After migrating Photos Library from Sierra to Big Sur, library almost empty

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Level 1

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After migrating Photos Library from Sierra to Big Sur, library almost empty

I'm updating an old Sierra iMac to a new Mac Mini w/Big Sur. I copied the old Photos Library file over to the new Mac and placed it in the Documents folder. I then double-clicked it to open it. A dialog appeared saying something to the effect that it was updating the library. When the progress bar got to 12% complete, it appeared to stall. However, I could see my 4GB Photo Library file reducing in size via Finder. I watched the size fall from 4GB to just a few MB. Then the progress bar quickly made it to 100%.

When Photos opened after the conversion was complete, I had only 19 photos, where the original 4GB library has over 9,000 photos. Anyone run into this?

Mac mini 2018 or later

Posted on Feb 5, 2021 5:00 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

TonyCollinet

Level 7

23,909 points

Feb 6, 2021 1:00 AM in response to kennyback

4GB doesn't seem to be enough for 9000 photos. My 6000 photo library is 50GB.

On the old mac, were you using iCloud photos? If so did you have optimise mac storage selected? (See first screenshot).

Or were you using a "referenced" library with copy items to the library NOT selected (see second screenshot). Either of these means that your photos would not be stored in your library, but either in iCloud (first alternative) or elsewhere on your system (second)

Screenshots are from photos preferences on catalina - they may look different on your old mac.

(How we proceed will depend on which of these is the case - if either)

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Answer 2

léonie

Level 10

197,089 points

Feb 6, 2021 1:38 AM in response to kennyback

Does your new Mac mini sync with iCloud Drive? And is "Desktop and Documents" enabled? Then the Photos Library should not be in your Documents folder but in the Pictures folder.

if you still have your old Mac, copy the library over again, but to your Pictures folder. And compare the size to original library, after you copy it.

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Answer 3

kennyback Author

Level 1

8 points

Feb 10, 2021 3:27 PM in response to TonyCollinet

I'm helping my Dad convert from his old iMac to his new Mac mini, so it took a little time to gather the info. :)

He had iCloud checked under his Photo's System preferences with the option of 'Optimise Mac Storage" on his old iMac. He also had the "Copy items to the Photos library" checked under the General Tab.

So, what happened was after "converting" his old Photos 2.0 Photo Library file by opening it in Photos version 6 (on Big Sur), it was converted successfully. The reason it had so few files in it is because the rest of his photos were being stored in iCloud (he purchased 200GB of space in iCloud).

Thanks Tony for getting me clued in that it was iCloud.

Therefore, once I checked the iCloud checkbox in Preferences on his new Mac Mini and selected the "Download originals to this mac", his photos began download to his local Photo Library. Mystery solved, crisis averted. :)

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Answer 4

Feb 11, 2021 12:33 AM in response to kennyback

Brilliant. Glad it's sorted. Thanks for getting back and letting me know. 🙂

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After migrating Photos Library from Sierra to Big Sur, library almost empty

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