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Level 1

23 points

Photos Cannot Play This Video Because the Resource is Unavailable After Catalina Update

Upgraded to Catalina Oct 7.

Computer stuck in a "Log into iCloud" loop so I logged out and back in so my computer began the long process of checking all my already downloaded and original photos on my Mac (Retina 5k, 27", 2019, 3.6 GHz 8-Core i9; 72GB memory, Pro Vega 48 8GB) vs what's up in my iCloud acct. For reference, it's a sh*tload of pics and videos. 1.5TB. 105k pics, 10k photos. Some raw pics in there, lots of 4k shot on phones, dslrs, etc.

Anyhow, finally made some good progress over the course of almost 3 weeks. Photos taken on iCloud logged in devices like phones and iPads are beaming up to cloud no problem, and then my iMac (set to Download Originals) is updating my Photo library in what seems to be real time with those pics. There don't appear to be any more pics that my computer is trying to upload to the cloud. Everything seems to be accessible in iCloud, in original size and format, by using a browser to view my library. On my computer is a slightly different story, however.

My computer is trying to Download 218 originals and has been for about 4 days. I looked around to see what exactly is going on and have been able to figure out that at least 140 of those 218 pics are GoPro video related issues.

On my computer, within my Photo library, I have a GoPro smart album for all videos shot with my Hero 7 Black. When I click to play on any of these videos within Photos, I get the message "Cannot Play Video: Photos Cannot Play this video because the resource is unavailable." That same video can be watched on a web browser logged into my iCloud act and library, however.

Interestingly, when I download that same original file from my iCloud act on a web browser TO my desktop, the same thing happens: If i try to import that file into my Photos library, and play it, i get the same error. However, that file can be played using Quicktime.

Same is true for the file as seen in the Photos app: If I export unmodified version of that file from Photos to my desktop, I can play that file using Quicktime but it can't be played within Photos.

Any thoughts my friends?

iMac Line (2012 and Later)

Posted on Oct 28, 2019 5:18 AM

28 replies

Dec 1, 2019 10:57 PM in response to E lop

Then you may have a different issue. You could however try to find the missing files with the find command. I.e. look for the file name in the video clip information and then, e.g. in your home folder (or wherever your photo library resides) try

find . -name name_of_the_video_file

Dec 1, 2019 11:02 PM in response to Mikael Puittinen

Yep. Really frustrating. Luckily no data loss in my case (or it seems so). I luckily have backups for these cases but in the case of the Photos app, I have probably over 30k photos / videos, i.e. verifying that every single one (precious memory from past memory) is intact post-migration is not viable. The migration should be rock-solid and detect if there are these kind of issues (videos where the "resource cannot be found"). In my case rebuilding the library does not fix the issue, it does not even detect these 300+ defective videos. Apple scripting ahead to get those imported back with the right timestamps etc...

Dec 2, 2019 3:06 AM in response to Mikael Puittinen

I believe it is a part of the same issue. The videos are in the library, (it was the first thing I checked) and if I open them directly from there, QuickTime can play them with no problem.

By the way, Photos *renames* the original files now, so I have not tried this yet, but I'm guessing that the search will not return the video file, but some other thing. I will try it and report back.

Thanks.

E lop Author

Level 1

23 points

Dec 2, 2019 8:29 AM in response to fhpetrone

Yeah, same here with respect to quicktime playing them just fine. I export to desktop, and open them up and play them just fine with quicktime. They play fine on iCloud.com (through a browser), they play fine on iOS devices. Soooooooo yeah. Good times.

E lop Author

Level 1

23 points

Dec 5, 2019 11:55 AM in response to fhpetrone

So update: my computer is still “downloadin original files” . Its stuck on about 2500 to go. That number hasn’t budged in 36 hours. I’ve been keeping the computer awake and Photos opened and minimized. The face curation process is complete, it appears. But why is it taking so long to download these remaining items? I of course still have the “resource unavailable” issue with the same videos as before (if not more) but I do some processes working here and there that seem related to my library. I suppose it’s still working ?

E lop Author

Level 1

23 points

Dec 10, 2019 9:59 AM in response to Mikael Puittinen

the file name as seen in Photos for everything is different from the new, randomly generated mish mosh name i see for a given file in the Photos package under Originals.

for example, an unplayable file I have has the file name GX010056.mp4 in Photos, but once I found it in Originals (inside the photos library package) it has the name: D93153B0-A7CA-4CC1-83B2-262955B5E396.mp4. Cause of course it would

Like you, I've figured out that a file that is giving me problems: A) can still be played in QT. and B) if I export that video that I'm playing QT, using QT, and then import that newly created/exported file into Photos, it plays fine.

However, I have no way of knowing how many affected files i have. The ones I'm having problems with are not showing up anywhere but within Originals in the Photo package.

E lop Author

Level 1

23 points

Dec 10, 2019 10:05 AM in response to fhpetrone

brutal. they won't logs from me but my library is still "downloading originals" and they don't want the logs til that's done. perhaps one day in the future it will finish. doesnt look like it will happen in 2020 though

niksux

Level 1

4 points

Jan 3, 2020 7:46 AM in response to E lop

After struggling with this same issue I ended up deleting my Mac user, re-created it, enabled iCloud photos, force downloaded photos by exporting all original photos to my external HDD (File > Export).

I hope they will fix this asap in the next MacOS update...

E lop Author

Level 1

23 points

Dec 1, 2019 9:22 AM in response to Mikael Puittinen

all i see is this when i click show package contents for my photo library:

E lop Author

Level 1

23 points

Oct 30, 2019 9:17 AM in response to E lop

Trying spotlight re-indexing now.

System pref spotlight-->privacy-->add HD--remove HD-->sheck spotlight to make sure indexing is underway.

Check back in a few hours

E lop Author

Level 1

23 points

Dec 10, 2019 8:31 AM in response to fhpetrone

how are things coming along for you?

i see photoanalysisd working pretty consistently, and my computer has been stuck on "Downloading 2300 items" for about 6 days.

E lop Author

Level 1

23 points

Dec 10, 2019 8:44 AM in response to Mikael Puittinen

to clarify, in Console do that search command? Where exactly? I'm new to Console.

Dec 10, 2019 9:46 AM in response to E lop

Same thing here. I Gave up quite some time ago. Currently with Apple support, trying to get them some log files they made me do. Their system for receiving large files is not working.... 🙄😔

Photos Cannot Play This Video Because the Resource is Unavailable After Catalina Update