How to move iPhoto library to a external drive

[tbluhp]

How can I move my iPhoto library to a external drive the safe way?

 

[satcomer]

Look at the blog/video article How to move an iTunes library to an external drive. So just use iTunes itself and whatever you do don't use copy/drag!

 

[tbluhp]

This is for iTunes though I wanted iPhoto

 

[satcomer]

iPhoto '11: Move your iPhoto library to a new location. iPhoto's help page would have soon you this if you looked.

 

[mpstrex]

iPhoto '11: Move your iPhoto library to a new location. iPhoto's help page would have soon you this if you looked.

Thanks for this! What if I just want to back it up to two external hard drives, and start fresh, i.e., delete all the photos on my startup and put new pictures on there? Is that possible by deleting the iPhoto Library on my startup disk, or do I just delete all photos?

Thanks,

mpstrex

 

[satcomer]

Thanks for this! What if I just want to back it up to two external hard drives, and start fresh, i.e., delete all the photos on my startup and put new pictures on there? Is that possible by deleting the iPhoto Library on my startup disk, or do I just delete all photos?

Thanks,

mpstrex

Then you would have to have a scheduling cloning tool to copy one drive to another drive. I use the shareware Carbon Copy Cloner. Other Mac users seem to like the other sharewares like SuperDuper and/or ChronoSync. Any of these programs will clone (exact copy) of one drive to another.

 

[mpstrex]

Then you would have to have a scheduling cloning tool to copy one drive to another drive. I use the shareware Carbon Copy Cloner. Other Mac users seem to like the other sharewares like SuperDuper and/or ChronoSync. Any of these programs will clone (exact copy) of one drive to another.

Actually, I just want to back-up the iPhoto Library only to a folder on another drive, then delete the one on my start-up and start fresh. If I want to do it again in 2 years, I'll put it in another folder.

thx

 

[satcomer]

I posted this because you want 2 backup disks!

 

[mpstrex]

I posted this because you want 2 backup disks! Sorry jerk.

Um, jerk? Uhhh, right.

 

[aristobrat]

Actually, I just want to back-up the iPhoto Library only to a folder on another drive, then delete the one on my start-up and start fresh. If I want to do it again in 2 years, I'll put it in another folder.

thx

Here's what I'd do.

1. Close iPhoto.
2. In Finder, find your iPhoto library (it's usually in the Pictures folder) and rename it to something meaningful, like iPhoto Library 2008-2013, or whatever).
3. Open another Finder window, goto the the folder on the different drive, and drag 'n drop the iPhoto library there.

That will move your original iPhoto library.

Then create a new iPhoto library for your new pictures. Hold the OPTION key down and click to open iPhoto. It will give you the option to Create New... Select that to create a new iPhoto library for your new pictures.

You can also use OPTION key + opening iPhoto to switch between your different libraries.

 

[mpstrex]

Thanks very much!