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User profile for user: Greg Wagoner
Greg Wagoner Author
User level: Level 1
58 points

Photos on Mac freezes when control-clicking a photo . . .

Today I tried control-clicking on a photo to choose a menu item. The spinning rainbow ball appeared, so I force it to quit and tried again. The same thing happened. Then I tried restarting the Mac. No luck. Next, I tried force-quitting Photos, launched it while holding down option-command, and tried rebuilding the library. After it finished rebuilding, I tried control-clicking a photo to choose a menu item, and it still happened!


Next, I tried creating a new user account to see if that worked. It did, but that means I would have to recreate settings for each of my apps.


Is there a way I can fix the original photo library? I ran out of ideas. Thank you!


iMac 27″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Oct 29, 2020 12:02 PM

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User profile for user: TonyCollinet
TonyCollinet
User level: Level 7
23,909 points

Posted on Oct 30, 2020 4:14 PM

So you know it is a problem in your user account, AND you know it doesn't happen in safe mode. So you need to find whatever is loading in normal mode that is messing up.


Start looking at any apps you have loading at startup (especially things like antivirus, firewalls, vpns etc - stuff that hooks into the system). Look at apps loaded in your menu bar, and in your user settings login items.


Disable them all, then if that fixes it - re-enable one at a time until the problem comes back.

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User profile for user: TonyCollinet
TonyCollinet
User level: Level 7
23,909 points

Oct 30, 2020 4:14 PM in response to Greg Wagoner

So you know it is a problem in your user account, AND you know it doesn't happen in safe mode. So you need to find whatever is loading in normal mode that is messing up.


Start looking at any apps you have loading at startup (especially things like antivirus, firewalls, vpns etc - stuff that hooks into the system). Look at apps loaded in your menu bar, and in your user settings login items.


Disable them all, then if that fixes it - re-enable one at a time until the problem comes back.

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User profile for user: Old Toad
Old Toad
User level: Level 10
210,437 points

Oct 31, 2020 10:00 AM in response to Greg Wagoner

If you haven't found a solution do the following: download and run Etrecheck. Etrecheck is a diagnostic tool that was developed by one of the most respected users here in the ASC and recommended by Apple Support  to provide a snapshot of the system and help identify the more obvious culprits that can adversely affect a Mac's performance.


Copy the report



and use the Add Text button to include the report in your reply. How to use the Add Text Feature When Posting Large Amounts of Text, i.e. an Etrecheck Report


IMPORTANT:

Before running Etrecheck assign Full Disk Access to Etrecheck in the Etrecheck's Privacy preference pane so that it can get additional information from the Console and log files for the report:




Also click and read the About info to further permit full disk access.


Then we can examine the report and see if we can determine what might be causing the problem.

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User profile for user: TonyCollinet
TonyCollinet
User level: Level 7
23,909 points

Oct 29, 2020 6:13 PM in response to Greg Wagoner

Did the new user work with the existing library - or with it's own empty library?


Does the normal user work OK, if you create a new blank library and just import a few pictures to that?


One thing worth trying is starting in safe mode, then trying again with your normal user. If that works, you know it is some software loaded that is causing the problem.


Some other questions to try to narrow down what might be happening...

  • Has this just started for no apparent reason, or have you upgraded MacOS or changed machine? or some other event?
  • Where is the library stored (System drive or external drive)? If external - what is the format of the drive?
  • Is the library on a network drive or in some sort of cloud storage (EG Dropbox or NAS)?
  • Have you used any apps to remove duplicates, if so, which?
  • Do you use Icloud to sync photos?
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User profile for user: Greg Wagoner
Greg Wagoner Author
User level: Level 1
58 points

Oct 30, 2020 12:27 PM in response to TonyCollinet

Did the new user work with the existing library - or with its own empty library?

Yes, it works with the new user and the existing library.


Does the normal user work OK, if you create a new blank library and just import a few pictures to that?


No, it still freezes when I control-click on a photo to choose a menu item.


One thing worth trying is starting in safe mode, then trying again with your normal user. If that works, you know it is some software loaded that is causing the problem.


I did that, and it worked in safe mode.


Some other questions to try to narrow down what might be happening...

  • Has this just started for no apparent reason, or have you upgraded MacOS or changed machine? or some other event? - It started for no apparent reason. No upgrades or changed machine.
  • Where is the library stored (System drive or external drive)? If external - what is the format of the drive? - System drive (I used Recovery mode to run Disk First Aid and it passed.)
  • Is the library on a network drive or in some sort of cloud storage (EG Dropbox or NAS)? No
  • Have you used any apps to remove duplicates? If so, which? No
  • Do you use iCloud to sync photos? Yes


Knowing my answers, what do you think I should try next? Thank you.

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Photos on Mac freezes when control-clicking a photo . . .

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