HT201639: Using Disk Utility to verify or repair disks

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rpound
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: iPhoto immediately loses my imports

I've checked several feeds but am not finding this particular issue. I'm running Yosemite 10.10.1 and iPhoto 9.6, using a lacie drive connected to time capsule (and sometimes directly via usb) to hold the library. The last two imports I've done from iPhones (4S) have gone missing. Everything acts normal, iPhoto states that the import is complete and then the thumbnails begin to vanish. They never seem to make it into the 'masters' folder and I'm now noticing more photos from this past year disappearing. I only recently noticed that this drive has not been getting backed up, so I'm wondering the missing photos are lost for good and why I can't seem to safely import new ones.

 

Thanks,

MacBook Pro, OS X Yosemite (10.10.1)

Posted on Dec 14, 2014 8:15 PM

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rpound

Q: iPhoto immediately loses my imports

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  • Helpful answers

  • by LarryHN,

    LarryHN LarryHN Dec 14, 2014 9:04 PM in response to rpound
    Level 10 (84,056 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Dec 14, 2014 9:04 PM in response to rpound

    Several things

     

    1 - what format is the LaCie drive? Fo rt. iPhoto library  it must be formatted Mac OS extended (journaled)

     

    2 - for the iPhoto lbrary the EHD must be directly connected to the Mac - it can not be networked or hung off a TC

     

    3 - I do not believe that Time Machine can backup a drive attached to the backup drive (the TC)

     

    You need to have a properly formatted EHD directly attached to your Mac using a fast wired connection - and you need to verify in the TM preferences that it is not excluded from backups

     

    LN

  • by rpound,

    rpound rpound Dec 14, 2014 9:32 PM in response to LarryHN
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 14, 2014 9:32 PM in response to LarryHN

    Thanks Larry - The drive is properly formatted and seems to be working fine. This issue has happened while directly connected.

     

    When trying to import while connected to the TC, I've been getting error messages stating that the import could not complete because of file issues. I was thinking that the wifi was dropping connectivity, so I plugged in directly. Import seems to go smoothly, then the thumbnails immediately vanish.

     

    Not sure how to check whether backups of this drive have been working while connected to TC.

     

    Probably worth noting that this mac is about a year old, and I had initially had the library on it's hard drive. I later migrated to this secondary drive and added a bunch of pics from another hard drive. The files that are vanishing date back to around the first imports using this mac, and all files migrated from separate hard drive seem to be remaining in tact.

  • by LarryHN,Helpful

    LarryHN LarryHN Dec 14, 2014 10:22 PM in response to rpound
    Level 10 (84,056 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Dec 14, 2014 10:22 PM in response to rpound

    Only using the drive while it is directly connected (never over WiFi or on a network) 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 your database

     

    LN

  • by rpound,

    rpound rpound Dec 17, 2014 10:25 PM in response to LarryHN
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 17, 2014 10:25 PM in response to LarryHN

    Thanks for the quick responses and advice. I backed up the library, tried repairing permissions, repairing the database and even rebuilding the database, but the images have not returned. It seems to be entire events that are missing as well as recent imports. By 'missing' I should clarify that they temporarily show up as thumbnails, then disappear as you scroll through offering up 'error' messages when clicked.

     

    I haven't deleted the most recently imported pics from my phone yet and when connected it alerts me that the images have already been imported, offering a glimmer of hope that images can still be retrieved. One other bright spot is that new pics imported from the phone seem to have been saved w/o issue, so moving fwd I may be able to rely on it.

     

    Any ideas on retrieving the missing events are still appreciated. Thx again

  • by LarryHN,

    LarryHN LarryHN Dec 17, 2014 10:28 PM in response to rpound
    Level 10 (84,056 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Dec 17, 2014 10:28 PM in response to rpound

    Remember we can not see your computer

     

    what is the exact error message you get?

     

    then disappear as you scroll through offering up 'error' messages when clicked.

    LN

  • by rpound,

    rpound rpound Dec 17, 2014 11:05 PM in response to LarryHN
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 17, 2014 11:05 PM in response to LarryHN

    Wow, you're fast! For pics I get an exclamation mark and for video it states "The operation couldn’t be completed. (OSStatus error -54.)"

     

    I believe these to mean, "this file cannot be located".  Seems like iPhoto acted as though it was putting the files somewhere and never did (or put them in the wrong place, hopefully), but for some reason the thumbnails and event info were established.

  • by LarryHN,Helpful

    LarryHN LarryHN Dec 17, 2014 11:21 PM in response to rpound
    Level 10 (84,056 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Dec 17, 2014 11:21 PM in response to rpound

    This indicates a disconnect between the Thumbnail and the original

     

     

    this can be caused by two things

     

     

    1 - User action deleting items from inside the iPhoto  library - can be directly - can be from the All images list (never delete from there) - can be from running cleanup software like MacKeeer, CleanMac2  or other dangerous, defective software that improperly deletes or changes things in the iPhoto library - if you have done any of these things you must restore your backup from before you did them and damaged your iPhoto library - and I recommend getting rid of any "clean up software" ASAP (although being essentially MalWear it is not easy)

     

     

    2 - corruption of the iPhoto library - If it is not #1 then Back up your iPhoto library, Depress and hold the option (alt) and command keys and launch iPhoto - rebuild your database

     

     

    LN

  • by rpound,

    rpound rpound Dec 17, 2014 11:40 PM in response to LarryHN
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 17, 2014 11:40 PM in response to LarryHN

    Thanks Larry,

     

    I tried another rebuild, but to no avail. I definitely haven't deleted these pics and don't have any cleaning software, so I'm at a loss as to where the pics may have ended up – perhaps gone for good. Thinking back, the drive may have become manually disconnected while iPhoto was running and a rebuild at that time may have salvaged things. Not sure why subsequent imports went immediately missing, though. Anyways, thanks for the help. I think I can move fwd with some sense of certainty.

     

    If you have any tips on how to declutter an iPhoto library w/missing images, I'm all ears.

     

    Thanks again and Happy Holidays!