myscienceteacher

Q: Photos keeps failing on import

I'm trying to get photos off my iPhone and onto my Mac. So far I've been depending on iCloud backup, but that space is full. I'd rather not upgrade the plan and would like to just save pix to my HD.

 

So far Photos keeps failing after downloading a few videos. iTunes can still see my iPhone, but Photos seems to lose track of it. I have to unplug and replug my iPhone to get a few more to download. I have 20GB of photos and far less patience.

 

OS 10.11.15

iOS 9.3.2

Photos 1.5

 

Ideas?

Mac mini, OS X El Capitan (10.11.5), 2011-2012 version

Posted on Jun 25, 2016 12:55 PM

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Q: Photos keeps failing on import

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  • by myscienceteacher,

    myscienceteacher myscienceteacher Jun 25, 2016 2:42 PM in response to myscienceteacher
    Level 2 (228 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jun 25, 2016 2:42 PM in response to myscienceteacher

    Minor update:

    i was able to get pix off of iPhone using image capture, however a problem remains:

    The number of pictures in photo app on iPhone (about 3300) don't match up with the number of pix in settings -> general -> about on iPhone (5500). I'd like to delete the pix from the phone, but I don't want to miss any.

    DOes the "about" number pull from other places in the phone?

  • by myscienceteacher,

    myscienceteacher myscienceteacher Jun 25, 2016 6:47 PM in response to myscienceteacher
    Level 2 (228 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jun 25, 2016 6:47 PM in response to myscienceteacher

    update #2:

    getting weirder...

    I used Image Capture to delete the photos off my phone, then used iTunes to put back only the last 3 months.

    iTunes put the pictures back, but they are not in the camera roll. I can only see them under "Moments" and I now I cannot delete them! (the trash can is greyed out)

     

    I've brought the pictures on my phone down from 5,500 to 970 from the last three months, but now I can't go through and delete any of those.

  • by léonie,Apple recommended

    léonie léonie Jun 26, 2016 7:44 AM in response to myscienceteacher
    Level 10 (106,856 points)
    iLife
    Jun 26, 2016 7:44 AM in response to myscienceteacher
    So far Photos keeps failing after downloading a few videos. iTunes can still see my iPhone, but Photos seems to lose track of it. I have to unplug and replug my iPhone to get a few more to download. I have 20GB of photos and far less patience.

    The problem is, that you had been using iCloud Photo Library with the iPhone.  If your photos are stored in iCloud, the Import panel in photos and also Image Capture will only see a few photos, the ones that are currently stored locally on the iPhone.

     

    I used Image Capture to delete the photos off my phone, then used iTunes to put back only the last 3 months.

    Photos you are syncing using iTunes are stored differently from the photos you are taking with the iPhone camera.  Synced photos do not appear in the Camera Roll and they cannot be edited or deleted. To edit them you have to save a copy to the Camera Roll. Then you can edit the copy. And to delete synced photos, you have to sync again with iTunes. Syncing replaces the previously synced photos by the new synced albums.

    See this help page:   Sync photos to your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch in iTunes - Apple Support

  • by myscienceteacher,

    myscienceteacher myscienceteacher Jun 26, 2016 7:18 AM in response to léonie
    Level 2 (228 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jun 26, 2016 7:18 AM in response to léonie

    I was not using iCloud Photo Library, but I vaguely remember trying it out when it was new. What it sounds like is that I had some photos that were on my phone via iCloud Photo Library and some that were on my phone via iTunes. Since they're both saved/organized differently, that's what was messing me up. Does that sound right?

     

    Lsat night I was able to save everything from Photos to my iPhone through iTunes the way I wanted, but I ended up having more issues. I could delete some pix, but not others. I had albums created on my computer and albums created on my phone. The albums wouldn't stay in sync. I gave up and bought more iCloud storage and let it run overnight. It's only uploaded half of my pix so far, but everything on my iPhone and iPad are super nice. All the albums are synced and everything. I really like it, which is a bummer because now I'm paying more. Maybe it's easier to justify the extra cost as being chaper than a new hard drive. I was running out of space anyways.

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Jun 26, 2016 7:40 AM in response to myscienceteacher
    Level 10 (106,856 points)
    iLife
    Jun 26, 2016 7:40 AM in response to myscienceteacher

    All the albums are synced and everything. I really like it, which is a bummer because now I'm paying more.

    It is worth it, if you like it.  It is the only way to get a lossless sync of all edits, albums, and metadata.

    I'm keeping my Macs and my iPhone in sync this way. Syncing Macs is even better, because it also syncs the smart albums between Macs.