Alejandro_64

Q: Cannot completely erase Photos app library contents.

Hello! I have need to delete ALL the photos I ever put to Photos app library @ my iMac.

 

I deleted the file *.photoslibrary from the "Puctures" folder and Photos app created file anew - empty. But in no time Photos app downloaded form somewhere the contents I have just deleted!!!  It downloaded from somewhere photo contents I have just erased! I cannot figure out how to turn it off!

 

The iCloud photo library is turned OFF on all my devices.

I would blame Photostream, but in 2 hours I had 3400 photos restored, while photostream contains only 1000!

Furthermore, 30 days have already passed and no photos left in online iCloud Photo Library storage. (seeattach)

 

Where the heck Photos app dowloads completely erased photos from?!

 

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iMac with Retina 5K display, OS X Yosemite (10.10.4), 2014

Posted on Aug 13, 2015 10:19 AM

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Q: Cannot completely erase Photos app library contents.

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  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Aug 13, 2015 10:33 AM in response to Alejandro_64
    Level 10 (106,883 points)
    iLife
    Aug 13, 2015 10:33 AM in response to Alejandro_64

    Try if deleting the local copy of the photo stream in your user library will help:

    Delete this folder - this are the local cached copies of My Photo Stream: 

           ~/Library/Application Support/iLifeAssetManagement/assets/sub/

     

    Your user library may still be hidden.To reveal the hidden User Library:

    • Bring the Finder forward by clicking on the Desktop or the Finder icon in the Dock.
    • Select your user/home folder (with the house icon in the Finder sidebar)
    • With that Finder window as the front window, press the key combination ⌘J to bring up the View options.
    • In the View options panel enable ’Show Library Folder’. That will make your user library folder visible in your Home folder.
    • Open your Home folder, then the Library folder, then "Application Support" and then "LifeAssetManagement/"
    • Now open the sub folder "assets", and then move the folder "sub" to the Desktop.

    Now restart the Mac and try again.  If all is well, delete the folder from the Desktop.

  • by Alejandro_64,

    Alejandro_64 Alejandro_64 Aug 13, 2015 8:58 PM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Desktops
    Aug 13, 2015 8:58 PM in response to léonie

    I didn't fine a folder named "iLifeAssetManagement" =((

     

    Anyway - the speed of restoration presumes taht photos are being downloaded from the network. THe only thing I could think of - maybe it takes photos from my MacBook? MakBook is in the same subnet as iMac.

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Aug 14, 2015 12:18 AM in response to Alejandro_64
    Level 10 (106,883 points)
    iLife
    Aug 14, 2015 12:18 AM in response to Alejandro_64
    I didn't fine a folder named "iLifeAssetManagement" =((

    This folder should be there, if you are using My Photo Stream or used it with iPhoto or Aperture.

     

    Try to open it directly from the Finder's Go menu:

    • Go to the Finder's main menu bar, then click the ""Go" menu entry, and there select the submenu entry "Go to Folder". Copy and Paste this text into the text field:

    ~/Library/Application Support/iLifeAssetManagement/

    Does this open the folder?

     

     

    Screen Shot 2015-08-14 at 09.11.26.png

     

    maybe it takes photos from my MacBook? MakBook is in the same subnet as iMac.

    Photos usually does not open Photos Libraries on network volumes. But it occasionally happens, that t opens libraries on connected backup drives. Do you have a backup of your Photos Library on a connected backup drive?

  • by Alejandro_64,

    Alejandro_64 Alejandro_64 Aug 14, 2015 3:42 AM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Desktops
    Aug 14, 2015 3:42 AM in response to léonie

    I have just reinstalled OS X anew - on the clean disk.

     

    Zombie photos re-appeared in my Photos app again... ALL the photos I had in my collection. This OS X installation NEVER contained a single photo in Photos app..

    What's happening?! Where of they come from? Looks like the beginning of the zombie apocalypse.

     

    Just in case - ABSOLUTELY fresh install of OS X. Less than 1 hour old. Photos re-appear quite slow. I suppose they are downloaded from Internet. (Maybe from my iPhone in the same subnet or MacBook) I DO NOT use iCloud Photo Library - all my photos volume just doesn't fit there.

