How to remove corrupt image from iPhoto

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How to remove corrupt image from iPhoto

Somewhere in my photo library I have a photo that iPhoto really doesn't like! I want to know how to remove this image from my library, possibly by deleting it via Finder.

When I scroll through my photos in iPhoto the software hangs momentarily, and then crashes completely, whenever it gets to this particular image. When I try to export my photos (for backup purposes) iPhoto always crashes when trying to export this same image.

The problem has appeared with one of the recent updates to iPhoto, when I originally imported this image I could see and export the image just fine. The same issue is preventing me from migrating my photo library to the new Photos app - the import process that runs when I first launch Photos always crashes at the same point, presumably because of this same image file.

I am unable to remove the image by deleting it via iPhoto because I can't get iPhoto to display the image without crashing, please can anyone suggest another way to get rid of it.

iMac (27-inch, Late 2012), OS X Yosemite (10.10.3)

Posted on May 4, 2015 1:37 AM

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Answer 1

robd72 Author

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May 4, 2015 1:50 AM in response to robd72

I've been trying to post details from the crash report here, but the forum software tells me that the message contains 'an invalid character' - which character is invalid? Who knows...

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Answer 2

robd72 Author

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May 10, 2015 8:55 AM in response to robd72

Anyone...?

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Answer 3

Yer_Man

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May 10, 2015 10:41 AM in response to robd72

If you know the image in question then select the one before it first, then it, then trash it.

Once in the iPhoto trash, send the other one back. Then empty your trash.

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Answer 4

robd72 Author

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May 11, 2015 9:03 AM in response to Yer_Man

Thanks for your reply, but I can't do as you suggest - iPhoto crashes as soon as the preview/thumbnail of the image appears onscreen so I have no way to select it.

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Answer 5

Old Toad

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May 11, 2015 9:50 AM in response to robd72

Repeat Terence's suggest but this time try the following:

1 - hold down the Shift key and click on the photo in front of the problem photo and on the one behind it.

2 - use the Command+Option+Delete keys to move them to the iPhoto Trash bin and empty it via the iPhoto ➙ Empty iPhoto Trash menu option. This will delete them out of the library and put them in the Trash bin in the dock.

3 - go to the Trash bin in the dock and drag the two photos you want to keep to the Desktop and import from there back into your library.

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Answer 6

robd72 Author

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May 11, 2015 12:33 PM in response to Old Toad

Ok, I have managed to delete the problem image - the fix was apparently to change the Zoom level control to the smallest size, so the photo thumbnails were as small as possible - when iPhoto tried to display my 'poison image' at that size it seemed not to have a problem.

Thanks for your reply Old Toad, I obviously haven't explained myself very clearly - I could't select the images surrounding the problem image because as soon as the problem image appeared on screen in my list of photos iPhoto crashed. The crash had nothing to do with selecting the image, just the fact that it was displayed seemed to trigger the issue.

The problem images were large panoramas imported from my iPhone - perhaps the size of the image was the issue?

Anyway, all seems well now so thanks again to everyone who tried to help

Rob

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