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All photos prior to early August 2014 have disappeared. Rebuild and iPhoto manager don't seem to get them back. Could I use time Machine to restore? If so, how's it done?
Mail-OTHER, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2)
Hi Terence, thanks for the reply.
I think you've helped me with this sort of problem before.
I have iPhoto '09 version 8.1.2 (424).
I'd found the page you pointed me to, but can't get far with it. I close iPhoto as the first step. The next step is ok since my Time Machine drive is always connected. Then I try to carry out the next step: "In the Finder, open the folder containing your iPhoto Library. Unless you've moved your iPhoto Library, it can be found in Home/Pictures/iPhoto Library. as the first step, but then searching for iPhoto Library"
Finder only finds files on the time machine drive - there doesn't appear to be one on my iMac. If I eject the Time Machine drive and search for 'iPhoto Library' it finds iPhoto Library manager. If I open that I get this message: "iPhoto Library Manager was unable to open the library “iPhoto Library” The file does not exist."
Best,
John.
Then I try to carry out the next step: "In the Finder, open the folder containing your iPhoto Library. Unless you've moved your iPhoto Library, it can be found in Home/Pictures/iPhoto Library. as the first step, but then searching for iPhoto Library"
Select your "Pictures" folder and open it in the Finder, even if it does not contain an iPhoto library.
Then proceed with step 4 and enter Time Machine, with your Pictures folder as the front most window. If you go back in time along the TimeLine at the right margin of the TimeTunnel, does there appear an iPhoto Library in the Pictures folder?
Or did you never keep your iPhoto Library in that folder?
Lieber Léonie!
Thanks for your help.
I did what you recommended and have had partial success.
iPhoto now shows the names of the lost items. However, some have no thumbnails and no pictures that will display, others have thumbnails but no pictures while others have both thumbnails and pictures.
They were taken by different cameras, so perhaps this is part of the problem?
Ciao,
Japick.
I did what you recommended and have had partial success.
Are you now seeing photos prior to early August 2014?
However, some have no thumbnails and no pictures that will display, others have thumbnails but no pictures while others have both thumbnails and pictures.
It looks like still the connection between the originals and thumbnails were lost.
After restoring the older version of your iPhoto library from Time Machine, have you tried again to rebuild this version with the First Aid Tools and iPhoto Library Manager?
I'd try first to repair the permissions, then the thumbnails, and then a full rebuild, if still necessary.
Thanks for the further help. I'll tryit.
*J
Dear Leonie,
I have now tried a variety of ways to recover this library, including your suggestions and those from Apple.
Some of the original library has been restored, but problems still remain.
The original set of event titles are visible, but thumbnails are not shown for some. Some show thumbnails, but the photos cannot be seen.
*J
Back up your iPhoto library, Depress and hold the option (alt) and command keys and launch iPhoto - from the resulting first aid window repair permissions and if necessary rebuild thumbnails and rebuild your database
LN
Hi LarryHN,
I've already tried this and the problems remain.
Thanks anyway,
*J
You can give this a try. It will produce a new library with all photos that are in your Masters folder. Then you can compare them with what you have and see if you want to continue with the new library or not.
Starting over from scratch with new library
Start over with a new library and import the Originals (iPhoto 09 and earlier) or the Masters (iPhoto 11) folder from your original library as follows:
1. Open the library package like this.
2. Launch iPhoto with the Option key held down and, when asked, select the option to create a new library.
3. Drag the subfolders of the Originals (iPhoto 09 and earlier) or the Masters (iPhoto 11) folder from the open iPhoto Library package into the open iPhoto window a few at a time.
This will create a new library with the same Events (but not necessarily the same Event names) as the original library but will not keep the metadata, albums, books slideshows and other projects.
Note: your current library will be left untouched for further attempts at a fix if so desired.
Help! All photos prior to a date have disappeared.
