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User profile for user: JUSTANOTHERNOBODY
JUSTANOTHERNOBODY Author
User level: Level 1
1 points

"iPhoto Library is locked, on a locked disk, or you do not have permission"

Please HELP ! After spending $4,000.00 recently cash money for this computer ,,, I cannot get an answer from Apple !

My problem:
When I click on iPhoto I get this ERROR MESSAGE:
"The iPhoto Library is locked, on a locked disk, or you do not have permission to make changes to it."
I then click OK and the application iPhoto closes.
I've tried everything I could think of. I ran Disk Utility and checked "file Permissions" and "verify disk".
I reinstalled iPhoto from my original OS software disc.
Yet I still get this annoying ERROR MESSAGE that tells me NOTHING !

Can someone PLEASE help me ???

MacBook Pro 4.1, Mac OS X (10.5.2)

Posted on May 23, 2008 8:50 PM

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15 replies
User profile for user: Brie Fly
Brie Fly
User level: Level 5
7,925 points

May 23, 2008 10:16 PM in response to JUSTANOTHERNOBODY

So, what have you done in response to the error prompt? Have you opened your Pictures folder, selected your iPhoto Library Folder and looked at the folder's "Get Info..." window to see if the folder had somehow gotten locked? (I'm assuming that if you spent $4,000 on a Mac, you've got some fundamental knowledge of how the Finder works -- if not, we can walk you through the steps, but we need to have some idea where we're starting from).

If the problem is an inaccessible file or data folder (as the warning prompt suggests), reinstalling an application can have no more effect on the file or folder's locked or permissions status than would replacing your car's engine to solve a locked door problem.
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User profile for user: JUSTANOTHERNOBODY
JUSTANOTHERNOBODY Author
User level: Level 1
1 points

May 24, 2008 8:31 AM in response to Brie Fly

Using Finder "manually" I did find a "iPhoto Library" on my "Time Machine Backup" disk.

Time Machine Backup / Backups.backupdb / my name MacBook Pro / 2008-05-01-020804 / Macintosh HD / Users / my name / Pictures / iPhoto Library

Kind = iPhoto Library
Size = 178.4 MB

iPhoto Library "Info"
Sharing & Permissions = "You have custom access"
Privilege = "Read & Write"
NOT Locked
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User profile for user: Brie Fly
Brie Fly
User level: Level 5
7,925 points

May 24, 2008 8:51 AM in response to JUSTANOTHERNOBODY

From your detective work it would seem that you (or someone with access) in the past three weeks has deleted your iPhoto Library folder from your active user account, and that explains why iPhoto is having difficulty opening it.

You seem to be in luck since Time Machine appears to have a relatively recent backup. With your active user account's Pictures folder open in a normal Finder window, activate Time Machine. Within the Time Machine application, click on the "take-me-back" button, and it should come to rest just prior to the last change of that folder. If you don't see the missing iPhoto Library folder, go back some more until you do see it. Finally, click the big "Restore" button, quit Time Machine, and try iPhoto again.
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User profile for user: JUSTANOTHERNOBODY
JUSTANOTHERNOBODY Author
User level: Level 1
1 points

May 25, 2008 7:40 PM in response to Brie Fly

I’ve done what you’ve suggested ,,, although the steps seem to be slightly different on my MacBook Pro 4.1. -- Unfortunately, I’m still getting the same error.

Trying to follow your directions:

1- I open Finder
2- On left side of Finder, I select under Places “my name”.
3- I open the folder Pictures.

[This is where there are slight differences from your instructions.]

4- I click “Enter Time Machine”.
5- Screen turns black with “dated” Pictures folders fading into the background.

[I never see anything saying Take-me-back.]

6- I can either click on one of the dated Pictures folders -OR- I can choose a backup date from a list located on the right edge of the screen.
7- I select a Pictures folder, I also tried clicking a date with the same results.

[Restore button is NOT highlighted. I must select a line item in the Pictures folder.]

8- I click on iPhoto Library, highlighting it. The Restore button also highlights.
9- I click the Restore button. Time Machine closes and I’m returned to my Desktop.
10- The restored iPhoto Library is visible in my Pictures folder.
11- I click on iPhoto and I get the same ERROR, nothing has changed.

"Caution - The iPhoto Library is locked, on a locked disk, or you do not have permission to make changes to it.”

iPhoto Library “Get Info”:
NOT Stationery Pad
NOT locked
You have custom access
Name “my name” Privilege = Read & Write
Name Staff = Read only
Name everyone = Read only

I’ve tried the same steps with many Time Machine Pictures folders dating back weeks before my problem began with the same results, the same ERROR.

