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User profile for user: EliseTonnard
EliseTonnard Author
User level: Level 1
4 points

Unable to upload, but also unable to download!

Hi - this is a weird one.


I have a 2012 MacBook Pro running High Sierra, and Photos 3.0. I know it's old but bear with me.


I am using iCloud Photos, which runs fine across all of my devices, apart from the MacBook.


On Photos on the MacBook I have an album "Unable to upload to iCloud" (which is fine - as I'm familiar with this from other computers) HOWEVER... when I try and either export those photos, or revert to original, or basically do anything with those specific photos... the computer seems to try and download them from iCloud (even though they're not uploaded!). It says "Downloading Items for Sharing". So, it basically results in Photos crashing / sitting there for hours trying to download a photo which isn't uploaded.


I have about 1500 photos in this album so I'd really like to solve the problem.


Any ideas please?






MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 10.13

Posted on Jun 6, 2021 1:06 AM

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

Jun 6, 2021 1:57 AM in response to EliseTonnard

Hi


If I had that issue, I would do the following.


1 - export all the images in the unable to upload folder with file>export unmodified original. Put them safe in a folder somewhere, and then back them up.

(If this causes photos to lock up trying to download them, you might need to turn off iCloud photos while you do this - but be aware that when you turn it on again you will need a complete new sync)

2 - delete all those images from the photos library, and from recently deleted.

3 - if there is some issue with the file type or format of those images that results in the unable to upload, convert them to a compatible format external from photos.

4 - check if photos is now syncing correctly.

5 - import one of the (converted?) problem images as a test to see if it now works.

6 - if that works ok, import all the images.

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User profile for user: léonie
léonie
User level: Level 10
197,189 points

Jun 22, 2021 4:44 AM in response to aj_dabbrat

What is the file format of the files in "Unable to upload"? Does the Info panel show anything about these files?

These files may be items with missing originals, so Photos is trying to download the missing originals from iCloud. This can happen, if you restored an incomplete Photos Library from a backup, or after running cleaning applications to remove duplicates, or if the Photos Library is on a volume with an incompatible file system format.

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Unable to upload, but also unable to download!

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