Apple photo library on external hard drive won't allow me to upload photos from it

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Level 1

4 points

Apple photo library on external hard drive won't allow me to upload photos from it

Help! I moved my apple photo library to an external hard drive in the hopes of freeing up space on my mac and the iCloud. I made sure the transfer was complete and I was able to access the library before erasing the library off my mac and in so doing my iCloud as well. Now, however, I am unable to do anything with these photos except look at them. Every time I try to upload them to shutterfly, for example, or download them onto my mac an error message pops up, telling me the original can't be found. Additionally, the photos in the library all have an error icon in the bottom right corner and when I hover on it, it says "error downloading photo". Did I lose these photos or is there some way or someone that can recover them? I would appreciate any help.

Posted on Mar 26, 2023 7:16 PM

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Answer 1

Yer_Man

Level 10

166,516 points

Mar 27, 2023 12:04 AM in response to kittypop83

What format is the external drive? It needs to the formatted Mac OS Extended (Journaled) or apfs

Are you running a Managed or a Referenced Library?

A Managed Library, is the default setting, and Photos copies files into the Photos Library when Importing. The files are then stored within the Library package

A Referenced Library is when Photos is NOT copying the files into the Photos Library when importing because you made a change at Photo -> Preferences -> General. (You unchecked the option to copy files into the Library on import) The files are then stored where ever you put them and not in the Library package. In this scenario you are responsible for the File Management.

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Answer 2

Apr 1, 2023 11:06 AM in response to kittypop83

kittypop83 wrote:

I’m not sure how to check if this copied library is a referenced or managed library.

It would be unusual for you to have a referenced library, and you'd have to have "copy items" unchecked. But if you're curious, you can make a Smart Album with "photo--is--referenced" as the criteria. Mine says "0 items matched."

Have you ever used your external drive for Time Machine? TM is very territorial and won't let other apps use its space.

Also-- look at the Info Window for the drive and verify that "ignore ownership" is checked, like this:

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Answer 3

kittypop83 Author

Level 1

4 points

Apr 1, 2023 10:29 AM in response to Yer_Man

My external hard drive is formatted for Mac as I haven’t used it with any other type of computer. I also checked the photo library preferences and the box next to Importing: “copy items to photo library is checked”. I’m not sure how to check if this copied library is a referenced or managed library.

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Apple photo library on external hard drive won't allow me to upload photos from it

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