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newbiemini · Jul 11, 2006, 07:12 AM

The dreaded spinning wheel just spins never opens and all pics are gone please help
Thank you for your support

TETENAL · Jul 11, 2006, 07:31 AM

If you're not putting any effort in describing your problem, I'm not putting any effort in helping you.

• Reboot
• Trash iPhoto preferences
• Hold down Option+Command at iPhoto startup to rebuild the library

skybolt · Jul 11, 2006, 09:41 AM

Also tell us if you have been messing with your iPhoto library in Finder. this could be a major problem.

newbiemini · Jul 11, 2006, 11:13 AM

I am sorry for the lack of info . The only thing i known that i had done was to download flip4mac
i had not opened I photo for at least 2-3 days. When i went to unload my pics to I photo it opened and i was able to see that nothing appeared in my library on the side and the wheel just kept spinning . I did not have to force quit . Every time i open this happens. I checked the info on i photo and it says i am using memory . I tried to find the pics trough the finder and through my sons account also made his account admin just so i might be able to find my pics with no luck.
I have not be able to locate where they are. I thought maybe to uninstall and reinstall ?? Also got camera salvage for lost or deleted pics and it did not show me the pics i was missing. Thanks every one for your expertise

newbiemini · Jul 11, 2006, 11:32 AM

Hello the dreaded newbies
i was unable to locate the i photos preferences ( any hints )

newbiemini · 12:13 PM

Newbie here i found the p list trashed it did the opt com and opened i photo it worked thank you no spinning wheel. But were did all my pics go can we find them. thanks Mary no i had not been in the finder at all. My son bought me the mini 4g 1.25Ghz 512kb 512 MB bus speed 167
My first mac always used win i love my mac and would never go back . I just need to learn and thanks to people like the mac family i know i will

Stradlater · Jul 11, 2006, 12:09 PM

Did you check your pictures folder?

newbiemini · Jul 11, 2006, 12:19 PM

i am only able to find pics that were not in i photo

newbiemini · Jul 11, 2006, 12:20 PM

at least it opens and it shows the library thanks

newbiemini · Jul 11, 2006, 12:31 PM

tried the rebuild library said no pics thanxs

TETENAL · Jul 11, 2006, 12:58 PM

The iPhoto library is in <yourhomefolder>/Pictures/iPhoto Library by default. If you didn't change the location (which it sounds like you didn't) the pictures should be there and since this is the default iPhoto should have picked them up after you deleted its preferences.

Anyway, your pictures are not there it seems. So now open Spotlight and type in kind:image . You will get a list of all pictures on your computer (that you have access rights to from your account). If you see one of your iPhoto pictures control-click it to open the context menu and select "Reveal in Finder". Tell us what the path to the photos is and we will continue from there on. If you don't see your iPhoto pictures, they are probably lost and you need to restore your iPhoto library from your backup.

Flip4Mac is almost definitely unrelated to this problem.

newbiemini · 01:54 PM

Hello i am sorry to be a pain.I looked in spot light no pics my home folder only shows pics that were not in i photo.My home folder has a picture folder but not one that says iphoto library.Since i trashed the photo p list would you think that maybe running cameras salvage may find my pics this time. Hate to say the words NO BACK UP ( i will say it for you i am stupid )i learned a valuable lesson today just hope i will be able to retrieve my pics, Thanxs

I hope this is not a really stupid question but i looked at the iphoto info and it says i am using 159.8mb

TETENAL · Jul 11, 2006, 02:03 PM

There sort of must be an iPhoto Library in your Pictures folder since if there weren't one iPhoto would create a completely new one.

Camera Salvage won't help you since it recovers lost pictures on the camera not pictures that were lost on your disk. There are similar programs to do the same thing for files lost on the disk, like Data Rescue. You can download the demo and see whether it finds any of your lost pictures. Don't download the demo with this Mac though to avoid the download to overwrite the pictures.

newbiemini · Jul 11, 2006, 03:24 PM

thanxs i will try and find some one to down load it and send it to me thank you again for your time and energy. newbiemini lee

newbiemini · Jul 12, 2006, 12:50 PM

Hello again this is newbiemini Lee I think i know what has happened and why the ifo dialog says iphoto is using memory. The dialog box that holds my home folder and others , the pictures folder is gone. If it went up in the puff of smoke can it be retrieved in tack. I am not sure this happened but it is a chance or maybe a key board short cut mistake.Also if possible at the same time Tiger cache cleaner which i have used several times before and know it says it can not run on this system Error 1047 once again thanxs