Do you have any further instructions ??? I don’t know what else to do ???
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User profile for user: Brie Fly
Brie Fly
User level: Level 5
7,925 points

May 25, 2008 8:51 PM in response to JUSTANOTHERNOBODY

Do you see those two big arrows on the right side of the stack of windows in Time Machine? Don't try to outsmart Time Machine, just click on the inward-pointing arrow and it will take you back to when the window you're looking at was last changed. You don't need to know when it happened -- that's what Time Machine takes care of.

When you see your old iPhoto Library folder appear in that view of your Pictures folder, select it (with a single mouse click) and hit the "Restore" button on the right side of the bottom bar (with another single mouse click).

From the Help menu in Time Machine, see the topic "Restoring items backed up with Time Machine".

Message was edited by: Brie Fly
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User profile for user: JUSTANOTHERNOBODY
JUSTANOTHERNOBODY Author
User level: Level 1
1 points

May 25, 2008 9:15 PM in response to Brie Fly

Ok, I did exactly what you suggested [another way of "choosing" which dated backup to restore from]. As before, the iPhoto Library was RESTORED. But the ERROR remained the same.

Note: Time Machine restores iPhoto Library no matter which way I choose the dated backup.
From the DATES on the right side.
From the chosen dated folder.
From the ARROWS as you last suggested.

I still must highlight the iPhoto Library and click RESTORE.
There is no difference! I still see THE SAME folders albeit ones WITH changes.

Do you have any other HELP for me with this ERROR?
"Caution - The iPhoto Library is locked, on a locked disk, or you do not have permission to make changes to it."
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User profile for user: Brie Fly
Brie Fly
User level: Level 5
7,925 points

May 26, 2008 12:28 PM in response to JUSTANOTHERNOBODY

When you first saw this warning, it was determined that your Pictures folder contained no iPhoto Library folder. Does you Pictures folder now contain an iPhoto Library folder? If it does, have you looked at the locked/permissions status of that folder? If it's not locked, have you run permissions repair since restoring the folder to it's intended location?
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User profile for user: csutter@frontiernet.net
csutter@frontiernet.net
User level: Level 1
40 points

Jun 1, 2008 8:04 PM in response to JUSTANOTHERNOBODY

HELP!! I have the same problem. I have an external HHD which has all my itunes and other music files. The volume is locked no matter how many times I have tried to unlock it via sudo commands, as many other posts have outlined. I have verified the disk, but cannot verify permissions because access is denied. The Get Info window shows that any and all permissions are "custom" and nothing seems to change. File shareing is on, I set up a 2nd admin account, and nothing will open that HHD.
Does any one have any ideas??

This is on a brand new, 4 day old MPB. I am really, really getting . .
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User profile for user: csutter@frontiernet.net
csutter@frontiernet.net
User level: Level 1
40 points

Jun 3, 2008 8:41 AM in response to Brie Fly

You'd think so, but you'd be wrong. After many hours and a crash course in unix commands and a call to apple care, there was NO WAY that drive was ever going open again. It had all my itunes music, around 36 gb. Finally, I went back to my PB g4, hooked up time machine and recovered the files with the music which I had backed up the day I got the MBP. Could not go through the bad hhd but could retrieve the FILE(s). Eventually, after doing a clean install on the MBP to straighten out the permissions mess, I wiped (and zeroed out) the locked drive completely. It now functions just fine as a data storage place for the MBP. Time Machine saved me. Now I will dedicate a whole new LaCie 750 gb HDD to my MBP for Time Machine.

btw, Apple had no answer as to how or why the disc was irretrievably locked. SOL.
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User profile for user: LooserFace
LooserFace
User level: Level 1
0 points

Jun 4, 2008 3:21 PM in response to csutter@frontiernet.net

Just in case this hasn't been addressed. If another User has the iPhoto library open no amount of permissions/ACL foo will allow the User to edit or open the iPhoto library. This applies to a lot of different scenarios. Such as an open iPhoto library on an external or on the local drive itself. A simple fix or quick way around is logging everyone out or restarting the machine. Otherwise you may have to get your hands dirty in the terminal or other tool to determine how the iPhoto library is being accessed.

I hope this helps someone!
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"iPhoto Library is locked, on a locked disk, or you do not have permission"

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