HT204967: Use the Photos library repair tool

Learn about Use the Photos library repair tool
richardfromseminole
Level 1 (4 points)
Mac OS X

Q: This solution did not work for me. Does anyone else have another answer.

Since I updated to El Capitan I can not open or access my photos. I tried the

2 key combination recommended but had no luck. Did not receive dialogue

box to rebuild. Does anyone else have a solution to open Photos?

iCal, Mac OS X (10.6.7)

Posted on Jul 11, 2016 9:08 AM

by léonie,Apple recommended
léonie léonie
Level 10 (107,629 points)
iCloud
A:

Have tried to trash preference files, if Photos does not launch in your main account at all?

 

  • Remove Photos's caches in the Containers folder ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Photos/Data/Library/Caches

that stores data to pass to other services. I'd delete the complete folder ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Photos/  and restart the Mac, then try again.


Your user library may still be hidden.To reveal the hidden User Library:

  • Bring the Finder forward by clicking on the Desktop or the Finder icon in the Dock.
  • Select your user/home folder (with the house icon in the Finder sidebar)
  • With that Finder window as the front window, press the key combination ⌘J to bring up the View options.
  • In the View options panel enable ’Show Library Folder’. That will make your user library folder visible in your Home folder.
  • Open your Home folder, then the Library folder, then Containers.
  • Move the complete folder ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Photos to your desktop. Move the entire folder, not just the contents.


Now restart the Mac and try again.  If all is well, delete the folder from the Desktop.


Posted on Jul 13, 2016 1:50 PM

Close
richardfromseminole

Q: This solution did not work for me. Does anyone else have another answer.

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by LarryHN,

    LarryHN LarryHN Jul 11, 2016 9:01 PM in response to richardfromseminole
    Level 10 (84,857 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Jul 11, 2016 9:01 PM in response to richardfromseminole

    1 - If you held dow the options and command key while launching Photos and kept then down until the repairer library command repair library came up you would be fine - you did something incorrectly as it most certainly does work

     

    2 - if you want additional help you actually have to provide details to us since we can not see you nor read your mind

     

    for help in asking a question that is possible to answer see Writing an effective Apple Support Communities question

     

    LN

  • by richardfromseminole,

    richardfromseminole richardfromseminole Jul 12, 2016 9:45 AM in response to LarryHN
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 12, 2016 9:45 AM in response to LarryHN

    I am running OS version 10.11.5 with Photos version 1.5 and this answer did not work for me. Since I have been using Macs for about 30 years I know how to use keyboard commands so I really need another solution and not sarcasm.

    When I use the key combination recommended Photos opens with NO windows and the only option I have is to navigate to the Menu bar and under windows select Photos which gives me a blank window and no pictures. I have removed the preferences file, something us old timers did to solve problems and check the Permissions and Sharing info for both the App and the Photos file. Photos 1.5 will not even recognize my iPhone or a camera memory card.

    Getting Photos to work without a OS reinstall would be nice and any recommendations would be appreciated.

    Screen Shot 2016-07-12 at 12.34.32 PM.png

  • by léonie,Helpful

    léonie léonie Jul 12, 2016 10:42 AM in response to richardfromseminole
    Level 10 (107,629 points)
    iCloud
    Jul 12, 2016 10:42 AM in response to richardfromseminole

    Since I updated to El Capitan I can not open or access my photos.

    Could you tell us in more detail what the state of your migration to Photos is?

    Have you used Photos already on Yosemite and have an existing Photos Library?  Or are you upgrading from an earlier system and need to  migrate an Aperture Library or iPhoto Library?  Sorry, but your queston does not tell us what you had before the upgrade to El Capitan.

     

    Where is the library you are trying to open?  In your Pictures folder? On an external drive?

     

    Did not receive dialoguebox to rebuild.

     

    This can happen, if Photos does not find the library to repair or rebuild.

    When you used the key combination option-command, did you double-click the library to be repaired or Photos?  If you launched Photos, try again while double-clicking the Photos Library.

