Q: Deleting iPhoto library after Photos is installed

Can you run iPhoto?  Photos replace my iPhoto in the dock and when I goto the Applications folder and launch iPhoto it says it's not compatible with the current Yosemite and asks me to go download a new version from the store.  However, iPhoto isn't in the store anymore.

I have the same question. I was in the public Yosemite beta and have both iphoto and Photos on my Mac now.

Below I have attached a screenshot of About My Mac and OmniDiskSweeper running at the same time.

Omnidisksweeper suggests I now have two libraries (photos and iphoto) of roughly the same size, 98,3 gb total.

About My Mac says I only have 55,97 gb of photos on my mac.

Can/should I just delete the iPhoto library?

After Photos read in the old library, I moved the old iPhoto library to trash, then run Photos and created some albums, moved some photos around, etc. without any issues.  I did this to assure that the iPhoto library was not needed to run Photos.  I then restored the iPhoto library.  I plan to run Photos as well, but I'm going to back up the iPhoto library in two places before I delete it from the Mac, just to be safe.

The Photos app is new and issues will arise and I want to be sure I don't lose any of the family pictures.  I'd never hear the end of it.

Apple suggests not deleting the old iPhoto library. The new Photos library links to the pictures in the iPhoto library, giving it the illusion that it's taking up twice the space. Photos saves disk space by sharing images with your iPhoto or Aperture libraries - Apple Support

You can delete anything, but I certainly would not do that until your are SURE that the new application works well.

Barry

OmniDiskSweeper is confused.

Photos is using an OS X feature (actually, it's a UNIX feature) called "hard links" which makes it LOOK like there are two copies of a photo, but in fact there is only one on disk. If you "delete" one of them, one of the links will be removed, but the original photo itself will only be removed from disk if the second "link" is deleted (making the "link count" to the photo 0).

This makes it look like twice the space is taken up, but in fact that's wrong.

Once you have safely imported your iPhoto library to Photos, you can delete the iPhoto library and Photos will be fine. HOWEVER, Apple (and I) STRONGLY recommend that instead of deleting the iPhoto library, that you archive it off on storage somewhere, and leave it there for a long time "just in case" anything bad ever happens. Because if you don't, and you lose the photos, I'll be all out of sympathy

So to confirm, my iPhoto library is 173gig and my new photo library is 192gig.  You are saying that I am only using 192 gig of hard drive space on this drive due to the UNIX system sharing the locations?  Also, if we can add to this, how does one use photo with the "INFO" like I used to in iPhoto.  My Macbook Pro 2014 can still run iPhoto on OSX10.10.3 but my MacPro 2009 on OS X 10.10.3 cannot.  I do not like the photo app.  Please stop dummying down your apps to make them cross platform compatible.  People buy powerful machines for powerful applications.  Not everything has to be on an iPad or iPhone.

im not sure how this is a solution? when i compare the contents of 'photos library' and 'iphoto library' i do not see any links (hard, soft or otherwise).

i think the solution here is to uninstall iphoto and to then delete the iphoto folder (if the folder is not removed by uninstalling iphoto). Deleting the iphoto folder should cause iphoto to create a new set of data, or complain that it cant find the data. im only guessing this as i still have both applications installed. Moving the iphoto folder to the trash should not prevent iphoto from working (iphoto will find the folder in the trash, idky, but it will) - if you empty the trash then iphoto should complain or create an empty set of data.

Ok you do not understand - but the suggested solution is correct and you are not

You are welcome to uninstall iPhoto and delete the iPhoto library if you want but it is a bad idea for others to do and is not a good recommendation as when they want or need the iPhoto there is virtually no way to get it back - and trashing it will save very little space because of the use of hard links - Photos saves disk space by sharing images with your iPhoto or Aperture libraries - Apple Support

And I have no idea what you reopened a three month old solved thread with this incorrect post - there is no outstanding question to address as the OP's question was solved completely

LN

i fail to see how as there is exactly 0 links in my 'photos library' pointing back to 'iphotos library'. please check for yourself...

i have re-opened this because i am looking to recover the wasted space.

im not sure how this is a solution? when i compare the contents of 'photos library' and 'iphoto library' i do not see any links (hard, soft or otherwise).

Well that just tells us that you don't know what Hard Links are. There is no visual effect. It means there is one file and two records of it, one in each database. Hence, no wasted disk space.

i think the solution here is to uninstall iphoto and to then delete the iphoto folder (if the folder is not removed by uninstalling iphoto). Deleting the iphoto folder should cause iphoto to create a new set of data, or complain that it cant find the data. im only guessing this as i still have both applications installed. Moving the iphoto folder to the trash should not prevent iphoto from working (iphoto will find the folder in the trash, idky, but it will) - if you empty the trash then iphoto should complain or create an empty set of data.

Really before you suggest things that might cause significant data loss, you really ought not to be guessing. Also you need to be accurate. There is no iPhoto Folder, there is a Library. No, iPhoto won't find it in the trash. I have no idea what you think deleting the iPhoto application achieves in your scenario, but you seem to suggest some dangerous manoeuvres to solve non-existent problems.

i just put 'iphoto library' in the trash and iphoto works normaly.

i fail to see how as there is exactly 0 links in my 'photos library' pointing back to 'iphotos library'.

and I agree

you do not understand - but the suggested solution is correct and you are not

SO since you do not understand you need to listen to people who do - and read the suggested link - or continue to ignore more knowledgeable people you do understand and do what ever you want and live with the consequences of you actions

There is no visual display of the "hard Links"

and your suggestion will not save much space at all - but again you are welcome to to it - but do not suggest that others do things that will cause them problems and that you simply do not understand

Have a nice day

LN