iPhoto Unable to write to library Check that you have permission to write to the library directory.
Yesterday I had a perfectly good ext. HD with 15 different iPhoto Libraries on it.
I have backups of my ext. HDs, and yesterday I needed to do a bit of switching around, so I took another disk which had been a clone backup, repartitioned it, and copied the ext HD with iPhoto libraries to it using SuperDuper! so I've got a backup of my precious photos. Today I went to open an iPhoto library on original drive I always use and all **** has let loose. I've had different error messages ranging from
The iPhoto Library is locked, on a locked disk, or you do not have permission to make changes to it. iPhoto can try to repair the permissions.
to
iPhoto Library Manager was unable to open the library “Max's photos” The library “Max's photos” appears to be in use by another copy of iPhoto (e.g. a copy running on another machine, accessing the library over the network). Please quit any other copies of iPhoto that have this library open and try again.
and
The disk “xxx” wasn’t ejected because one or more programs may be using it. You can try to eject the disk again or click Force Eject to eject it immediately.
I have managed, one way or another, to get all the libraries working again. Some through repairing permissions, and some through opening directly from iPhoto and repairing. (I usually use iPhoto library manager but it couldn't open a few of them).
However, there is one stubborn library (2 years worth of family pictures), and I'm getting the error message
Unable to write to library “xxx” Check that you have permission to write to the library directory.
How shall I deal with that? I was going to follow some advice about opening package contents and trashing iPhotoLock.data but I don't want to make the situation worse.
And finally
Why did this happen?
And what about the new backup drive I did yesterday, will I encounter all the same problems if I try to open any of those libraries?
And if I copy again, which I do periodically, is the same thing going to keep happening?
I know you won't have all the answers, but a bit of help understanding what has just happened would be good!
Only other info I can give is that both HDs were plugged into a Belkin hub. They were both Lacie D2s, with usb3 cables, the belkin hub is usb 2. The clone which was on the 2nd drive before I repartitioned it was from my old iMac running Mountain Lion.
