Photo app - quits with error message, no option to repair librarry

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Level 2

262 points

Photo app - quits with error message, no option to repair librarry

Secondary account on an iMac running High Sierra. As soon as the Photo app is selected, a message pops up to the effect that “An unexpected error had occurred. Quit the app and restart, OK”. Clicking “OK” closes the app but restarting gets exactly the same error message. i have tried to rebuild the library but using Opt+Cmd keys when starting the Photo app simply beings up the page with the same error message. There is no option to rebuild the library. The Photo app works fine on the main account. I very recently had the Mac hard drive replaced as the old one had failed - the techies transferred everything on the old drive to the new and, as far as I have determined, the only app that isn’t working is Photo on the secondary account. Any suggestions as to what to do next?

iMac 21.5", macOS 10.13

Posted on Apr 10, 2019 5:35 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

léonie

Level 10

195,013 points

Apr 10, 2019 5:41 AM in response to bratman91

Did you quit Photos in your main account, before you tried to launch Photos in the second account?

Can you launch Photos in the second account on a new, empty library? To create a test test library in the second account hold down the options key ⌥ while launching Photos.

Have you tried to repair the permissions on the set home folder in the second account?

See: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203538

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Answer 2

bratman91 Author

Level 2

262 points

Apr 10, 2019 6:21 AM in response to léonie

Thank you for your prompt and very useful reply, léoni. The Photo app was already closed in the main account but, in the secondary account, I selected ⌥ and opened thePhoto app and was able to set up a new library. I then used Photo Preferences to download everything in my iCloud photo library - this is still going on but everything looks good and the Photo app shows all the photos that have been downloaded. Once I have confirmed that everything is OK, I will mark your post as a solution. One question, if I may; the new library was created in Documents. Can I simply move that into the “Pictures” folder and then do ⌥ to select this location in Photo?

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Answer 3

léonie

Level 10

195,013 points

Apr 10, 2019 8:03 AM in response to bratman91

bratman91 wrote:

. One question, if I may; the new library was created in Documents. Can I simply move that into the “Pictures” folder and then do ⌥ to select this location in Photo?

Yes, you can move the library to Pictures, if you prefer this. Just drag the library over, after you quit Photos.

The Documents folder is not a safe place for the Photos Library anyway. It would become damaged, if "Desktop & Documents" are enabled to sync with iCloud Drive.

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Photo app - quits with error message, no option to repair librarry

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