Richard Chubb

Q: Migrating from iPhoto to Photos

Hi, hope someone can help. I have quite a large iPhoto library that won't open in iPhoto or Aperture anymore, suddenly it says there is somethignwrong with permissions.

 

I am trying to cover to Photos, but it has been stuck on Preparing Library for about 30 minutes, still at 0%.

 

Get Info says it is 21gb, which surprises me as I thought it would be a lot larger, but I am wondering how long it would take, and if it is not working as the iPhoto library has something wrong with it?

 

Thanks in advance

Richard

iMac, OS X Yosemite (10.10.5)

Posted on Apr 29, 2016 12:23 PM

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Q: Migrating from iPhoto to Photos

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  • by LarryHN,

    LarryHN LarryHN Apr 29, 2016 2:26 PM in response to Richard Chubb
    Level 10 (84,646 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Apr 29, 2016 2:26 PM in response to Richard Chubb

    Give it some time - that is not a really large library but it might take a couple of hours

     

    Do you have iPhoto 9.6.1 and/or aperture 3.6

     

    Probably you are going to want to fix the libraries first ad then migrate - this will require one of those programs

     

    If the migration does not work backup your iPhoto Library and hold down the option and command keys while launching iPhoto 9.6.1 - repair permissions and then rebuild the library - see this article for additional suggestions on preparing to migrate  --  Notes on Migrating an iPhoto Library from iPhoto to Photos for Mac

     

     

    Once you are ready drag the prepared iPhoto library to the Photos icon in the DOck and it should migrate cleanly

     

    see for info on how the migration works - https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204478

     

    And notes on the differences between iPhoto 9.6.1 and Photos 1.5  --  Photos 1.5 vs iPhoto 9.6.1: Features and Capabilities

     

    LN

  • by Richard Chubb,

    Richard Chubb Richard Chubb Apr 29, 2016 3:10 PM in response to LarryHN
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 29, 2016 3:10 PM in response to LarryHN

    Hi Larry

     

    I use aperture 3.6. about 4 hours after starting it is still showing 0%, and as mentioned, I am not convinced the library is only 21gb.

     

    I think I have tried theRepair permissions, but it errored too.

     

    Can I kill photos without damaging anything, and try your steps above?

     

    Thanks again

  • by LarryHN,

    LarryHN LarryHN Apr 29, 2016 3:32 PM in response to Richard Chubb
    Level 10 (84,646 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Apr 29, 2016 3:32 PM in response to Richard Chubb

    Yes - if there is a partial Photos library just delete it s it is unusable

     

    LN

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Apr 29, 2016 11:41 PM in response to Richard Chubb
    Level 10 (106,958 points)
    iCloud
    Apr 29, 2016 11:41 PM in response to Richard Chubb
    I have quite a large iPhoto library that won't open in iPhoto or Aperture anymore, suddenly it says there is somethignwrong with permissions.

    What is the error exact error message?

     

    Where is your Aperture library stored? In your Pictures folder or on an external drive? If external drive, what is the file system?

     

    Your Aperture library needs to be on a drive that is formatted MacOS Extended (Journaled), or Photos will try to create the migrated copy in your Pictures folder and get stuck, because it is running out of storage. The migrated library caan only be created on a drive, where Photos can create hard links.

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Apr 29, 2016 11:43 PM in response to Richard Chubb
    Level 10 (106,958 points)
    iCloud
    Apr 29, 2016 11:43 PM in response to Richard Chubb
    I think I have tried theRepair permissions, but it errored too.

    Did you try the "repair" in Aperture or in Photos?

  • by Richard Chubb,

    Richard Chubb Richard Chubb Apr 30, 2016 1:34 AM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 30, 2016 1:34 AM in response to léonie

    Hi there, the library is stored external and it is formatted MacOS Extended (Journaled),

     

    I have killed the Photos migration, and held down the option and command keys while launching Aperture 3.6 to repair permissions.


    I did it with Aperture as this is the programme I used, and rarely went into iPhoto


    I know have a window spinning for 2 hours saying Checking all files


    Should I just leave this for a few hours?

     

    Thanks again

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Apr 30, 2016 1:45 AM in response to Richard Chubb
    Level 10 (106,958 points)
    iCloud
    Apr 30, 2016 1:45 AM in response to Richard Chubb

    "Repair Permissions" should not take that long, unless your library is gigantic. let it run for an hour or so longer, but then kill it.

     

    "Repair Database" or "Rebuild database" on the other hand may take several hours, sometimes even days for a very large library.

     

    Enable the "Ignore Ownership" flag on that external drive, if it has not yet been enabled.  And check the external drive with Disk Utility.

     

    if that is well, test, if Aperture can work with a new, empty library on that external drive, to get the drive out of the equation.

     

    You set the Ignore Ownership flag from the Info panel for the drive:

    portable_drive_info.png

  • by Richard Chubb,

    Richard Chubb Richard Chubb Apr 30, 2016 3:06 AM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 30, 2016 3:06 AM in response to léonie

    Thank You léonie, I have stopped everything.

     

    I am now running a from Disk Utility, Verifyng Volume, and it says it will take 9 hours, so i will let this run and feedback.

     

    Many thanks

    Richard

  • by Richard Chubb,

    Richard Chubb Richard Chubb Apr 30, 2016 3:57 AM in response to Richard Chubb
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 30, 2016 3:57 AM in response to Richard Chubb

    OK, it completed quickly and said Volume Appears to be ok.

     

    I guess there is no point in Repairing?

     

    Also, Repair Disk Permissions is greyed out?

     

    I guess the next step is to try and open aperture on another drive, with an empty library?

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Apr 30, 2016 4:12 AM in response to Richard Chubb
    Level 10 (106,958 points)
    iCloud
    Apr 30, 2016 4:12 AM in response to Richard Chubb
    Also, Repair Disk Permissions is greyed out?

    On your external drive?
    If "repair Permissions" is greyed out, there is something wrong.  Is the external drive used by Time Machine?

     

    Do you have any other backup software installed on that drive, that came  with the drive?

     

    If the drive is your backup drive, it is not possible to migrate your library on that drive.

  • by Richard Chubb,

    Richard Chubb Richard Chubb Apr 30, 2016 6:26 AM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 30, 2016 6:26 AM in response to léonie

    This external HD is used to store, read write etc. It is backed up via time machine to an external NAS.

     

    Have I a busted ext HDD do you think?

     

    Thanks

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Apr 30, 2016 6:36 AM in response to Richard Chubb
    Level 10 (106,958 points)
    iCloud
    Apr 30, 2016 6:36 AM in response to Richard Chubb
    This external HD is used to store, read write etc.

    That is o.k. then. Have you been able to set the ignore ownership flag as shown in the screenshot?  If this flag is not available, the drive has software installed that makes the system treat is as a system drive.

  • by Richard Chubb,

    Richard Chubb Richard Chubb Apr 30, 2016 6:55 AM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 30, 2016 6:55 AM in response to léonie

    HI, yes have been able to set that flag.