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Aug 14, 2015 4:34 AM in response to Alejandro_64
    Level 10 (106,883 points)
    iLife
    Aug 14, 2015 4:34 AM in response to Alejandro_64
    I have just reinstalled OS X anew - on the clean disk.

    Did you restore your Home folder from a backup after you made a clean install of MacOS X?  If there should be photos in My Photo Stream, they will have been restored together with your Home folder.

  • by Alejandro_64,

    Alejandro_64 Alejandro_64 Aug 14, 2015 6:39 AM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Desktops
    Aug 14, 2015 6:39 AM in response to léonie

    Nope!

     

    I didn't restore anything - I just set up my machine anew. No restoration - absolutely clean system. (Just connected it to the same Apple ID during initial setup.)

    I wiped disk clear with Disk Utility prior to reinstallation.

     

    Furthermore,  photo stream contains 1000 photos only - not more, nor less. And I have 3416 photos restored.

     

    This obstacle really drives me mad! Where the heck it gets old photos?!

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Aug 14, 2015 6:51 AM in response to Alejandro_64
    Level 10 (106,883 points)
    iLife
    Aug 14, 2015 6:51 AM in response to Alejandro_64
    Furthermore,  photo stream contains 1000 photos only - not more, nor less. And I have 3416 photos restored.

    Photo Stream in iCloud only keeps max. 1000 photos in iCloud and only the photos added during the last month, but a Mac can store  more locally, if the space permits. The Shared albums may have more photos and your first screenshot is showing Shared albums enabled.

  • by Alejandro_64,

    Alejandro_64 Alejandro_64 Aug 14, 2015 7:27 AM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Desktops
    Aug 14, 2015 7:27 AM in response to léonie

    I just called to Apple Support and they told me this is the Photostream issue - even named me the quantity of photos in photostream. It matched the quantity of photos restored. Can u imagine that? Seems Photostream contains ALL the Photos taken - it just downloads only 1000 to Photostream album!

     

    Now new questions rise up:

     

    - If ANY of the Apple Care specialist can access my Photostream photos or just see it's quantity? I make photos of quite confidential thing - like my card data, for example, or personal ID informaion.

    - Now to erase the photo stream

    - What are the conditions of photos in Photostream? I have 3600 photos in there, some of them were taken in 2013!

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Aug 14, 2015 7:53 AM in response to Alejandro_64
    Level 10 (106,883 points)
    iLife
    Aug 14, 2015 7:53 AM in response to Alejandro_64

    This Apple Support documents describes how to delete photos from My Photo Stream:   https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204022

    It does not explain how to do it using the Photos App on a Mac. I'd try to do it from an iPad or iPhone.

     

    - If ANY of the Apple Care specialist can access my Photostream photos or just see it's quantity? I make photos of quite confidential thing - like my card data, for example, or personal ID informaion.

    Have you asked them?  It is not documented, but probably the engineering team will be able to access each and every file.

  • by Alejandro_64,

    Alejandro_64 Alejandro_64 Aug 14, 2015 8:00 AM in response to Alejandro_64
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Desktops
    Aug 14, 2015 8:00 AM in response to Alejandro_64

    Called to Apple once more.

     

    - Photo contents is NOT accessible by Apple Care specialist. They see only quantity

    - Photostream is limited by 25000 photos AND 30 days old. Thought, as I can see, 30-day limitation is not strictly enforced - I have photos made in 2013 in my Photostream. Strange, isn't it?

    - This is the link to the article describing how to erase Photostream completely Delete photos from My Photo Stream - Apple Support

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Aug 15, 2015 3:23 AM in response to Alejandro_64
    Level 10 (106,883 points)
    iLife
    Aug 15, 2015 3:23 AM in response to Alejandro_64

    Thanks for the follow-up, Alejandro.

    Thought, as I can see, 30-day limitation is not strictly enforced - I have photos made in 2013 in my Photostream. Strange, isn't it?

    The limit "30 days old" applies to the date you added the photo to my Photo Stream, not the capture date of the photo.

    The link you posted "Delete photos from My Photo Stream - Apple Support"  is referencing the same document as I posted "https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204022".  It does not mention how to erase My Photo Stream from Photos, only from mobile device, Aperture, or iPhoto.  It is really weird that Apple does not release documentation for My Photo Stream in Photos for Mac.  The documentation for My Photo Stream in Aperture or iPhoto is much better.