Older Photo libraries updated but now open empty

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Level 1

4 points

Older Photo libraries updated but now open empty

I have a number of older photo libraries (I have one for each year) that I keep on an external drive but since upgrading my computer and updating the libraries they now either just get stuck in the update or finish updating and then open empty even though they are 12+ GB in file size. Any ideas? Can I get access to the photo files themselves at least somehow? There's years worth of photos in these that I desperately don't want to lose!

Many thanks.

Posted on Apr 25, 2024 1:10 AM

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Answer 1

léonie

Level 10

195,013 points

Apr 25, 2024 3:13 AM in response to shindymagee

Are your old photo libraries all Photos Libraries or are some of them iPhoto Libraries or Aperture Libraries? What is the file system format of the drive, where the libraries are stored?

Check if the volume is compatible with Photos, as described here: Move your Photos library to save space on your Mac - Apple Support

If the file system is not compatible, copy each library to your Pictures folder, before you try to access it with Photos. Also, Photos may not be able to upgrade the library, if there are media inside the library, that Photos can no longer read, because they are in an older legacy format.

It will depend on your current system version, how you can access older libraries in Photos. Which system version is installed on your Mac?

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Answer 2

léonie

Level 10

195,013 points

Apr 25, 2024 12:39 PM in response to shindymagee

wen you are trying to use libraries while they are on a NAS, they can become damaged.

Do you have backup copies of these libraries that have not been on a NAS? Perhaps the original iPhoto Libraries?

You can check, if a library is holding any photos, if you look into the package content.

Select the Photos Library in the Finder, then ctrl-click it and use the command "Show Package Contents".
in the Finder window that opens, look for a folder "originals" or "Masters". Is there such a folder? Do the subfolders contain any image files or videos?

Be careful, when browsing the library package. Only, look, do not modify anything.

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Answer 3

shindymagee Author

Level 1

4 points

Apr 25, 2024 10:14 PM in response to léonie

I've been able to recover most of them now using the Repair tool but there is still one that is just showing up empty even though it's 12+ GB. Even when I look at Package Contents it comes up with nothing -

If I look at the 'Old Masters' folder it looks like al the indexing is still there but no files -

It may just be a corrupted library - I'll have a hunt around some other external drives and see if I can find another copy somewhere. Any ideas on how to further interrogate this library would be welcome though. At least I've got the other ones working now!

Cheers.

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Answer 4

shindymagee Author

Level 1

4 points

Apr 25, 2024 5:10 AM in response to léonie

Thanks leonie. Some of them were iphoto libraries but they were previously upgraded to Photo and had been opening fine. I did have them stored in a folder on my Mac but moved them to my NAS to save space. I tried moving the libraries back to the Pictures folder as you suggest and even tried the repair tool but they are still opening empty if at all. For example, one library is 12.65GB and I know it has photos and video in there but now it opens like a brand new empty library even from my Pictures folder. I'm running Sonoma 14.4 on my new Mac.

Cheers!

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Answer 5

Apr 25, 2024 10:12 AM in response to shindymagee

Just in case we've missed something, let me ask: How are you opening these Libraries? Do you double click on the Library, or do you use the method of option-clicking on the Photos icon? If you close Photos and option-click on the Photos icon, do you see the list of the Libraries that you think you have? If you look at Photos>Settings>General, is the path to the Library what you expect?

The Photos database seems to be disconnected from the images. Almost surely, even if the databases can't be fixed, the pictures and videos can still be saved from the Libraries, but without editing and added comments. So it's best to try to fix the Libraries before invoking the "nuclear option" to retrieve the pictures.

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Answer 6

shindymagee Author

Level 1

4 points

Apr 25, 2024 10:17 PM in response to Yer_Man

The external drive is universally formatted so it should be ok. It seems to be working ok for most of the libraries now, just one frustrating one that is coming up empty. It's a 2012 file but it was upgraded to Photo (from iphoto) a couple of years ago. It goes through the 'upgrading' process when I open it but then just shows up empty.

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Answer 7

shindymagee Author

Level 1

4 points

Apr 25, 2024 10:19 PM in response to Richard.Taylor

Thanks Richard. I've been trying multiple options to open each library. I've got the majority of them working (and upgraded) now just from double-clicking from their location. There's just one pesky library that is still showing up empty. What's your "nuclear option" for retrieving the picture files if all else fails?

Cheers.

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Answer 8

Yer_Man

Level 10

162,380 points

Apr 26, 2024 1:37 AM in response to shindymagee

The external drive is universally formatted so it should be ok.

This is no such thing as a "universal format". A Photos (and prior to this, an iPhoto or Aperture Library) needs to sit on a disk formatted Mac OS X Extended, Journaled or apfs. If it's on an inappropriately formatted disk then you risk library corruption and dataloss.

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Answer 9

Yer_Man

Level 10

162,380 points

Apr 25, 2024 3:12 AM in response to shindymagee

What format is that external drive? It needs to be formatted Mac OS X Extended, Journaled or apfs.

What version of Photos are you updating from? And updating to?

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