Using Photos so can I remove iPhoto library

Question

Using Photos so can I remove iPhoto library

hello all

so I am running out of space on my early 2013 MacBook pro ( 256 gb HDD ), and using Finder, DaisyDisk and iStat Pro I can see

Photo library - accessed today - 39.87Gb

iPhoto library - accessed 8th April 2015 - 55.95Gb

I have seen posts about hard links and the fact that the iPhoto isn't really there, however I tried copying a file and my Mac said it didn't have enough space.

so my question is if I have back up a copy of iPhoto is it safe to delete?

thanks in advance

MacBook Pro with Retina display, macOS Sierra (10.12)

Posted on Oct 16, 2016 12:24 PM

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Answer 1

Oct 16, 2016 12:49 PM in response to Dead-Letter-Office

At the end of the day if you have backups then anything is safe to delete, just make sure the backup is up-to-date first.

But yes although Photos and iPhoto say they both take up space, because of they way they are hard linked together a lot of that reported space is the same space.

Try using OmniDiskSweeper or GrandPerspective to see what files are taking up a lot of space.

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Answer 2

Oct 16, 2016 12:50 PM in response to think.different

thanks for your reply.

I have used Omni Disk Sweeper and I can see, that both files are there and taking up space

56.2 - iPhoto library

40.0 - Photo's library

I will double check my backup and then delete

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Answer 3

léonie

Level 10

200,705 points

Oct 16, 2016 2:21 PM in response to Dead-Letter-Office

If your Photos Library is a migrated iPhoto Library, the original image files are stored on the same disk blocks, shared by hard links. This means, that deleting photos in either library will not free any storage, as long as the photos are still in the other library,

But since your iPhoto Library is larger than the Photos Library you will at least gain the difference in the sizes back, when you delete the iPhoto library. See: https://sixcolors.com/post/2015/02/the-hard-link-between-photos-and-iphoto/

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Answer 4

LarryHN

Level 10

106,142 points

Oct 16, 2016 4:49 PM in response to Dead-Letter-Office

Yes you can an you will save at least 16 GB

But if you ae so low on space that you can not copy a file that probably will not be enough for long - you alway must have a min of 10 GB and 20 is better - this probably will not even give you 20 GB free

LN

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