Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

General discussion

deleted all of my photos!

Oct 5, 2005 11:59AM PDT

Hope some one can help me, I deleted my itunes library, and some other files that were not being used to gain hard drive space. Anyway, a couple days later I went to Iphoto and it said my library was missing and would have to build a new one. I had about 900 photos here. Is there anyway I can get them back? How does file retrieval software work? Do you think I need that? Please help. Thank you.

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
iPhoto and iTunes
Oct 5, 2005 9:51PM PDT

I guess that you answered yes to the rebuild question which is how you found that you were missing all the photo's.
If you have NOT emptied the trash since you decided to "clean house" then everything is still in the trash can. Take a look. If it is there, drag it out onto the desktop and then put it back in the Pictures folder.
Deleting the iTunes folder will NOT make the iPhoto library go away, something else was done that you are either unaware of, or are not admitting to.
File retrieval software works, sometimes, by scouring the drive looking for files, or parts thereof, that have a certain attribute. You may need to look into some if you cannot find the photo's.
I'm not going to say the word "Backup", ooops...I just did!
Also, do a search for "iPhoto" and see what you find. You "may" have moved the iPhoto library to a different location which is why the app can't find it.

Let us know

P

- Collapse -
emtied the trash
Oct 6, 2005 11:25PM PDT

Thats the problem, I did empty the trash, I must have had something in there I was'nt supposed to. My help viewer also will not work, last night put in the restore cd and reloaded my software thinking this might at least get my help viewer back, but it did not. If I emptied the trash is it gone for good, or can the file retrieval software help me? If so what do I get. Yes I know they should have been backed up, and believe me if I get a second chance, they will! Thanks so much.

- Collapse -
Reloading Software
Oct 6, 2005 11:54PM PDT

I assume you mean that you reloaded the OS.
If that is the case, you have almost certainly overwritten the iPhoto Library.
Did you do a search for the library?

Do a Google search for file recovery software for Mac, you should come up with something. I do not have any suggestions as to which one is best.

You may get plenty of other suggestions though

P

- Collapse -
got my pics back!
Oct 7, 2005 3:36PM PDT

Bought data rescue 2 by prosoft. got everything back. An expensive lesson, will be backing up photos on hard disk, Thank you.

- Collapse -
Backups
Oct 7, 2005 10:35PM PDT

Before anyone jumps all over you about this, a hard drive is not considered to be a good backup medium.
You can't lock it, it's not normally portable enough to take off site, it's as prone to failure as the original and, considering the first thing, is as prone to someone deleting the file.
While the HD will give you a reasonable peace of mind, far better to be backing up your digital pictures, individually, to a CD or DVD. Then you can make multiple copies, all locked, that are a nice size for your Safe Deposit box at the bank.
Glad to hear that you managed to recover your pictures and this Data Rescue 2 by ProSoft may be something I will recommend in the future.

Remember to backup

P

- Collapse -
got my pics back?
Oct 11, 2005 2:34PM PDT

Good for you. Thanks to Pete also.
Do yourself one more favor. Get Roxio Toast software. Neat software. Easy to use. You will like it.
Not expensive, just the best.

-Kevin