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You are here: MacNN Forums > Software - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Applications > Can’t view iPhotos on one computer

Can’t view iPhotos on one computer
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bojangles
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Location: Lafayette, IN, USA
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Sep 8, 2010, 03:14 PM
 
I just inherited a Mac mini (1.42-GHz G4) from a friend, planning to use it as a small media server. I started by installing Mac OS X v.10.5.8, iLife ’09 (sans iMovie), and everything Software Update offered me (including iTunes 10). I then ran an ethernet cable to my network hub (router: AirPort Extreme w/gigabit ethernet) and opened iPhoto, pointing it to a library on a shared drive. Since I’ve been accessing my iPhotos via this method for years, I figured all would work fine—and it did, to a point.

Opening iPhoto was quick and painless, and all of my events and thumbnails showed up as expected. Unfortunately, when I went to expand a photo from the thumbnail… nothing. Selecting the thumbnail gives me the standard yellow-highlight border, but double-clicking just changes that border to a pale blue, with no further discernible result.

Since double-clicking didn’t work, I tried the Edit button instead. This sends me into edit mode, complete with a horizontal list of photos across the top—but the main pane remains black. If I slide the magnifier (at lower right), the Navigation floater pops up instantly with the thumbnail therein, but still nothing in the main pane—just black.

On a whim, I held down the option key while starting iPhoto and created a brand new library. I imported about a dozen photos into it—none of which came from the library I had been using—and tried again. The results were exactly the same. I then repaired the permissions; no change. I even deleted iPhoto and reinstalled from the DVD (and re-updated to 8.1.2, of course); still nuzzin.

Might it be because there’s only 512MB of RAM installed? I do have a 1GB stick coming in the mail, so if that’s all it is, I should be good in a few days. Seems like an odd way for insufficient RAM to present itself, though, doesn’t it?

Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks!
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bojangles  (op)
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Sep 13, 2010, 08:08 PM
 
Update: I received the RAM today and updated. (Turns out it’s actually a 2GB stick, but the mini only sees 1GB anyway, so whatever.) Functionality is exactly the same, so it’s obviously not a RAM thing.

So… anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks again!
“The trouble with quotes on the Internet is that you can never tell if they’re attributed to the right person.”
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bojangles  (op)
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Join Date: May 2000
Location: Lafayette, IN, USA
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Sep 14, 2010, 03:43 PM
 
Welp, I found the culprit: apparently iPhoto doesn’t like being on a headless machine. Someone else had the same problem.

Thanks for all who looked! :-)
“The trouble with quotes on the Internet is that you can never tell if they’re attributed to the right person.”
—Abraham Lincoln
     
   
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