How would I put iPhoto on a new iMac running El Capitan?

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Level 1

24 points

How would I put iPhoto on a new iMac running El Capitan?

I have a late 2007 iMac running Yosemite 10.10.5 with only 4GB memory. It has iPhoto 9.6.1 which I downloaded from the App store in late 2014. I use it extensively for many thousands of photos. I plan to upgrade to a new iMac or possibly one of the Apple laptops within a month. It will have El Capitan.

From reading these forums I understand El Capitan will run iPhoto if it's of a certain version which I believe iPhoto 9.6.1 qualifies. I should also say that the App store has in my "Purchased" list an iPhoto purchase in late 2014 which I believe is the version I am running now. I also have a couple Time Machine backups.

My question is what would be the process to load the iPhoto application onto the new iMac? After setting up the new iMac would I go to the App store and download that version (although it has an "Open" button however as opposed to a "Download" button next to the iPhoto application); or perhaps transfer from a Time Machine backup somehow. From reading these forums I understand that you must be careful in setting-up a new iMac, i.e., that some people have unknowingly converted their iPhoto libraries to the new "Photos" and can't go back - al least without great difficulty. Also after loading iPhoto onto the new iMac how would i get my several (four) iPhoto libraries over onto the new iMac?

I realize that "Photos" will be the future with Apple and that I might have to convert sometime but at this time iPhoto is perfect for me and am not prepared to change right now.

Thanks for any help

iMac, OS X Yosemite (10.10.5)

Posted on Apr 27, 2016 8:42 AM

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Answer 1

Yer_Man

Level 10

162,254 points

Apr 27, 2016 8:49 AM in response to samson16

1. This is how:

After setting up the new iMac would I go to the App store and download that version (although it has an "Open" button however as opposed to a "Download" button next to the iPhoto application)

it says 'Open' now as it's on your machine. On the new one it will say 'download'.

2. This is not a problem in any form:

From reading these forums I understand that you must be careful in setting-up a new iMac, i.e., that some people have unknowingly converted their iPhoto libraries to the new "Photos" and can't go back - al least without great difficulty.

Photos does nothing to an iPhoto Library at all. It creates a new version that works for itself but leaves the iPhoto Library quite untouched. You simply do not have to worry about this.

Be absolutely certain that you will have to move to a new application. Sooner or later a version of the OS will come along that won't run iPhoto. Unfortunately, the app is a dead end.

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Answer 2

samson16 Author

Level 1

24 points

Apr 27, 2016 9:07 AM in response to Yer_Man

Thank you for the quick response.

What would then be the best way to move my iPhoto libraries to the new iMac. My 2007 has only USB and firewire ports. I believe the new will not have Firewire but at least a USB.

Would it be better to connect the two via the USB port or perhaps connect the new iMac to a Time Machine backup and move the libraries from there. Also would there be any other iPhoto related files/folders to move or is it sufficient to to just load the application from the App store and the libraries from the old computer or Time Machine.?

Thanks

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Answer 3

Yer_Man

Level 10

162,254 points

Apr 27, 2016 11:04 AM in response to samson16

To move an iPhoto Library to a new machine:

Link the two Macs together: there are several ways to do this: Wireless Network, Firewire Target Disk Mode, Ethernet, or even just copy the Library to an external HD and then on to the new machine...

But however you do choose to link the two machines...

Simply copy the iPhoto Library from the Pictures Folder on the old Machine to the Pictures Folder on the new Machine.

Then launch iPhoto. That's it.

This moves photos, events, albums, books, keywords, slideshows and everything else.

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Answer 4

samson16 Author

Level 1

24 points

Apr 27, 2016 6:22 PM in response to Yer_Man

Thanks This is just the info I needed....

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