Arik S.

Q: Photos app - There is not enough disk space to migrate your library

I have Macbook pro late 2014 with retina display.

I have just updated to OS x 10.10.3.

When I try to enter the Photo app, I get the message ×´There is not enough disk space to migrate your library. It is estimated that you need at least 33GB of additional free space.×´

I have a 256 GB SSD hard drive, Mostly occupied by images and videos that where in iPhoto app.

 

How can I delete images and/or videos to make room on my hard drive in order to use the Photos app and save it to iCloud.

 

Thank's,

 

Arik

MacBook Pro, OS X Yosemite (10.10.3)

Posted on Apr 10, 2015 2:39 AM

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Q: Photos app - There is not enough disk space to migrate your library

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  • by Terence Devlin,Apple recommended

    Terence Devlin Terence Devlin Apr 10, 2015 2:45 AM in response to Arik S.
    Level 10 (139,532 points)
    iLife
    Apr 10, 2015 2:45 AM in response to Arik S.

    Move them to an external drive.

  • by Arik S.,

    Arik S. Arik S. Apr 10, 2015 3:04 AM in response to Terence Devlin
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 10, 2015 3:04 AM in response to Terence Devlin

    How do I move them to an external drive?

     

    I saved my iPhoto library with Time Machine on external HD.

     

    Can I delete the iPhoto library on my Hard Drive and than enter the iPhoto library on my external HD and save it to iCloud?

     

    Thank's,

     

    Arik

     

  • by Terence Devlin,Apple recommended

    Terence Devlin Terence Devlin Apr 10, 2015 3:31 AM in response to Arik S.
    Level 10 (139,532 points)
    iLife
    Apr 10, 2015 3:31 AM in response to Arik S.

    I saved my iPhoto library with Time Machine on external HD.

     

    That's a back up.

     

    Get another drive and move the Library there:

     

    Make sure the drive is formatted Mac OS Extended (Journaled)

     

    1. Quit iPhoto

     

    2. Copy the iPhoto Library from your Pictures Folder to the External Disk.

     

    3. Hold down the option (or alt) key while launching iPhoto. From the resulting menu select 'Choose Library' and navigate to the new location. From that point on this will be the default location of your library.

     

    4. Test the library and when you're sure all is well, trash the one on your internal HD to free up space.

     

    Regards

     

     

    TD

  • by Arik S.,

    Arik S. Arik S. Apr 10, 2015 11:23 PM in response to Terence Devlin
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 10, 2015 11:23 PM in response to Terence Devlin

    Thanks.

     

    How do I delete photos permanently from the default Photos library in order to reduce the size of the library?

     

    Thanks,

     

    Arik

  • by Arik S.,

    Arik S. Arik S. Apr 12, 2015 9:19 AM in response to Terence Devlin
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 12, 2015 9:19 AM in response to Terence Devlin

    Hi Terence,

     

    I did what you said.

     

    I noticed that the Photos app created a new "Photos library" in my external HD.

    I deleted the old "iPhoto library" on my internal HD and copied the new "Photos library" from my external HD into my internal HD.

    I defined the new Photos library on my internal HD as the default Photos library.

    Now I can view and edit my photos on my internal HD, but it doesn't back up my Photos library into iCloud (I did all needed in Mac System Preferences/iCloud and in Photos app/Preferences/iCloud).

     

    What can I do in order to back up my "Photos library" into iCloud?

     

    Thanks,

     

    Arik

  • by awhig,

    awhig awhig May 6, 2015 6:28 AM in response to Arik S.
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 6, 2015 6:28 AM in response to Arik S.

    I upgraded to the new OS and am trying to open my iPhotos library which is on an external drive with the new Photos app.

     

    After 30 minutes it gives me this error message saying that I need another 537GB of space to migrate my library.

     

    My external drive is 500GB with about 90GB left. I basically have to buy a NEW hard drive (over 1T I guess) just so that I can access my photos????

     

    I find this unreasonable.

     

    Is there any work around for this? I would think that Apple could of figured out a way to update the library in place without having to duplicate all the image files (I'm guessing this is why it needs all this space for the migration).

     

    Please help!!! Can't get to my photos.

