Q: Unable to open Photo library from new Photo App
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by Terence Devlin,HelpfulApr 11, 2015 3:16 AM
Terence Devlin
Apr 11, 2015 3:16 AM
in response to bernardfromcobham
Level 10
(139,557 points)
iLifeWhere is this library stored? If on an external, what format is it?
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by Terence Devlin,Apr 11, 2015 3:01 AM
Terence Devlin
Apr 11, 2015 3:01 AM
in response to bernardfromcobham
Level 10
(139,557 points)
iLife
Option 1
Back Up and try rebuild the iPhoto library: hold down the command and option (or alt) keys while launching iPhoto. Use the resulting dialogue to rebuild. Choose to Repair Database. If that doesn't help, then try again, this time using Rebuild Database.
If that fails:
Option 2
Download iPhoto Library Manager and use its rebuild function. (In early versions of Library Manager it's the File -> Rebuild command. In later versions it's under the Library menu.)
This will create an entirely new library. It will then copy (or try to) your photos and all the associated metadata and versions to this new Library, and arrange it as close as it can to what you had in the damaged Library. It does this based on information it finds in the iPhoto sharing mechanism - but that means that things not shared won't be there, so no slideshows, books or calendars, for instance - but it should get all your events, albums and keywords, faces and places back.
Because this process creates an entirely new library and leaves your old one untouched, it is non-destructive, and if you're not happy with the results you can simply return to your old one.
Regards
TD
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Jun 6, 2015 10:24 AMby ryedogg,HelpfulI just had this problem and I was able to fix it by right clicking on my external HD and clicking on Get Info. On the bottom of the pop up window under Sharing & Permissions I changed the permissions for Everyone from Read only to Read & Write. Once I did that and held down Options before opening the Photos app, it started to load just fine.
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Jul 12, 2015 12:08 PMby nmcc5398,This worked for me. I tried all of the complicated fixes suggested by apple such as the terminal app and they did not work for me. My fix was just a simple fix. I went to the finder and right clicked on the pictures folder. I then clicked on get info. I then noticed that locked was check marked. I clicked to unlock the folder and then my photos app started working when setting up. I hope this helps.
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Jul 20, 2015 9:17 AMby Old Toad,I have my iphoto library on the same disk I use for Time Machine. Why should I use another?
Because TM will continue to fill the disk and will eventually reduce the free space available to the point where the iPhoto library will not be able to open. Before that happens imports will be lost and the library can be corrupted by insufficient free space.
Also if you lose the TM disk you'll lose your backups and the library. You won't have a backup copy of the library.
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Mar 8, 2016 9:50 AMby ncprius2,It is worthwhile to quicly verify there is no check-mark in the "Locked" box in File-Get Info as you described. In my case, it was not there, however.
And like you, I found that the chown and chmod Terminal commands suggested by Apple at If Photos can’t copy or create a library - Apple Support also did not fix the "Permissions" problem for me, and many others. Here is the fix that, at least for me, did enable Photos to open my old iPhoto Library (copied from and external drive to my Pictures folder); paste the following one line into the Terminal:
sudo chmod -RN /Users/$USER/Pictures/iPhoto*
This assumes you the "iPhoto Library" folder you want Photos to use is in your Pictures folder.
P.S. I added feedback to the apple site telling them "You need to add this additional commands, which did solve the permssions problems for me".
Be careful NOT to do the chmod on /Users/$USER/Pictures, as all the ~/* folders are supposed to have ACL's (to prevent you from changing the names of home-dir folders Documents, Downloads, Pictures, etc.)
You should not have to change $USER to your actual username, either. At least in my tests on 10.10 and 10.11, the $USER is still automatically expanded to my actual username, and not root, even when I use sudo, such as:
sudo echo $USER
