Got a new iMac, can't open my Photo Library

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Level 1

59 points

Got a new iMac, can't open my Photo Library

Hey there, my old 2011 iMac crashed (running Yosemite), and I had been backing up with a Time Capsule. Bought a brand iMac and transferred all the files. Everything is there, except Photos. When I try to open it, I get this error message repeatedly:

This happens even when I hold down "Option" while opening Photos, and then hit "Choose Library." I was on the phone with Apple Care for hours yesterday... no progress... I restored the Photo Library from 2 earlier backups on my Time Capsule, and still have the same issue.

I am also getting this message when I simply click on "Photos" to open:

I kept a copy of the Photo Library in there, so I'd have two to choose from... but when I follow the instructions here, I can't choose "Preferences" to set anything as the System Photo Library.

The library is about 17 GB. It seems as though the Photo Library is corrupted, but it won't let me "Repair" when I hold down Option/Command.

ANY ideas would be helpful! Thanks in advance, Carol

iMac with Retina 5K display, OS X El Capitan (10.11.6)

Posted on Aug 13, 2016 6:00 AM

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Answer 1

léonie

Level 10

200,585 points

Aug 14, 2016 2:14 PM in response to Carol Matz

Your restored Photos Library has 17 GB, right?

So your Photos are most likely all there.

It may be a permissions problem. Try to fix the permissions on the restored Photos Library and then try again to open and to repair it.

To fix the permissions select the Photos Library in your Pictures folder, then use "File > Get Info" and check in the Info Panel, if you have read&write access. The permissions are in the last section of the Info panel.
Change it, if necessary.

Then ctrl-click the Photos Library and select Show Package Contents.

In the folder that opens, check the permissions for each subfolder. For each folder click the button "Apply to enclosed items". That will give the access rights to all subfolders.

Close the window again and try again to open the library in Photos by double-clicking it.

if all fails, copy the Masters folder out of the library. It should have all your original image files in the nested subfolders of Masters. You see the Masters folder, if you ctrl-click the Photos Library and select Show Package Contents.

Then import the photos from Masters to the new Photos Library you created.

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Answer 2

léonie

Level 10

200,585 points

Aug 13, 2016 6:11 AM in response to Carol Matz

The library is about 17 GB. It seems as though the Photo Library is corrupted, but it won't let me "Repair" when I hold down Option/Command.

Where is your Photos Library stored? Is it on an external drive or in the Pictures folder?

If it is on an external drive, what is the file system on the drive?

How did you restore the library from Time Machine? Did you enter Time Machine t restore the library?

I am also getting this message when I simply click on "Photos" to open:

Have you tried to double click the Photos Library to open Photos on it? If not, try to repair the library while holding down the key combination option-command and double clicking the library you want to repair, not the Photos icon.

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Answer 3

Carol Matz Author

Level 1

59 points

Aug 13, 2016 6:16 AM in response to léonie

It's in the Pictures folder.

Yes I entered Time Machine to restore the library.

I have double-clicked Photos Library... get error message.

I tried to repair the library the way you suggest... I still get that "Photos cannot find the System Photo Library" message.

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Answer 4

léonie

Level 10

200,585 points

Aug 13, 2016 6:41 AM in response to Carol Matz

Your old Mac has been running Yosemite. Does your new Mac run El Capitan? The operating system you are using should be the same or a newer version.

Is the filename extension of your Photos Library correct? "Photos Library.photoslibrary"? Does the library show the correct icon with the rainbow flower as a fan of pictures?

If not, try to append the correct filename extension .photoslibrary to the filename of the library.

Did you use iCloud Photo Library with Photos? If all your photos are in iCloud Photo Library, you could try to download your Photos Library from iCloud instead of restoring it from Time Machine.

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Answer 5

Carol Matz Author

Level 1

59 points

Aug 13, 2016 6:45 AM in response to léonie

Yes my new rMac runs El Capitan.

Yes, the filname extention is correct, and has the correct icon.

I did not use iCloud with Photos. I'm scr*ewed, right? LOL I have photos dating back to 2004... I've used a system of burning them to DVDs... looks like I might have to manually import like 15k photos that way????

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Answer 6

Carol Matz Author

Level 1

59 points

Aug 14, 2016 2:17 PM in response to léonie

Thank you so much léonie! I did have permissions before, but I did your "if all else fails" and copied the Masters folder contents into a newly created Photo Library. It was about 10GB... but sadly, it's only a small portion of my files... I looked back on some notes from last year, and my Photo Library was 130GB... so it's time for some importing from data DVDs... should take some time, but at least I've got 'em 😉

I'm using Dropbox moving forward, since I already pay for a work account. Thank you for your help... you were stellar!

Carol

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Answer 7

léonie

Level 10

200,585 points

Aug 13, 2016 6:27 AM in response to Carol Matz

Does Photos work at all? Try to launch Photos with the options key held down and select to create a new library. Can Photos open a new library and can you import photos?

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Answer 8

Carol Matz Author

Level 1

59 points

Aug 13, 2016 6:30 AM in response to léonie

Yes Photos work. I can create a new library and import random photos I happen to have on my desktop.... but it won't allow me to import he photo library or anything.

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