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dizrythmia

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 3, 2013
7
0
Memphis, TN
Sorry to be a jerk and just basically be registering to beg for help, but I'm at a loss for what to do. I've got iPhoto '08 on my iMac (running Snow Leopard). I'm trying to move my iPhoto library from one external hard drive to the other. I just copied and pasted everything (I just used one drive for iPhoto so it was easy) to the new drive, no problems. I held down option when opening iPhoto so I could set the new location for the library to reflect the new hard drive. That seemed to work fine I guess, it didn't tell me it didn't.

The only problem is the photos themselves are still located on the old hard drive. iPhoto won't reorganise everything so the files move - I wish there was a feature like iTunes had. Moving those files was a lot easier.

Anyway, does anyone have any idea as to what the issue might be? I've tried having a poke around Google to see what might be wrong, but most of the solutions didn't seem applicable to this problem.
 

Schtumple

macrumors 601
Jun 13, 2007
4,905
131
benkadams.com
I'm pretty certain you have to move the library yourself, setting a new location is like telling iPhoto "Hey, ignore that library, this is the new one now".

Also, iPhoto is pretty smart, if you move the library, it'll figure out where you put it.
 

Dave Braine

macrumors 68040
Mar 19, 2008
3,983
352
Warrington, UK
When you say that the photos are still on the old hard drive, do you mean that they are still in folders somewhere in Finder?

In iPhoto Preferences>Advanced there is the "Copy Items to iPhoto Library" option. When importing photos into iPhoto from somewhere other than a camera, it puts a copy of the photos in the Library.

If this is not ticked, and you import from an external drive, then you have to have that drive connected to view the pictures.

It sounds like you imported your photos without this option ticked, which is why they don't show in iPhoto on the new drive.

Just find the photos on the old drive and import them to iPhoto this time ticking that "Copy" option.
 

dizrythmia

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 3, 2013
7
0
Memphis, TN
I just checked and I did have that box ticked. I've since quit and reopened iPhoto several times since moving the library and if I click on any random photo in my library and click on view file, it's pointing to the old hard drive. I even tried specifically opening the library file on my new hard drive hoping that might fix it, but of course it wasn't that easy.
 

dizrythmia

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 3, 2013
7
0
Memphis, TN
Sorry for the delay in replying. Yes, when I go to the library file on the new drive and open the package contents, all the photos are there. If I didn't have so many events, I'd just start over and re-add them.
 

dizrythmia

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 3, 2013
7
0
Memphis, TN
Yep. I don't know why iPhoto is being so stubborn about this. I'm afraid I'm going to have to just give up and re-import the photos manually.

Edit: Wait, I stand corrected. Just double checked (for the thousandth time) and it finally did work. Thanks again everyone for all your help. :)
 
Last edited:

James_C

macrumors 68030
Sep 13, 2002
2,815
1,819
Bristol, UK
Yep. I don't know why iPhoto is being so stubborn about this. I'm afraid I'm going to have to just give up and re-import the photos manually.

Edit: Wait, I stand corrected. Just double checked (for the thousandth time) and it finally did work. Thanks again everyone for all your help. :)

Out of interest what did you do differently to get it to work ?
 

dizrythmia

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 3, 2013
7
0
Memphis, TN
Out of interest what did you do differently to get it to work ?
I have no idea! I'd been trying both manually setting the library (by holding down the control button) and opening the file itself. I'd rebooted iPhoto countless times and my computer a few times too. I guess it finally stuck.
 
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