iCloud Photo Library "stuck" on one device

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iCloud Photo Library "stuck" on one device

I hope the attached diagram helps explain:

I have multiple devices all using the same AppleID and all connected to iCloud. I have enabled the iCloud Photo Library, and my main computer (the orange Mac mini above) is set to retain originals, while the other devices are set to optimize storage.

Of the 30,000 or so photos on the Mac mini, about 27,000 have successfully made it to iCloud and sync with the other devices. I can add photos from a digital camera to the Mac mini's library, and they do eventually make it to the cloud and the other devices. The Mac mini however exhibits two troubling behaviours:

Photos taken with say, the iPhone, go upto the cloud and get picked-up by all of the other devices EXCEPT the Mac mini, and
The remaining 3,000 or so photos are "stuck" and don't go up to the cloud.

I have rebuilt the Photos library twice. I have disabled and re-enabled the iCloud Photo Library function on the Mac mini several times. It goes thru it's updating/sync process, only to ALWAYS get hung-up at the same numnber remaining. EVERYTIME.

I have let the process go for months quite literally (since the availability of the iCloud Photo Library feature), and have not progressed.

HELP!

Mac mini, OS X Yosemite (10.10.5)

Posted on Aug 27, 2015 1:15 PM

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Answer 1

Aug 27, 2015 1:53 PM in response to BenTYYC

Do you have any photos on there that are of an unusual format. Do you have any referenced files or long videos.

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Answer 2

BenTYYC Author

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Aug 27, 2015 1:57 PM in response to Winston Churchill

Thanks for the reply!!

I don't believe there are files of an "unusual" format. All pics were taken with an iDevice (iPhone, iPad) or Canon digital camera. There may be a few pictures taken by others (e,g, holiday photos from a relative received by Email).

Long videos? I'd have to check. What's "long"? More than 5 minutes? 10 minutes?

I'm not sure what you mean by referenced files.

Thanks again.

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Answer 3

Aug 27, 2015 2:05 PM in response to BenTYYC

Videos would need to be much longer than 10 minutes to cause it to stall for a day or so. Referenced photos are photos that are stored outside of the library file, you can check if you have any by creating a smart album.

I assume you haven't run out of iCloud storage space.

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Answer 4

BenTYYC Author

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Aug 27, 2015 2:11 PM in response to Winston Churchill

I will try the Smart Album when I get access to the offending machine...

I have plenty of storage. I purchased the 500GB storage plan in anticipation of a library that is about half that size.

Again, thanks!

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Answer 5

Eric Root

Level 10

684,027 points

Aug 27, 2015 2:40 PM in response to BenTYYC

On the mini, have you tried to stop photo syncing in iCloud Preferences, waited for a couple of minutes, and then reenabled syncing?

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Answer 6

BenTYYC Author

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Aug 27, 2015 2:45 PM in response to Eric Root

Yes I have Eric, but sadly to no effect (i.e. gets stuck at the same point).

Another observation I have made is that my Time Capsule/Machine back-ups on the Mac mini fail when I reach that "stuck" point. If I disable iCloud Photo Library and then re-enable (forcing the syncing to start again) the Time Machine is fine during the re-sync. When I reach that magic number that I'm calling "stuck", Time Machine fails.

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Answer 7

Aug 27, 2015 2:52 PM in response to BenTYYC

Can you spot the 3,000 that aren't syncing (or some of them).

If so, see if you can export a bunch of them to the desktop.

Then see what happens if you put them on a memory stick and add them to one of the libraries on the other computers.

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Answer 8

BenTYYC Author

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Aug 28, 2015 6:54 AM in response to Winston Churchill

I have confirmed that there are no referenced files.

I also spotted a couple of videos of 10-12 minutes length that I have deleted. I also deleted many (about 1000) photos that should have been removed a long time ago; some of which I believe were never sync'd properly.

Have re-built the Photos library again. Have turned iCloud Photo Library off and on again on the offending Mac mini, and am waiting for the latest sync to run its course...

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Answer 9

Aug 28, 2015 7:07 AM in response to BenTYYC

Let us know how it goes.

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Answer 10

BenTYYC Author

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Aug 28, 2015 10:15 PM in response to Winston Churchill

Unfortunately, all those changes have had no effect... 😟

While the physical size of the library has decreased after deleting MANY files, interestingly, the sync process is stuck at the same number it always gets stuck at. It always gets hung-up at "Uploading 13,708 items", even though the library size has changed...

Frazzled...

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Answer 11

Aug 29, 2015 4:16 AM in response to BenTYYC

Are you able to determine which are the photos that won't sync or any of them.

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Answer 12

BenTYYC Author

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Aug 29, 2015 12:41 PM in response to Winston Churchill

Yes, I think I can determine some/many of them...

Interestingly, Amidst all of the issues above, iCloud Photo Library has successfully managed to sync the folders and albums I created (all from the iPhoto days). I can see quite simply which folders and albums are empty or incomplete compared to the Mac mini.

I am now trying to copy the photos in the albums (to another drive) and delete them from the Mac mini. I will then upload them to another device (e.g. the Retina Macbook).

Sound like the right thing to do?

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Answer 13

Aug 29, 2015 12:48 PM in response to BenTYYC

Are you able to export any of them from Photos.

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Answer 14

BenTYYC Author

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64 points

Aug 29, 2015 6:54 PM in response to Winston Churchill

Yes, I can export them no problem. They all seem to be the older pictures in my library that are in this state.

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Answer 15

Aug 30, 2015 12:33 AM in response to BenTYYC

MMmmmm, I have a feeling you might have some corrupt/problem photos somewhere, that you might need to get out of the library before syncing can resume.

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