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Accessing Libraries On CDs and DVDs


iPhoto includes a built-in CD/DVD burning feature that allows you to backup some or all of your albums to CDs or DVDs for storage. When you insert such a burned disc into your computer, it will appear in the iPhoto source list on the left just below your main library. From there, you can copy photos from the CD/DVD into your library. However, this process can sometimes result in incorrect metadata (especially keywords) being assigned when those photos are copied to the library. If you have troubles with this, you can instead use iPhoto Library Manager to copy your photos to one of your libraries on your hard drive.

To copy photos from a CD/DVD:

  1. Insert the CD/DVD into your computer. When the computer recognizes the disc, it may (depending on your configuration) automatically launch iPhoto. If it does, go ahead and quit iPhoto after it opens.
  2. Double click the CD icon that appeared on the desktop to open it up. Inside you should see a folder named "iPhoto Library". Drag that folder to your desktop (or another location on your hard drive) to make a copy of it.
  3. Once the copy is complete, open up iPhoto Library Manager and add the library folder to your library list.
  4. Select the library to be the current library and open iPhoto. The first time you open the library, iPhoto will need to build a thumbnail cache, which may take a few minutes.
  5. Once iPhoto has completed its thumbnail caching, you can then treat the library as any other iPhoto library, using iPhoto Library Manager to copy albums from it or merge it into another library.