Level 1

14 points

duplicated folders

I think I have inadvertently duplicated my photos. Can anyone tell me what these folders are? The all seem to contain hundreds of photos - all of which I have in my photos folder. Can I delete them?

MacBook Pro 15″, macOS 11.0

Posted on Nov 23, 2020 3:08 AM

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TonyCollinet

Level 7

24,050 points

Posted on Nov 25, 2020 4:20 PM

NO NO NO. (sorry for shouting)

These are the folders INSIDE your photos library, where photos stores the images. Do not change ANYTHING inside the photo library if you don't want to lose access to all your photos.

(your library is : /Users/barryhodges/Pictures/Photos Library copy.photoslibrary)

If this is a COPY of your actual library - then you can delete the whole library - but before you try this be VERY sure that it is a copy, and not the one being used by photos.

To be honest, I'm surprised spotlight is even showing these to you.

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37 replies

BAZZERUK Author

Level 1

14 points

Nov 28, 2020 3:21 AM in response to TonyCollinet

I have set up a new user with a new Facebook profile Will import a load of photos and folders from one of my back up discs. Then if it works I will try with my own Facebook profile. After that I will delete the photos etc, and reload using iCloud. That will keep me busy today, anyway! By the way, just had a spoof email from iTunes telling me I had bought wonder-world - my first scam from iTunes

BAZZERUK Author

Level 1

14 points

Nov 28, 2020 8:20 AM in response to TonyCollinet

Ok, so it works with imported photos into about 5 different folders. Have now deleted all those from this user. If I now log in to iCloud, will that load all the folders as well as the photos that I have on the other user?

BAZZERUK Author

Level 1

14 points

Nov 28, 2020 12:34 PM in response to TonyCollinet

Not sure whether this is good news or bad, but the photos will not work in the new folder, with a new facebook account, using photos from icloud. That says to me that the "photos" application is faulty?

BAZZERUK Author

Level 1

14 points

Dec 5, 2020 3:04 AM in response to TonyCollinet

Still not sorted this out. Took it to our local computer shop and all he did was look online for the solution, couldn’t find anything and charged me 40 quid for the experience.

I am having similar problems with iPad and I phone now, which can have nothing to do with the os on my Mac.

On those devices, the default for attaching photos to FB or WhatsApp is photo roll. When I tap the top, where it says camera roll, I get the folders coming up, but only a few. It is as though these folders haven’t synched to the Mac, yet when I look at the photos folders on all devices, they are identical.

I am starting to think I do have a problem with the iCloud optimisation.

I might attach a video later to show what is happening. Despite giving the guy details and screenshots, I had to go into the shop to show him what was happening

would it be possible to download all my documents and photos to an external drive, switch off iCloud and open a new iCloud account and then reload my documents?

BAZZERUK Author

Level 1

14 points

Nov 26, 2020 12:58 AM in response to BAZZERUK

Will let you know how what the expert comes back with. Cheers

BAZZERUK Author

Level 1

14 points

Nov 27, 2020 2:58 AM in response to TonyCollinet

I logged into my wife's account on the mac and it worked perfectly. Granted it only had 40 photos in two folders but all came up for transfer straight away

What does that tell us?

BAZZERUK Author

Level 1

14 points

Nov 27, 2020 3:16 AM in response to TonyCollinet

Could you put that first idea in step by step please - ie log out, log in etc ◕‿◕ ?

BAZZERUK Author

Level 1

14 points

Nov 27, 2020 11:07 AM in response to TonyCollinet

Great thanks. Will try over the weekend

BAZZERUK Author

Level 1

14 points

Nov 28, 2020 1:28 AM in response to BAZZERUK

I think you are right and that’s pretty much the conclusion I have come to. I started to change one of my accounts last night. Can I change the name of an existing account on my Mac?

Nov 28, 2020 2:21 AM in response to BAZZERUK

Yes, right click or ctrl click the user you want to change and select advanced options.

Nov 28, 2020 2:56 AM in response to BAZZERUK

It's not the app if it works on your wife's account. On the new account, how have you transferred the photos to it?

léonie

Level 10

200,621 points

Nov 28, 2020 9:16 AM in response to BAZZERUK

That does not look like a genuin iTunes mail. All mails I ever received from Apple have been sent with either apple.com or iTunes.com in the email address. You may want to report this phishing attempt:

If you receive a suspicious email that looks like it's supposed to be from Apple, please forward it to reportphishing@apple.com.

See: Recognize and avoid phishing messages, phony support calls, and other scams - Apple Support

Nov 28, 2020 10:00 AM in response to BAZZERUK

If you log into icloud, and enable icloud in photos, that should sync everything you have in icloud to this user.

BAZZERUK Author

Level 1

14 points

Nov 28, 2020 12:35 PM in response to léonie

Have forwarded it and spoken to Apple - first time i have had this via Itunes

Nov 26, 2020 12:50 AM in response to BAZZERUK

Now lets see if we can find out what state your Photos library is in, and if you need to think about a backup restore:

First - what form is the back up? Timemachine?

Now, in photos, go to preferences>General tab. Where does it tell you your library is in (including library name). Here is mine

Now close photos, then reopen it while holding the option key. Please screenshot the resulting list of libraries (Close with the red dot) - again, here is mine:

Finally if you don't mind, can you screenshot your pictures folder in finder, showing all .photoslibrary packages (Group by kind)

Mine again:

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duplicated folders