can't sync photos to iPad

Question

Level 1

20 points

can't sync photos to iPad

When I try to sync my MacBook with my iPad1 all of my information is synced except my photos. What ends up on my iPad is a blank rectangle or square where the photos used to be for over 9,000 photos that synced before. Toward the end of the sync process I get the following message:
"The iPad cannot be synced. The required file cannot be found."

My photos are still on my MacBook

This seems to have occurred since I upgraded to the latest iPad software (4.3.1). My iTunes version is (10.2.1)

How do I get my photos to sync from my MacBook to my iPad again?

PBG4, Mac OS X (10.6.7), iTunes 10.2.1: iPad 4.3.1

Posted on Apr 1, 2011 6:55 PM

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Answer 1

Apr 1, 2011 8:26 PM in response to unempldnow

Create a new photo file, with a new name, on your Mac and copy the photos into that new file. Delete the old file that you had photos in on Mac. On iPad delete all the photos off of it completely. Do a hard reset/reboot of the iPad. Make sure old file doesn't show in iTunes or delete it as the sync photo file in iTunes. Make your new photo folder in iTunes the one you select to sync to the iPad and sync the iPad. They should be there now.

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Answer 2

ssls6

Level 4

2,879 points

Apr 1, 2011 9:04 PM in response to unempldnow

Go to your home directory, then the pictures directory. Inside you'll see a file called iPhoto library, right click on it and select "show package contents". This will open a folder showing the contents and inside is directory called "iPod Photo Cache", select that file and drag it out of the folder to the desktop.

Now close all that down and quit itunes. When you reopen itunes and connect your Ipad the photo cache will be recreated and the missing file problem should go away. A sync will then load all your photos. This worked for me.

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Answer 3

jooler

Level 1

0 points

Apr 2, 2011 11:35 AM in response to unempldnow

since i updated my iphone and ipad to os 4.3.1, all my pictures from iphoto are not syncing like they were before. now, certain pictures come up on my iphone and ipad as black blank rectangles. they are all still on my computer in their albums in iphoto. some albums still sync correctly. what can i do to get the other albums to sync again too?

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Answer 4

ssls6

Level 4

2,879 points

Apr 2, 2011 12:08 PM in response to jooler

If it were me, I would tell it to stop syncing photos first for both devices. I think this will wipe out the photos on both iOS devices. I would then kill itunes, delete the photo cache like I suggested early (dragging it out of the iPhoto file in your picture directory will create a new one when iTune starts). I would restart iTunes and turn syncing back on for both devices and let it recopy your photos.

That is what i would do.

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Answer 5

Apr 2, 2011 12:12 PM in response to ssls6

Or you could do like a suggested and create a new file on the computer before everything gets screwed up. That way, no matter what you try you don't loose the originals. Not to debate it, but I am pretty sure if the OP tried what I am suggesting he'd find success. It may require a little more work, but in the end might be worth it. Just my two cents (of which both are now indebted to China).

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Answer 6

Apr 2, 2011 2:22 PM in response to ssls6

Thanks a lot for the tip! It worked just fine for me too. Any idea why this "lost file" that prevents syncing disappeared from the cache folder? It is the first time something like this has ever happened to any of my IOS devices when syncing...

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Answer 7

unempldnow Author

Level 1

20 points

Apr 5, 2011 7:00 PM in response to ssls6

Thank you for your advice. I followed both of your posts (they have to be read together to get the process correct).

I also delete from my iPad photos that I had directly loaded on the the iPad from SD card that were still on the iPad.

The net result is that after a long processing I now have my photos back on my iPad.

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Answer 8

jooler

Level 1

0 points

Apr 11, 2011 7:51 AM in response to ssls6

Thank you! That worked!

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Answer 9

Jul 15, 2011 3:38 AM in response to unempldnow

OK, here's how I fixed my sync problem. First, when starting up iPhoto, press and hold down the cmd & alt buttons on your keyboard and this will bring up a dialog box, select all check boxes and hit rebuild. This will take some time so have a coffee or go and do something else, then when you come back, try syncing again in iTunes and the error message should be gone!

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Answer 10

Sep 23, 2011 1:26 PM in response to ssls6

You saved my life it worked 🙂 thanks

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Answer 11

johneo1

Level 1

5 points

Mar 30, 2012 12:08 PM in response to unempldnow

I can not sync phots with new ipad 3.

Originally just copied 15 of 8600 in wrong files but now just says '..... sync failed to finish' and NO photos at all.

This was after a complete reset etc as per technical helpline.

Wasted a day with all sorts of fixes.

Believe this product has a serious flaw and I am now returning for refund.

Suggest others do the same.

Launched too early?

Very poor product from Apple.

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Answer 12

johneo1

Level 1

5 points

Mar 31, 2012 12:23 AM in response to johneo1

Thanks for replies.

I am running windows XP Pro and sucessfully sync 2 x 64gb Touch (4th) and 1 x iPhone 4s No problems at all.

The photos are all large mostly taken on a EOS camera there are over 7000.

I have tried all your suggestions across the previous 2 days to limited success.

To be frank the iPad is very limited in what it can do and it all needs to go through iTunes.

It can surf, show pics / video and e-mail.

But this model cannot sync pics / video completely or easily.

On that basis I will replace it will a laptop that can do all this and much more.

Had enough of Apple right now.

My view is this product is NOT CONSUMER ready - its frankly flawed.

Regards

Thanks for replies.

I am running windows XP Pro and sucessfully sync 2 x 64gb Touch (4th) and 1 x iPhone 4s No problems at all.

The photos are all large mostly taken on a EOS camera there are over 7000.

I have tried all your suggestions across the previous 2 days to limited success.

To be frank the iPad is very limited in what it can do and it all needs to go through iTunes.

It can surf, show pics / video and e-mail.

But this model cannot sync pics / video completely or easily.

On that basis I will replace it will a laptop that can do all this and much more.

Had enough of Apple right now.

My view is this product is NOT CONSUMER ready - its frankly flawed.

Regards

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Answer 13

johneo1

Level 1

5 points

Mar 31, 2012 12:57 AM in response to unempldnow

It was a iPad 3 64GB 4G - bought largely for the screen resolution displayng pictures and video

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Answer 14

Harry OH

Level 1

4 points

Apr 5, 2012 9:32 AM in response to unempldnow

I've had this problem many times on all three iPads (1, 2, and new) and I've figured out a way around it. I have about 22,000 pictures that I sync which always is a problem if I try and sync all of them at a time.

The way that I've gotten it to work is to sync about 2000 at a time based on choosing albums or events. It's time consuming but you can get almost everything synced and then just check the full sync checkbox when all albums/events have already been synced. After you run that full sync, you most likely won't be importing a large amount of pictures at a time and you shouldn't have a problem anymore.

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Answer 15

wimbie59

Level 1

0 points

Jul 23, 2012 5:40 AM in response to johneo1

Thanks for taking the time to post. I now officially regret the expensive ipad3 purchase; when I needed it most, it crapped out - while trying to sync photos to it of an important event I needed to share. It's nice to know that it wasn't operator error, but that still doesn't cover the hours spent struggling to make it work, the user-unfriendly work arounds, and then to dissappoint the people. Boo for APPLE once again.

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