The thumbnails are showing in iPhoto but not the pictures!!!

[czboogie]

I am using iPhoto 4 on my Mac version 10.4.11. I've had this problem with several random albums in my library, wherein I can see the thumbnails while I'm scrolling through the pictures, but when I stop to look at them I get a plain white box where the picture is supposed to be.

I tried exporting one of the "empty" albums to another location, and the files come out as jpg files. When I try to open the file it says "Couldn’t open the file. It may be corrupt or a file format that Preview doesn’t recognize."

I haven't done *anything* to change the folders or move them around. It just randomly happens.

I'm hoping that because the thumbnails are there that the actual picture is still somewhere in my computer? Help me please!

Czboogie

 

[mad jew]

Damn.

Have you tried rebuilding the library?

 

[czboogie]

I have not yet tried rebuilding my library because I'm scared it may do more damage or "lose" more pictures. Is there a strong possibility of that happening?

 

[kolax]

You haven't moved your iPhoto library at all? I'm not familiar with iPhoto 4 - but I'd assume it would store them in the Pictures folder under iPhoto Library? If so, check the file size of it and see if it is the size you'd expect.

 

[czboogie]

Thanks for the advice everyone! I backed up my library, did a rebuild, and unfortunately lost the albums with the flashing thumbnails/white frames. Oh well.

I certaintly don't want to go through this again. Can anyone suggest a better program than iPhoto for me to upload and store my photos?

Thanks again!

 

[kolax]

iPhoto 08

If you do have a huge library of pictures, same with any application you'd use...backup. Do it regularly.