dnaginzter
Level 1 (4 points)
Photos for Mac

Q: Photos Library wants to start a new iCloud Photos Library when I already have one in the cloud that's near 700GB.

"Not Enough iCloud Storage"

 

This Mac is storing 516.65 GB of photos and videos. You currently have 261.14 GB of iCloud storage available. To use iCloud Photo Library, you need to reduce the amount of storage you are using.

 

My Photos Library was on an external hard drive that corrupted and I had to manually move each folder within the Photos Library package contents to a new folder on a new hard drive and then drop the files into a blank Photos Library file.  Then I had to repair that photos library with disk utility to be able to open the Photos Library and then set it as the default system Photos Library.  All data was retrievable but when turning on the checkmark for, "iCloud Photo Library", I get the error pasted above.

 

I'm very concerned that if I do in-fact upgrade my iCloud storage to fit the requested size, it could replace the current Photos Library I already have in the cloud.  Is that the case or would this create a second separate Photos Library in the cloud?  Either or, it's a disaster as this will take weeks to upload again to the cloud as well as retrieve any forced deleted incomplete items from the cloud back to the Photos Library.

MacBook Air, OS X El Capitan (10.11.6)

Posted on Sep 13, 2016 7:43 AM

by LarryHN,Apple recommended
LarryHN LarryHN
Level 10 (84,646 points)
Photos for Mac
A:

neither - it is checking the local library against the iCloud Library to assure that they are the same - let it go adn it should not actually need additional space

 

However this is concerning

I had to manually move each folder within the Photos Library package contents to a new folder on a new hard drive and then drop the files into a blank Photos Library file.  Then I had to repair that photos library with disk utility to be able to open the Photos Library and then set it as the default system Photos Library.

I am not sure it is possible to "create" a new Photos library form pieces that way  --  are you positive that everything is working correctly?

 

restoring a backup would be a better way - and you can just take a blank, new Photos library and log into ICPL and let it download everything - this does not keep faces or projects

 

 

LN

Posted on Sep 13, 2016 11:55 AM

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dnaginzter

Q: Photos Library wants to start a new iCloud Photos Library when I already have one in the cloud that's near 700GB.

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  • Helpful answers

  • by LarryHN,Apple recommended

    LarryHN LarryHN Sep 13, 2016 11:55 AM in response to dnaginzter
    Level 10 (84,646 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Sep 13, 2016 11:55 AM in response to dnaginzter

    neither - it is checking the local library against the iCloud Library to assure that they are the same - let it go adn it should not actually need additional space

     

    However this is concerning

    I had to manually move each folder within the Photos Library package contents to a new folder on a new hard drive and then drop the files into a blank Photos Library file.  Then I had to repair that photos library with disk utility to be able to open the Photos Library and then set it as the default system Photos Library.

    I am not sure it is possible to "create" a new Photos library form pieces that way  --  are you positive that everything is working correctly?

     

    restoring a backup would be a better way - and you can just take a blank, new Photos library and log into ICPL and let it download everything - this does not keep faces or projects

     

     

    LN

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Sep 13, 2016 12:07 PM in response to dnaginzter
    Level 10 (106,958 points)
    iCloud
    Sep 13, 2016 12:07 PM in response to dnaginzter

    The quickest way to get started with a new photos library would be Larry's recommendation:

     

    and you can just take a blank, new Photos library and log into ICPL and let it download everything

    I have done exactly that to move my existing iCloud Photo Library to new macs.

     

    Create a new, empty Photos Library on your new drive.  Enable it as your System Photo Library and as your iCloud Photo Library.

     

    Then wait for your photos to download from iCloud to the new library. All edits, albums, metadata will be there, and you will avoid the long and tedious merging of your copied library into the iCloud Photo library.  It will be much faster.

    This method will not save projects and faces thumbnails, but your copy of the library does not contain them anyway, since you just imported the photos and did not copy the original library as an entity.

  • by dnaginzter,

    dnaginzter dnaginzter Sep 13, 2016 12:53 PM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Sep 13, 2016 12:53 PM in response to léonie

    The way I extracted the library above worked beautifully, just took forever and all projects and faces have been contained.

     

    The only wall I've run into at this point is the error mentioned above, I can't continue without actually purchasing additional storage that I may not actually need based on your response above.  Any way to skip this?  I just have, "Buy More", or "Cancel" for my current options.

     

    There is no backup of the Photos Library as it was already on an external drive due to its size and at the time, Apple did not offer a larger SSD internal drive to carry the library.

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Sep 13, 2016 1:35 PM in response to dnaginzter
    Level 10 (106,958 points)
    iCloud
    Sep 13, 2016 1:35 PM in response to dnaginzter
    I can't continue without actually purchasing additional storage that I may not actually need based on your response above.  Any way to skip this?  I just have, "Buy More", or "Cancel" for my current options.

    If you want to upload your current library without purchasing more storage, you could delete all photos in cloud from an iPhone or the web interface at www.icloud.com and then wait for the iCloud storage to be released after forty days. Or sign up for more storage for a month and cancel it as soon as your library has synced.

  • by dnaginzter,

    dnaginzter dnaginzter Sep 13, 2016 1:37 PM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Sep 13, 2016 1:37 PM in response to léonie

    I'm OK with purchasing additional storage, I just want to make absolutely sure that my current Photos Library in the cloud is not deleted or altered with this copied library as technically they are the exact same but Apple see's otherwise.

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Sep 13, 2016 1:51 PM in response to dnaginzter
    Level 10 (106,958 points)
    iCloud
    Sep 13, 2016 1:51 PM in response to dnaginzter

    Photos is frequently uploading again to iCloud Photo Library: When you move the library to a different drive, as you just did, whe you restore the library from a backup, or when you simply repiar the library. when ever I had to repair the library, the number of photos in the library did not change during the new upload. The Merging into the iCloud Photo Library worked well and no duplicates have been created.