HT204410: Adjust the size of your Photos library to store it in iCloud Photo Library

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Maryp.frompa

Q: Can't find moved iPhoto & Aperture Libraries on ext. HD.

To save space on my iMac HD, I moved my old iPhoto and Aperture migrated libraries to an external HD.  Time Machine seems to be backing up the new HD.  But when I open Photos (holding down option key) it does not find the moved libraries on the new external HD.  I figured I would start fresh with new system library with the new Photos but want to be able to get to the old libraries.  Can anyone help?

Posted on Aug 31, 2015 11:10 AM

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Q: Can't find moved iPhoto & Aperture Libraries on ext. HD.

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  • by Old Toad,

    Old Toad Old Toad Aug 31, 2015 11:16 AM in response to Maryp.frompa
    Level 10 (141,085 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 31, 2015 11:16 AM in response to Maryp.frompa

    Are you able so see the libraries on the EHD with the Finder?  How is the EHD formatted?  It must be as follows:

    ignoreownership.jpg

    OTsig.png

  • by Maryp.frompa,

    Maryp.frompa Maryp.frompa Aug 31, 2015 11:33 AM in response to Old Toad
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 31, 2015 11:33 AM in response to Old Toad

    I can see the migrated libraries (Old Aperture and iPhoto) on the EHD.  It is formatted correctly.  It says

    Format: Mac OS Extended (Journaled)

     

    I click on one of the libraries on EHD and it opens in Photos. 

     

    I have moved the two files which total over 400 GB to the Trash on my iMac but have not deleted the trash yet.  Afraid!  My iMac HD is only 600 GB so I really need to get them off it to free up some storage on iMac.  New EHD is 2 TB.

  • by Maryp.frompa,

    Maryp.frompa Maryp.frompa Aug 31, 2015 11:34 AM in response to Old Toad
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 31, 2015 11:34 AM in response to Old Toad

    I did reply to your post but maybe didn't do it right.  Can you see it Old Toad?

  • by Maryp.frompa,

    Maryp.frompa Maryp.frompa Aug 31, 2015 11:38 AM in response to Old Toad
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 31, 2015 11:38 AM in response to Old Toad

    Also, when I hold down Option key and open Photos, I click on Other Library.  I can get to the EHD but the Aperture Library and the iPhoto Library are shaded and I can't select them.

  • by LarryHN,Solvedanswer

    LarryHN LarryHN Aug 31, 2015 12:36 PM in response to Maryp.frompa
    Level 10 (84,565 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Aug 31, 2015 12:36 PM in response to Maryp.frompa

    what are their names? If they are .migratedlibrary then you need to open them in iPhoto and Aperture or change their extension to .photolibrary

     

    LN

  • by Maryp.frompa,Helpful

    Maryp.frompa Maryp.frompa Sep 1, 2015 1:32 PM in response to LarryHN
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 1, 2015 1:32 PM in response to LarryHN

    Thank you for your help!  Opening the files again in the EHD did change the extension from .migratedphotolibrary to .aplibrary and then .migratedaplibrary for Aperture.   iPhoto changed to .migratedphotolibrary.  Both libraries can now be accessed from the Option/Photos library.  Only complaint is I can't tell which is file is the old iPhoto library and which is the old Aperture library.  They name every thing "Photo library."  But they are there if I want them, all 76,329 photos and videos! 

     

    I think I am now ready to delete them from my iMac HD and free up 414 GB of space.

     

    Thank you again.  I wish the documents from Apple were a little more clear on how to migrate a library but appreciate the prompt response.  I would of responded sooner but it took a few hours to open the files each time, so took awhile!

     

    Mary