Opening iPhoto pictures on PC (using external HD)

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Opening iPhoto pictures on PC (using external HD)

On my Macboook Pro, I was using the latest version of iPhoto. When some major problems hit my Macbook, I started getting religious with my backups. Using Time Machine, my WD external hard drive held the latest backups for everything I did on my Macbook. Now, my computer is dead. Fortunately, I had my external drive with everything on it. I got a new laptop (Lenovo PC), but when I view my external hard drive's contents (after having to install an HFS viewer) in search for my photos, I cannot seem to find any of my pictures. There are many files of code (.data, .plist, etc) and text, but no pictures. I checked Masters and Database and it all, but I couldn't find anything. Could someone tell me where it's supposed to be or what I can do? All of my pictures (my family's as well) are on there.

MacBook Pro (13-inch Mid 2012)

Posted on Apr 18, 2015 3:55 PM

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Answer 1

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LarryHN

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Apr 18, 2015 4:20 PM in response to ambrewer

The originals are in the Masters folder - the previews in the Previews folder and the small thumbnails are in the THumgnails folder

Nothing else is of use as only iphoto can use the metadata links and the edits

If you do not have your original photos in the masters folder then you do not have a good backup - How we're you creating this backup? (note that if it was using TimeMachine then you need to use TM to restore the files - TM does not simply copy files - it makes an initial backup and then copies only changes using a database to keep track of how to reconstruct the file when yu restore

You may want to have the hard drive removed from your dead computer and put it in an exclosure so you can access it as an external drive

LN

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Answer 2

ambrewer Author

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Apr 21, 2015 11:36 AM in response to LarryHN

Yes, I used Time Machine. I originally got the external hard drive just in case my computer broke, not realizing... it only works on Apple.

And the pictures are not in the masters folder. There are only a few photos in a random folder. The other "folders" (supposed to be) are files. ??? So, if I don't have another Apple computer, I can't get my photos back (they're not in the folders like they're supposed to be)?

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Answer 3

LarryHN

Level 10

106,110 points

Apr 21, 2015 3:31 PM in response to ambrewer

You can not get your photos because you do not have a backup that will work with the system you now have

again

You may want to have the hard drive removed from your dead computer and put it in an exclosure so you can access it as an external drive

That had drive has everything you need and there is PC software that will allow you to access it so you can get your Masters

LN

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