  • by richardfromseminole,

    richardfromseminole richardfromseminole Jul 12, 2016 11:08 AM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 12, 2016 11:08 AM in response to léonie

    Thank you for your response. I have used Photos already in Yosemite and have an existing Photos Library in my Pictures Folder. I have upgraded to El Capitan recently and now cannot access the Photos Library that existed. The previous version of Photos with Yosemite was 1.01 and I had no problem until installing El Capitan which includes version 1.5. There have been no other changes and there is no migration involved since I use Lightroom as my primary photo editor/storage. Just would like to access some old pictures that were in Photos.

    I have tried the two key combo to open with no luck and your suggestion of opening Photos and than the Photo Library with no luck. Any more suggestions?

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Jul 12, 2016 11:14 AM in response to richardfromseminole
    Level 10 (107,629 points)
    iCloud
    Jul 12, 2016 11:14 AM in response to richardfromseminole

    Try to narrow down the problem.We need to know, if the Photos Library is the problem or if Photos cannot  launch at all.

    • Create a new library for testing in your Pictures folder. Does iPhotos launch well on the test library?
    • if Photos does not even launch on your test library, check if settings in your current user account are problematic or the issue is system wide. You can test that by launching Photos from the Guest User account. (See:  Isolating an issue by using another user account)

     

    1. If Photos can work with a new library, but not your main library, and repairing does not work, restore a previous version from your backup.
    2. If Photos does not launch on any library in any account, reinstall. I'd reinstall by booting into Recovery as described here: How to reinstall OS X on your Mac - Apple Support.

      I'd just reinstall on top of the current system without a clean install. We had a few reports, that the Photos did not run after installing the El Capitan upgrade from the AppStore, but reinstalling the full system instead of upgrading from the AppStore fixed it.

  • by richardfromseminole,

    richardfromseminole richardfromseminole Jul 12, 2016 11:35 AM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 12, 2016 11:35 AM in response to léonie

    Photos does launch but with no option for creating New Library and the problem is not system wide. I was however able to launch Photos as a Guest User and create a New Library and add photos. Returning to my Admin account resulted in no changes(problem still exist). I will now work with my backup and if that does`t work I can always access the Photos Library Package Contents to access photos and bring them into Lightroom. Thanks for your help.

  • by léonie,Apple recommended

    léonie léonie Jul 13, 2016 1:50 PM in response to richardfromseminole
    Level 10 (107,629 points)
    iCloud
    Jul 13, 2016 1:50 PM in response to richardfromseminole

    Have tried to trash preference files, if Photos does not launch in your main account at all?

     

    • Remove Photos's caches in the Containers folder ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Photos/Data/Library/Caches

    that stores data to pass to other services. I'd delete the complete folder ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Photos/  and restart the Mac, then try again.


    Your user library may still be hidden.To reveal the hidden User Library:

    • Bring the Finder forward by clicking on the Desktop or the Finder icon in the Dock.
    • Select your user/home folder (with the house icon in the Finder sidebar)
    • With that Finder window as the front window, press the key combination ⌘J to bring up the View options.
    • In the View options panel enable ’Show Library Folder’. That will make your user library folder visible in your Home folder.
    • Open your Home folder, then the Library folder, then Containers.
    • Move the complete folder ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Photos to your desktop. Move the entire folder, not just the contents.


    Now restart the Mac and try again.  If all is well, delete the folder from the Desktop.


  • by richardfromseminole,

    richardfromseminole richardfromseminole Jul 13, 2016 1:54 PM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 13, 2016 1:54 PM in response to léonie

    Thank you for your help. Photos is now up and running. Tried your suggestions as

    well as ran CleanYourMac and everything is okay once again. Have to say after 25

    years of using the Mac from the Classic, through the PowerMac and now Intel

    machines this is the first real problem I have had. I have been an evangelist for

    Macs for years and glad to see other users help out.

    Thanks again.

  • by LarryHN,

    LarryHN LarryHN Jul 13, 2016 2:57 PM in response to richardfromseminole
    Level 10 (84,857 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Jul 13, 2016 2:57 PM in response to richardfromseminole

    CleanMyMac is extremely dangerous and has destroyed untold Photos libraries - I strongly recommend that vyou remove it and never user any clean up software on your mac - they very often delete the wrong files and cause people to lose their photos or even cause the Mac to be unusable without a clean install

     

    LN