yarrb101

Q: Photos doesn't show up the thumbnails

I recently bought a new iMac. I restored my old files from the Time Machine but in Photos the thumbnails didn't load, they all just appear as grey or black boxes. Makes browsing the photo library impossible. I have spent two hours with Apple Support but they didn't have a clue. Any ideas how to resolve?

iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2013), OS X Yosemite (10.10.5)

Posted on Jul 29, 2016 1:08 AM

Close

Q: Photos doesn't show up the thumbnails

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Jul 29, 2016 2:38 AM in response to yarrb101
    Level 10 (105,249 points)
    iLife
    Jul 29, 2016 2:38 AM in response to yarrb101

    I have spent two hours with Apple Support but they didn't have a clue. Any ideas how to resolve?

    What have you already tried with Apple Support?  it would be futile to suggest things you already tried.

     

    How did you restore the library from your Time Machine?  Did you use enter Time MAchine to restore?

    Is your library in your Pictures folder? Do your photos appear, if you double click them to enlarge them, or do you get an error message?

  • by yarrb101,

    yarrb101 yarrb101 Jul 31, 2016 6:59 PM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (12 points)
    Desktops
    Jul 31, 2016 6:59 PM in response to léonie

    Yes I restored the library from the Time Machine and the library is in the Pictures folder. If I click on the photos they appear so the content is all there....just no thumbnails. Apple Support played around with copying some of the photos to the desktop and then back into Photos. When the photos are on the desktop they appear as thumbnails. Apple also suggested upgrading the operating system on the iMac which I have done. We also ran the 'Repair' on the library but it didn't solve the problem.

     

    Curiously all the photos we have added to the Photo library since the restore have visible thumbnails. It is a very large file as we have 50,000 photos. I have tried restoring the photo library to another machine and had the same problem so the issue appears to lie in the backed up photo library.

  • by LarryHN,

    LarryHN LarryHN Jul 31, 2016 7:38 PM in response to yarrb101
    Level 10 (84,056 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Jul 31, 2016 7:38 PM in response to yarrb101

    What happens if you rotate a gray thumbnail and then rotate back? If that fixes it do it to all (you can do in large groups) - How to Rebuild Thumbnails in a Photos Library

     

    LN