     

    In addition, I need to dump photos off my iPhone (ran out of space) and I can't do this since I can't open my library. I don't feel like creating another library just to do this.

     

    Rich

  • by karifromboulder,

    karifromboulder karifromboulder May 15, 2015 2:55 PM in response to awhig
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 15, 2015 2:55 PM in response to awhig

    I just had a similar problem, and I will still need to bring over all the files in Aperture Library.  Looking for help, other than having to go out and purchase another external drive.

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 May 15, 2015 2:59 PM in response to karifromboulder
    Level 9 (50,412 points)
    Desktops
    May 15, 2015 2:59 PM in response to karifromboulder

    Think of it like your purse, it's full. The choices are make more space available (unlikely if you need that much space) or buy a bigger drive.

  • by awhig,

    awhig awhig May 18, 2015 1:29 AM in response to Csound1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 18, 2015 1:29 AM in response to Csound1

    I don't think this is an accurate analogy. A better one is that my purse is currently half full. Then someone comes by and says I need to buy a bigger purse for no reason in particular (or a reason I don't agree with).

     

    I think the migration process should be better handled so that they don't have to hold 2 copies of all the photos at on time (what I think is happening).

     

    In any case, I switched to using Picasa. It doesn't have the Library concept, it just uses the photos in place wherever they are on the drive. Much more lightweight, and I can actually view/edit my photos.

     

    Maybe Apple will improve the migration process so I can use the Photo app at some point in the future. Until then....

     

    Rich

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 May 18, 2015 5:41 AM in response to awhig
    Level 9 (50,412 points)
    Desktops
    May 18, 2015 5:41 AM in response to awhig

    Have a nice day

  • by hanguolaohu,Apple recommended

    hanguolaohu hanguolaohu Jun 2, 2015 10:21 PM in response to Arik S.
    Level 1 (6 points)
    Jun 2, 2015 10:21 PM in response to Arik S.

    I would suggest keeping the iPhoto library for now as it doesn't take up additional space despite what the Finder is telling you.

     

    https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204476

     

    Migrate videos to an external hard drive instead which take up much more data than photos.

  • by awhig,

    awhig awhig Jun 10, 2015 4:21 AM in response to awhig
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 10, 2015 4:21 AM in response to awhig

    Just as a follow up to my solution. I switched to Picasa. Unfortunately, Picasa only will look at the iPhoto Library in your documents folder. It will ignore and not recognize external Photo Library folders (which is my situation. All my photos are on an external drive).

     

    https://support.google.com/picasa/answer/134847?hl=en

    By default, Picasa for Mac will look for your iPhoto Library in its usual location (Pictures > iPhoto Library); other iPhoto Libraries will be excluded from Picasa.

     

    The picasa folder tool does not even display the iPhoto Library (folder) on my external drive.

     

    I could move them all outside of the photo library, but don't want to destroy my library in case Apple decides to fix this issue. I can't copy them out of there as I run into the issue that I don't have enough space to hold 2 complete copies of my photo library on my drive.

     

    Basically have to go buy a new hard drive...

     

    Rich

  • by EduardoPinto,

    EduardoPinto EduardoPinto Jun 22, 2015 3:01 PM in response to Arik S.
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 22, 2015 3:01 PM in response to Arik S.

    Hi all,

     

    My iPhoto library is 116GB and I have it stored in an external drive with 1.5TB of free space. My internal drive has 310GB of free space. Whenever I try to migrate to Photos I get this "not enough disk space..." error message at 8% of the process.

     

    I even created a bootable image of my internal drive in another 2TB external disk and tried to migrate the library from that drive but the same thing happened: halted at 8%.

     

    Can you help me please?

     

    Thanks in advance!

  • by wormangel,

    wormangel wormangel Oct 7, 2015 12:31 PM in response to EduardoPinto
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 7, 2015 12:31 PM in response to EduardoPinto

    Same situation here..

     

    My iPhoto library is more or less 225 GB. It lives on an external drive with 800 GB of free space.

    Around 5% while migrating, it says I need ADDITIONAL 950 GB to migrate. What the...?!

     

    Does anyone knows of a solution?

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