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imported photos are missing from iPhoto after power outage

I recently imported pictures from my camera to iPhoto. The standard message popped up saying they were successfully imported, would i like to keep or delete the photos from my phone. So I deleted them. A little while later before I was ever able to look at those pictures on iPhoto, we had a power outage and the computer was turned off. Now when i go to iPhoto, it doesn't have those pictures. It has my most recent import as the previous pictures before this import. Where might I be able to find them???

iMac, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.5)

Posted on Feb 8, 2016 12:06 PM

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4 replies

Feb 8, 2016 12:13 PM in response to ksniemiec

The standard message popped up saying they were successfully imported, would i like to keep or delete the photos from my phone. So I deleted them.

Even though the horses are out of the barn never let Photos, iPhoto or any other photo management app delete the photos from your phone/camera. It's best to let them be for a short time to verify that they are safely on your hard drive and in the libraryl


As for the missing images try the following:


1 - launch iPhoto with the Command+Option keys held down to open the First Aid window. Be sure to follow the circled recommendation in the screenshot.


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2 - apply Option #4, Rebuild Database.


If that fails give this a try:


Using iPhoto Library Manager to Rebuild Your iPhoto Library


1 - download iPhoto Library Manager and launch.>Click on the Add Library button,

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2 - select the library you want to add from those in the selection window.


3 - make sure that in the rebuild window the checkbox "Scavange orphaned photos" is checked.


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4 - now that the library is listed in the left hand pane of iPLM, click on your library and go to the Library ➙ Rebuild Library menu option


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5 - in the next window name the new library and select the location you want it to be placed. Click on the Create button.


Note 1: This creates a new library based on the LIbraryData.xml file in the library and will recover Events, Albums, keywords, titles and comments. However, books, calendars, cards and slideshows will be lost.

Note 2: Your current library will be left untouched for further attempts at a fix if so desired.

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Feb 8, 2016 12:17 PM in response to ksniemiec

Look into the iPhoto Library from the Finder. Select the iPhoto Library in Pictures folder, or wherever you are keeping it.

Ctrl-click the library and select "Show Package Contents". Look for folders "Old Masters" or "Importing", look at any folder that is large enough to contain photos. But be careful and do not modify or move any folders.


Is there a folder with the photos you wanted to import? Don't try a repair or rebuild before you have looked yourself.

Feb 8, 2016 1:42 PM in response to LarryHN

The problem is, Larry, that rebuilding may remove the Old Masters and Importing folders, because they are not part of a library that is intact . That is why I recommend to look first, if their are traces from the interrupted import and then rebuild. After rebuilding it will be too late.

It is bad enough that the system already restarted automatically after the crash. That will have erased the temporary folders user folders at the system level where photos to be imported are kept in the temporary directory $TMPDIR. If we rebuild the library before looking, the import folders will be harder to find.

imported photos are missing from iPhoto after power outage

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