vanessatav

Q: Issues with accessing old photos through iphoto or photos

I would like to access backed up photos on an external drive. Because they are now saved under iphoto and not under pictures I can't open them as documents and need to go through the old iphoto library. I have installed the iphoto upgrader but the application refuses to open once updated. It also can't be opened in the newer photos app. I don't want to lose all my old photos because of software changes, please help!

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X El Capitan (10.11.5)

Posted on Jul 3, 2016 8:12 PM

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Q: Issues with accessing old photos through iphoto or photos

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  • by léonie,Solvedanswer

    léonie léonie Jul 3, 2016 8:31 PM in response to vanessatav
    Level 10 (105,791 points)
    iCloud
    Jul 3, 2016 8:31 PM in response to vanessatav
    . I have installed the iphoto upgrader but the application refuses to open once updated

    The iPhoto Library Upgrader needs to be installed and then run to upgrade iPhoto libraries, if they have been created in a very old version of iPhoto -iPhoto7.1.2 or older.  You said you installed it, but did you run it?  See this link:  Using the iPhoto Library Upgrader tool - Apple Support

     

    Once your iPhoto  library has been upgraded, you should be able to drag it onto the Photos for Mac icon to convert it to a Photos Library and browse it in hotos.

    I would like to access backed up photos on an external drive

    What kind of backup is it?  Is it part of a Time Machine backup or on a Time Machine drive?

    You can only access iPhoto Libraries in Photos, if the library is on drive not used by Time Machine, and the file system is MAcOS Extended (Journaled).

    If the drive has a different file system, copy the old iPhoto library to a different drive.

  • by vanessatav,

    vanessatav vanessatav Jul 4, 2016 3:14 PM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Jul 4, 2016 3:14 PM in response to léonie

    Thank you so much you are the best! it worked to copy the file to a new drive and rebuild it in photos. Many, many thanks for saving my photos!!!!!!!!

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Jul 4, 2016 11:32 PM in response to vanessatav
    Level 10 (105,791 points)
    iCloud
    Jul 4, 2016 11:32 PM in response to vanessatav

    You're welcome.  I'm glad you could rescue your photos!