iPhoto '08 (7.0.x) Special Report: Crashes on launch, during use: fixes

Several users have reported an issue where iPhoto '08 (7.0.1) crashes soon after launching.

One reader writes:

"I've tried rebuilding directory and even selecting all options in rebuild menu (this works), but then crashed once complete. Crashed at 7.0 and 7.0.1. Repaired all permissions before opening any of iLife 08."

Another adds:

"(iPhoto '08) fails to launch after upgrading library and splitting events. Program quits and notify Apple message appears."

The fix for these crashes is generally to make sure that there are no problematic items in the various media folders that iPhoto checks while it is launching. These include:

• ~/Pictures
• ~/Pictures
• ~/Music

The best thing to do is move all items out of these folders, then put them back one by one or in groups, re-launching iPhoto intermittently, to isolate the problematic item. Some users have reported that network share aliases are the culprits. Move them out of any of the aforementioned folders first and check for persistence of the crashes.

In particular, it appears that network shares may cause the problem. Remove any network shares from the aforementioned folders and check for persistence of the issue. These can sometimes appear in Media Central folders.

Meanwhile, MacFixIt reader J. Fernando Rey reports that he can obviate the issue by not going to a gallery album initially after launch. In his case, this action triggers the crash. By going to a regular iPhoto album first, subsequent operation occurs properly.

He writes:

"iPhoto crashes when I open it and it goes to the events screen. If I next click on one of my gallery albums, iPhoto crashes. If I go first to any iPhoto album -not a gallery album- I can click then over a gallery album without a crash. Everything works perfectly from then on. The only problem occurs when I click over a gallery album just after iPhoto starting with the events screen. I don't know why."

Rebuild database In other cases, rebuilding the iPhoto database can prove successful for eliminating crashes.

This can be accomplished by launching iPhoto while holding down either the control or Command key. A menu will pop up and ask if you want to rebuild the photo files database. You should then check all the boxes and allow iPhoto to rebuild the database.

Index:

• Crashes on launch, during use: fixes
• Library is now a package file, ramifications
• Slow, jerky zooming
• Update to 7.0.2 for Web gallery upload issues

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