PM in response to LarryHN

    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?

  • by Terence Devlin,

    Terence Devlin Terence Devlin Jan 21, 2015 3:30 PM in response to studiotwo
    Level 10 (139,597 points)
    iLife
    Jan 21, 2015 3:30 PM in response to studiotwo

    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/

  • by bmac1359,

    bmac1359 bmac1359 Jan 21, 2015 4:17 PM in response to Terence Devlin
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 21, 2015 4:17 PM in response to Terence Devlin

    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

  • by LarryHN,

    LarryHN LarryHN Jan 21, 2015 4:42 PM in response to bmac1359
    Level 10 (85,648 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Jan 21, 2015 4:42 PM in response to bmac1359
    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'

     

    LN

  • by bmac1359,

    bmac1359 bmac1359 Jan 21, 2015 5:35 PM in response to LarryHN
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 21, 2015 5:35 PM in response to LarryHN

    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.

  • by bmac1359,

    bmac1359 bmac1359 Jan 21, 2015 7:13 PM in response to bmac1359
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 21, 2015 7:13 PM in response to bmac1359

    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  

  • by Terence Devlin,

    Terence Devlin Terence Devlin Jan 21, 2015 10:26 PM in response to bmac1359
    Level 10 (139,597 points)
    iLife
    Jan 21, 2015 10:26 PM in response to bmac1359

    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.

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