iPhoto Library gone after update to OSX Yosemite 10.10.3

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Level 1

14 points

iPhoto Library gone after update to OSX Yosemite 10.10.3

Put another way, how do I get the new "Photos" program associated with the new OSX Yosemite v. 10.10.3 to see my former iPhoto library that is stored on an external hard drive?

Here's the full story:

This morning I updated my MacBook Air to OSX Yosemite v. 10.10.3. The update claimed that it ran successfully. Afterwards, I plugged in my iPhone to sync it to the computer. There were photos on my phone that I'd taken yesterday, so when I plugged the iPhone in to the USB cable, a program launched that I thought was iPhoto (but, as it turns out, is actually a new Apple program called simply "Photos"). I was led through a series of questions, one of which was "do you want to download your photos to iCloud?" I did not want to download my photos to the cloud; first off, I've got like 100GB of photos and second off, even if there were that much space allowed with an iCloud account, I wouldn't have wanted to take the time. After skipping that download-to-the-cloud step, the new "Photos" program downloaded the pictures taken yesterday off of my phone and deleted them from my iPhone as I'd requested. But, when the transfer from phone to computer completed, I was taken to the new Photos program and the only pictures on my account are those that were downloaded this morning from my iPhone.

Because I've got so many photos I keep my iPhoto Library on an external hard drive. I keep two additional external hard drives that back up everything every night. I am not worried about the photos being lost, but I can't figure out how to get the new "Photos" program to go find that library on my external hard drive.

All help appreciated.

MacBook Air, OS X Yosemite (10.10.3)

Posted on Apr 28, 2015 5:09 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Yer_Man

Level 10

162,314 points

Apr 28, 2015 6:04 AM in response to odyssey95

To migrate your existing library to Photos is simple: just open it.

Hold down the option (or alt) key key and launch Photos. From the resulting menu select 'Choose Library'

You problem is that you will no have two libraries - the converted iPhoto one and the one you created with just these iPhone photos.

So I would export the pics from the new Photos Library to the Finder: (File -> Export-> Export unmodified originals

Trash the Photos library from your Pictures Folder

Convert the iPhoto Library

Then import those photos from the Finder.

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Answer 2

odyssey95 Author

Level 1

14 points

Apr 28, 2015 5:33 PM in response to Yer_Man

Thank you! That worked perfectly. Very nice, simple instructions. Apple should get you to trouble-shoot for them before their next release. I mean, if they've got all these experts who've designed a variety of laptop options with limited memory, you'd think one of those geniuses would think, "hey, why don't we insert a prompt at the start of the update to ask if they store their photos on an external hard drive so that they won't have to go through the anxiety and frustration of losing and then rebuilding their entire library just because we're releasing a software update?" I guess common sense would be too much to ask. Sorry for my rant. You were terrific.

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