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movie file original item cannot be found

We have a powerbook G4 running Tiger 10.4.8. When we try to open IPhoto, we get a message that says "Alert The movie 'MVI 6191.avi' could not be opened, because the original item cannot be found." Although Cancel and Find Movie buttons are showing, neither works and we have to Force Quit. We have searched high and low for the movie file and have not found it, nor do we know why IPhoto goes straight to trying to find this movie when the application is opened. Any help would be much appreciated.


powerbook G4 15" Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Posted on Dec 7, 2006 4:39 PM

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1 reply

Dec 8, 2006 5:00 PM in response to ramiedad

It looks like you had iPhoto in the alias mode when you imorted that movied. It created a thumbnail file titled MVI 6191.jpg and an alias file, MVI 6191.avi, which pointed to the location of the file when you imported it. If it were just a case of the movie file missing, and the thumbnail file still there, you would not get that message.

Do a search in the iPhoto Library folder for MVI 6191.jpg and move it to the desktop. It should be in the iPhoto Library/Data/Movies folder. Then see if iPhoto won't open. Then go into the iPhoto Library/Originals/Movies folder and see if there's an alias file (with a small arrow in the lower left hand corner) titled MVI 6191.avi in there. If you double click on it you'll probably get a message the the original file can't be found.

If that's the case, the movies file, if on a camera when imported, is lost unless you still have the memory card and it's not been erased. If it has you can try to use MediaRECOVER to recover that erased movie file. It will work in DEMO mode to show you what files are recoverable before you commit to purchase.
User uploaded file Do you Twango?

TIP: For insurance against the iPhoto database corruption that many users have experienced I recommend making a backup copy of the Library6.iPhoto database file and keep it current. If problems crop up where iPhoto suddenly can't see any photos or thinks there are no photos in the library, replacing the working Library6.iPhoto file with the backup will often get the library back. By keeping it current I mean backup after each import and/or any serious editing or work on books, slideshows, calendars, cards, etc. That insures that if a problem pops up and you do need to replace the database file, you'll retain all those efforts. It doesn't take long to make the backup and it's good insurance.
I've written an Automator workflow application, iPhoto dB file backup, that will copy the selected Library6.iPhoto file from your iPhoto Library folder to the Pictures folder, replacing any previous version of it. You can download it at Toad's Cellar. Be sure to read the Read Me pdf file.

movie file original item cannot be found

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