Help! iPhoto Library Upgrader tool endless loop

Question

Level 1

4 points

Help! iPhoto Library Upgrader tool endless loop

I am at the end of my rope with this issue. I have tried everything I know. I have read all the old forums from 2013 and 2014 on this issue and nothing works.

I had a 2007 macbook that I used till 2014. I uploaded all my photos into iPhoto during those years. I backed up my whole macbook onto a 500 GB external hard drive before I got rid of the old Macbook in 2014. At that time I bought a new Macbook air in 2014 and have not been using iPhoto since that time (now using more iCloud and Google photos).

I simply want to go and access those old pictures I saved into iPhoto on my hard drive.

When I click to open it I get this message:

So I clicked "Learn More" and downloaded the iPhoto upgrader tool. It goes into the utilities folder. So I go there and double click it. It asks me for a library to upgrader. I choose the one from my hard drive and I get this message:

So I click "Repair" and I get this message:

So I think everything will now work. But when I click "Launch iPhoto" it gives me the same darn original message again!!!

It is an endless loop. I cannot get it to work. Apple used to be so easy to use and this issue has frustrated me to no end.

For those wondering, I am using iPhoto version 9.6.1 on a Macbook Air running Sierra 10.12.6. I am not sure what the old version of iPhoto I was using in 2013/2014 on my old Macbook but I always kept the software up to date on my computer.

MacBook Air (13-inch, Early 2014), macOS Sierra (10.12.6)

Posted on Sep 26, 2017 9:25 AM

Reply

Answer 1

léonie

Level 10

200,531 points

Sep 26, 2017 10:03 AM in response to eimaise

Is the file system of the external drive compatible? MacOS Extended (Journaled)? And is the "Ignore Ownership on this volume" flag set to prevent permission errors? The external HD should be prepared as described here, or the upgrader tool may have problems: Sharing photo libraries among multiple users - Apple Support

Reply

Answer 2

eimaise Author

Level 1

4 points

Sep 26, 2017 10:19 AM in response to léonie

The external drive info looks like this:

Just so you know, this hard drive is partitioned into to separate drives. The iPhoto library is on this one half of the drive that has the info in the screen shots posted above. I clicked that lock like it tells me to do in the link you posted, but the check box option to "ignore ownership on this volume" is simply not there.

The other half of this partitioned drive DOES have the option to "ignore ownership" so I am moving the iPhoto library over from the one half of the drive to the other half to see if it changes anything and allows me to import it to my current iPhoto.

Reply

Answer 3

léonie

Level 10

200,531 points

Sep 26, 2017 10:45 AM in response to eimaise

Is the drive perhaps used by Time Machine? Then you cannot set the "Ignore Ownership" flag.

Do you remember which version of iPhoto created that library?

Reply

Answer 4

léonie

Level 10

200,531 points

Sep 26, 2017 11:11 AM in response to eimaise

Could the iPhoto Library upgrader run through, after you moved the library to the other partition?

Reply

Answer 5

léonie

Level 10

200,531 points

Sep 26, 2017 9:57 AM in response to eimaise

Where is the iPhoto Library stored, that you want to upgrade with the iPhoto Library upgrader?

Did you copy this iPhoto Library to your Pictures folder on you new Mac, or ist still on the external drive?

Reply

Answer 6

eimaise Author

Level 1

4 points

Sep 26, 2017 9:59 AM in response to léonie

The old iphoto library (from the old macbook) is located currently on the external hard drive. I tried to drag and drop it onto my newer macbook air's hard drive but it's a 40GB file and I don't have enough space to import it.

Reply

Answer 7

eimaise Author

Level 1

4 points

Sep 26, 2017 10:53 AM in response to léonie

Yes, that half of the partitioned external hard drive was used by Time Machine to make backups periodically from 2007 to 2014 on my old Macbook. The other half of the drive was never used by Time Machine which I guess is why the ignore ownership flag is there.

I don't remember which version of iPhoto created that library. It says the date it was last modified was 10/02/2014. Is there any way to find that information out as to which version it was? I think that Macbook was running Snow Leopard at the time I got rid of it in 2014.

Reply

Answer 8

eimaise Author

Level 1

4 points

Sep 26, 2017 11:15 AM in response to léonie

It just finished moving over to the other partition and I tried running the library upgrader. It worked! I am very thankful for your help on this issue.

Reply

Answer 9

léonie

Level 10

200,531 points

Sep 26, 2017 11:23 AM in response to eimaise

Great! 🙂 You're welcome, eimaise!

Reply