Duplicate Photos Library

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Level 1

4 points

Duplicate Photos Library

I bought a new MacBook Pro a while back and a hard drive to use for the storage of my Photos Library. rather than use up all the hard drive space on the new laptop. On my old laptop I had the photos stored on iCloud. I started up the new laptop and it automatically synched with iCloud and uploaded 250GB of photos on to my laptop. The hard drive also has the Photos Library that appears to include all photos and iCloud seems to have all the photos.

I think I have found the original Photos Library on the laptop that was originally synched but I am worried that if I delete it, it might cause issues with iCloud or the hard drive or perhaps the albums that are set up.

Is this something that a Genius Bar would help with, or anyone got any suggestions to help? With over 40,000 photos I really don't want to mess up!!

MacBook Pro 15″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Jan 12, 2022 2:49 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

TonyCollinet

Level 7

23,867 points

Jan 12, 2022 3:24 PM in response to Cosmicbing

Only one library can sync with iCloud at a time, and if you delete photos from that library, they will also be deleted from iCloud.

So you need to be certain which one is syncing. It will be the one set as the system library. To find out which that is, open each, and check photos preferences. The one that is the system library will be the one with the circled button greyed out. Note - you can also see there the location of the library you have open, just above the circled button.

If that (system library) has all the photos you need, you can safely delete the other - but you should take a backup of the one you delete just in case.

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Answer 2

Jan 12, 2022 3:25 PM in response to TonyCollinet

And while we are on, is your external drive correctly formatted for a photos library?

It must be formatted APFS or MacOS extended (journaled) (preferred for spinning drives). If you have not formatted it after purchase it will most likely be ExFat - which is not compatible.

It Must not be (or have been) used for time machine. (A time machine drive can be used if re-formatted)

It must have the 'ignore ownership" checkbox ticked.

It must be directly connected (No ethernet or wifi)

See

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT201517

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Answer 3

Cosmicbing Author

Level 1

4 points

Jan 13, 2022 1:15 PM in response to TonyCollinet

Many thanks Tony.

The system library is the one that is on my external hard drive which is actually the larger sized library - which would be right bearing in mind the numbers of photos uploaded since getting the new laptop.

Looks like the one that was automatically synched to my new laptop when I started it up is the one in my Pictures folder on the laptops hard drive.

Checked my external hard drive and it is MacOS Extended

Feel happier deleting now.

Appreciate your assistance.

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Duplicate Photos Library

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