HT204476: Photos saves disk space by sharing images with your iPhoto or Aperture libraries

Learn about Photos saves disk space by sharing images with your iPhoto or Aperture libraries
Gail Zlatnik

Q: yet another iPhoto/Photos merge question (sorry)

I know that variants of this question have been asked and answered many times, and I regret not being able to figure out whether any of the answers apply to me.

 

I am trying to get Photos on my new El Capitan to show all the photos I have in my iPhoto library. What seems to be different about my situation is:

 

1. My old computer is the iMac listed below--late 2006 model. I eventually migrated its contents to my new iMac, but had to copy the contents of my Time-Machine-designated backup external disk. I couldn't make Migration Assistant work wirelessly, even though the 2 computers were 2 feet apart.

 

2. The version of iPhoto that was migrated to my brand new iMac is 6.6 from 2007, apparently! When I try to open iPhoto now I get the message to update it from the App Store, but the AS tells me the update isn't available.

 

3. A few years ago I designated my backup disk as the site for my iPhoto library, and the library seems intact as it remains, on the external disk.

 

4. The iphotos do not show up in Photos, and when I click on "All My Files" in the Finder, there are photos scattered everywhere in the list. And no sign of a specific Photo Library. I also don't know what happened to the old System folder.

 

So--old iPhoto app, external disk iPhoto library: What next, please? I am having such struggles with this new Mac, and guess I have aged out of being able to keep up with the latest OS! Our first Mac was from '83, so you know I'm not quite the avant-garder I was then!

 

Thanks!

iMac, OS X El Capitan (10.11.1), null

Posted on May 25, 2016 9:14 AM

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Q: yet another iPhoto/Photos merge question (sorry)

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  • by LarryHN,

    LarryHN LarryHN May 25, 2016 9:22 AM in response to Gail Zlatnik
    Level 10 (84,125 points)
    Photos for Mac
    May 25, 2016 9:22 AM in response to Gail Zlatnik

    What format is the external hard drive?   it  must be Mac OS extended (journaled), connected using a fast wired connection lie FireWire, Thunderbolt or USB, not be used for a Time Machine backup volume and always available prior to Photos being launched  - if it is then download and run the iPhoto library upgrader   --   Using the iPhoto Library Upgrader tool - Apple Support   --  and then drag the iPhoto library to the Photos icon in the Dock to migrate it to Photos

     

    LN

  • by Gail Zlatnik,

    Gail Zlatnik Gail Zlatnik May 25, 2016 9:48 AM in response to LarryHN
    Level 1 (84 points)
    Desktops
    May 25, 2016 9:48 AM in response to LarryHN

    It's a g-drive mini, says it's Mac OS extended (Journaled), connected with USB--but it is my Time Machine backup. So it's always connected.

     

    So now what? Is there no way to eliminate the iPhoto library on the g-mini? What do I do about a TM backup? Am I asking the right questions? I want to use TM, of course, and have a backup. I put the iPhoto Lib on the external disk because my old computer was so old and memory-short, or at least slow despite added memory a couple of years ago. Otherwise I would have left the Lib where it belonged, on the iMac itself.