SlippySlope

Q: Not enough disk space to convert iPhoto library to photo

My wife's iPhoto library has about 9,500 photos. She has a MacBook Air, which has limited hard drive space, so we put her iPhoto library on a SD card (which is always in its SD slot). We've decided to convert the iPhone library to Photos. When the process is started, it gets to about 4% on the progress bar when a popup says that there is not enough disk space to complete the task (says that 72GB is required). How can I complete this process? She wants to do it so that her iPhone and iPad Air can all share the all of the photos via iCloud. Do I put the Photos library on the SD card also? Once the Photos library syncs with iCloud, don't all of the large digital images disappear from the MacBook Air and only a thumbnail remain (like on the iPhone and iPad)?

MacBook Air, OS X El Capitan (10.11.3), MacBook Pro/IPadAir/iPhone 6

Posted on Apr 11, 2016 9:00 PM

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Q: Not enough disk space to convert iPhoto library to photo

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  • by SlippySlope,

    SlippySlope SlippySlope Apr 14, 2016 7:11 PM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (54 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 14, 2016 7:11 PM in response to léonie

    léonie...I've run into another bump on my wife's MBA and before I go any further, I would like to share my screen shots and explain how I got there...

    As you recall, I put the iPhoto library on the external HD (formatted MacOS Extended (Journaled)) and did the conversion to Photos. It created the Photos library on the external HD as well. After all of the items in the new Photos library uploaded to iCloud, I copied the Photos library to the SD disk (formatted MacOS Extended (Journaled)). Then I did the routine to switch Photos libraries. I got these windows:

    Switching.png

    However, when I go to Photos>Preferences>iCloud I don't see the option to turn on iCloud

    System Photo Library.png

    I've read through the System Photo Library overview and think that I must be missing something (BTW, there is only 18GB of free space on her MBA HD and her Photos library is 52GB...I'm thinking I may moved large none OS program files to the external HD to create more free HD space so that I can put the Photo library in Pictures on her MBA HD).

    System Photo overview.png

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Apr 15, 2016 2:39 AM in response to SlippySlope
    Level 10 (107,350 points)
    iCloud
    Apr 15, 2016 2:39 AM in response to SlippySlope

    Did the upload finish?  No more progress bar in the Photos Preferences > iCloud, and the message is "Updated just now" after you upload the photos to iCloud from your external drive? Is optimize storage on for the library you uploaded? The warning refers to photos that are optimized. The optimized versions will be removed, but the originals will remain in iCloud. The warning is a routine warning.

     

     

    However, when I go to Photos>Preferences>iCloud I don't see the option to turn on iCloud

    The option to enable iCloud will/should be available, after you open the new library on the SD disk (or her internal drive) in Photos and enable it as the system Photos Library.

     

     

    (BTW, there is only 18GB of free space on her MBA HD and her Photos library is 52GB...I'm thinking I may moved large none OS program files to the external HD to create more free HD space so that I can put the Photo library in Pictures on her MBA HD

    Is the original iPhoto Library still in her Pictures folder?  If you migrate an iPhoto Library to Photos, both the Photos Library and the iPhoto Library will be using the same storage on the disk - the image files are hard links. If you delete a photo from one of the libraries the storage is not released until you delete it from the other library as well. If the iPhoto Library is still in her Pictures folder, move it to the external drive. See:  Photos saves disk space by sharing images with your iPhoto or Aperture libraries - Apple Support and Six Colors: The (hard) link between Photos and iPhoto

     

    If your wife did not invest much time in naming faces, you could simply create a new, empty library in her Pictures folder, enable this library as her system photo library, enable iCloud, and wait for the photos to download from iCloud. Keep the version on her external drive as a backup. The faces album will not download from iCloud however, only searchable faces tags.  If faces are important for her, and if she needs to save books and calendars, copy the library over.

  • by SlippySlope,

    SlippySlope SlippySlope Apr 17, 2016 12:28 PM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (54 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 17, 2016 12:28 PM in response to léonie

    léonie, I'm back after a weekend away at a friend's 75th birthday celebration.

     

    First, my MacBook...on Friday, I left my Photos library uploading to iCloud (from my external HD)...BTW, the new Photos library is 297GB...wow). But now that it's uploaded, I see that I have the original Photos library on my internal MBP HD and it is only 3 GB. Can I make this library my System Photo Library and it will sync with iCloud and properly optimize the images in relation with the free space on the HD?

     

    Second, my wife's MB Air, I think we got everything up on her iCloud (her iPhone and iPad Air seem to have everything). Can I create a new (blank) Photos library on her MBA and make it System Photo Library and then have it sync with iCloud and optimize appropriately to the free space of her HD? If so, how do I create a fresh Photos library?

     

    You're are my resident guru and, I thank you very much for all of your guidance.

  • by SlippySlope,

    SlippySlope SlippySlope Apr 17, 2016 12:35 PM in response to SlippySlope
    Level 1 (54 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 17, 2016 12:35 PM in response to SlippySlope

    léonie, I've figured out how to create the new Photos library:

    1. Re-launch the Photos app in OS X while holding down the Option key, start holding down the option key immediately
    2. At the “Choose Library” screen, select the “Create New…” button

    So, the remainder of my question:

    If I make it my System Photos Library, will it sync with iCloud and properly optimize the images in relation with the free space on the HD?

  • by LarryHN,

    LarryHN LarryHN Apr 17, 2016 12:38 PM in response to SlippySlope
    Level 10 (84,776 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Apr 17, 2016 12:38 PM in response to SlippySlope

    yes

     

    Obviusly you have to set the correct Photos preferences adn be logged into iCloud with the same APple ID

     

    LN

  • by léonie,Helpful

    léonie léonie Apr 17, 2016 2:27 PM in response to SlippySlope
    Level 10 (107,350 points)
    iCloud
    Apr 17, 2016 2:27 PM in response to SlippySlope

    Yes, as Larry said.

  • by SlippySlope,

    SlippySlope SlippySlope Apr 17, 2016 2:28 PM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (54 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 17, 2016 2:28 PM in response to léonie

    Thanks guys

  • by LarryHN,

    LarryHN LarryHN Apr 17, 2016 5:36 PM in response to SlippySlope
    Level 10 (84,776 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Apr 17, 2016 5:36 PM in response to SlippySlope

    you are welcome

     

    LN

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