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macOS 13 ventura updating photos library stuck

I’ve just updated my 2017 27-inch iMac to macOS 13 Ventura. After that, the Photos library in a connected external hard drive (4TB) has been showing “updating library” at 5% for 24 hours. I dare not to do anything in the fear of damaging the data. What should I do?


great thanks!

iMac

Posted on Oct 27, 2022 3:47 PM

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Posted on Nov 8, 2022 12:03 PM

I just had this problem after updating to Ventura, and I just solved it by messing with the permissions on my external drive. I did "Get Info" on the external drive > click the lock button to unlock permissions > click the plus button to add 'admin' as user with permission to read and write > use the three dots menu to select "apply to enclosed items". Waited for it to finish updating the permissions, then the next time I opened my system photos library on my external drive, it updated the photos library and worked. Your mileage may vary. My external HD is formatted in APFS.

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Nov 8, 2022 12:03 PM in response to emil_vivi

I just had this problem after updating to Ventura, and I just solved it by messing with the permissions on my external drive. I did "Get Info" on the external drive > click the lock button to unlock permissions > click the plus button to add 'admin' as user with permission to read and write > use the three dots menu to select "apply to enclosed items". Waited for it to finish updating the permissions, then the next time I opened my system photos library on my external drive, it updated the photos library and worked. Your mileage may vary. My external HD is formatted in APFS.

Nov 23, 2022 4:00 PM in response to i-am-meikle

I am having a similar issue. Photos.app on My MacBook Air after upgrading to Ventura has been working on "Restoring..." on my second photo library over a few weeks. It is now 45% and still progressing. I am still waiting but it doesn't look right. Is there any way I can fix this issue?

My second photo library is not the system's default one. So probably that's why it does not show "restoring from iCloud". Also, this library was originally created by Aperture.app and converted some time ago. The size is roughly 300GB. It is stored on my main SSD drive. This process is exhausting energy. It drains the battery quickly.

Oct 28, 2022 6:18 AM in response to Yer_Man

My hard drive is ExFAT. It ran well before updating to macOS 13 ventura. Does it mean that the hard drive needs to be formatted to Mac OS Extended (Journaled)?

I do have a back up at another hard drive. However, I suppose the same problem will appear when the second hard drive is connected?

The "updating library' at '5% complete' is still present after 36 hours. Is there any thing I can do to make it right or stop the 'updating' process?

Thanks a lot!

Oct 28, 2022 10:46 AM in response to Rickywwk

My hard drive is ExFAT. It ran well before updating to macOS 13 ventura.


Perhaps it did, or perhaps there have been issues developing within the library that haven't shown themselves before now. One of the symptoms of having the library on an inappropriately formatted disk are silent issues that accrue over time.


Does it mean that the hard drive needs to be formatted to Mac OS Extended (Journaled)?


Or APFS. Yes. Remember that reformatting the drive will erase it so back up all important data first.


However, I suppose the same problem will appear when the second hard drive is connected?


It's likely, but you may be lucky.


Is there any thing I can do to make it right or stop the 'updating' process?


Quit or Force Quit the app. There is no other way.

macOS 13 ventura updating photos library stuck

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