Accessing iphoto library from timemachine

Question

Accessing iphoto library from timemachine

Hi guys,

Was wondering if you could help.

I'm trying to access photos form an old timemachine back up stored on an external hard drive. When I try to open the library I get this message:

I have uploaded iphoto library upgrader (which is what it tells me to do when I click 'learn more'.

I then follow the instructions, which brings me to this pop up window:

I have chosen the correct library and click continue. I then get this messgae:

I click on 'launch iphoto'. And then I get back to this message:

Basically it's stuck in a loop. Any ideas how to fix it? Would hate to think I won't be able to access those photos!

Cheers!

MacBook Air, OS X Yosemite (10.10.1)

Posted on Feb 5, 2015 3:38 AM

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Answer 1

léonie

Level 10

194,647 points

Feb 5, 2015 4:45 AM in response to especiani2079

Do you have more than one iPhoto Library?

Where is your iPhoto Library stored? On your system drive or an externall drive?

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Answer 2

Feb 5, 2015 5:05 AM in response to léonie

I have a few iphoto Libraries (one on the computer and two saved on an external drive - one on the external drive is from a timemachine backup and the other is saved as a separate library). The one I am trying to access is from the timemachine backup on an external drive.

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Answer 3

LarryHN

Level 10

106,110 points

Feb 5, 2015 8:56 AM in response to especiani2079

What format is the external drive that these libraries are on? How much free space does it have?

LN

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Answer 4

Feb 5, 2015 9:33 AM in response to LarryHN

I have 19.7 GB available. The format is Mac OS Extended (Case-sensitive, Journaled).

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Answer 5

léonie

Level 10

194,647 points

Feb 6, 2015 4:20 AM in response to especiani2079

I have 19.7 GB available. The format is Mac OS Extended (Case-sensitive, Journaled).

Case-sensitive is problematic, if your system drive is not case sensitive. That can cause ambiguous filenames and I/O errors.

I strongly recommend to reformat that drive, if your system drive on your Mac is not case-sensitive, as is the default. But that will require to temporarily move your libraries from that drive to a different one, because reformatting will erase the drive.

The one I am trying to access is from the timemachine backup on an external drive.

It is not clear to me from your description, if the library you are trying to open has been restored usingTime Machine, or if you are trying to open it directly in the Time Machine backup?

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Answer 6

Feb 8, 2015 11:53 AM in response to léonie

Case-sensitive is problematic, if your system drive is not case sensitive.

Great - tanks about the case sensitive idea. I will try that.

It is not clear to me from your description, if the library you are trying to open has been restored usingTime Machine, or if you are trying to open it directly in the Time Machine backup?

I'm not sure the answer to that one. I'm accessing a folder called Backups.backupdb. You can see the location from this screen shot.

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Answer 7

Old Toad

Level 10

207,361 points

Feb 8, 2015 1:28 PM in response to especiani2079

One must restore the library from the TM backup to another hard drive before it can be opened by iPhoto or the upgrader. See the screenshot below on how to restore a library;

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Answer 8

léonie

Level 10

194,647 points

Feb 8, 2015 1:39 PM in response to especiani2079

I'm accessing a folder called Backups.backupdb. You can see the location from this screen shot.

That is the problem. You need to let Time Machine restore the library, as Old Toad described. Otherwise the references in the internal databases will be wrong:

iPhoto '11: Restoring from Time Machine with iPhoto '11 (9.2 or later) and OS X Lion 10.7.2 (or later)

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