HT204484: If Photos can’t copy or create a library

Learn about If Photos can’t copy or create a library
reddragon1964
Level 1 (4 points)
Photos for Mac

Q: Photo Library Transfer, Error -36

Hello,

 

I want to move my Photos library off my internal SSD to an external Transcend drive.

 

Unfortunately, after about 7 GB of data transfer, I receive an error -36. "The Finder can't complete the operation because some data in "Photos Library" can't be read or written."

 

Ran Disk Utility on both drives and it did it's thing.

The Photo Library is 43.17 GB and the external Transcend drive has 1.53 TB free space.

Will try picking up a copy from time machine.

 

Found steps holding down command + option to repair library. Trying that now. Any comments are welcome.

Thanks!

 

-MacOS Sierra

-iMac 27-inch Mid 2011

-2.7 GHz Intel Core i5

 

Message was edited by: reddragon1964

iMac (27-inch Mid 2011), MacOS Sierra

Posted on Oct 19, 2016 10:07 AM

by léonie,Solvedanswer
léonie léonie
Level 10 (108,994 points)
iCloud
A:
What do you think about just exporting ALL photos and then importing back. It would make a new Photo Library, would it not?

First try to copy the library over with different methods. Otherwise you will just have your photos but lost all your work - edits, keywords, albums.

 

Do you have cloning software like Super Duper or Canbon Copy Cloner? Then try to clone your library instead of copying. Only, this will copy any problematic files as well.

 

You could try to isolate the file that is giving this error.

The error -36 could also be created by a corrupted image file or video in your Photos Library.


  • If the Library cannot be read, and the file system on the destination drive is correct, but you can still not copy, one of the files inside may be corrupted and cannot be read. Then try to copy the library in parts. This way, you are able to identify the culprit that is causing the I/O error and can skip it, when copying:

 

    • Create a new folder on your external drive. Call it "Photos Library Copy".
    • Ctrl-click (or right-click) your current Photos Library and use the command "Show Package Contents". This will open a folder, showing you the files and folders inside your Photos Library.
    • Copy these folders one-by-one to to the new folder on your external drive.  If one of these folders is giving an error -36, check how far the copying proceeded. The files, that have been copied, are o.k. The file or folder, that should have been copied next will be the unreadable  file. Probably the problem is caused by one of the files in "Masters" or a database folder. In that case look into the Masters folder and copy as much as you can, while leaving out the file that will not copy.

 

When you are done, rename the copy of your Photos Library to "Photos Library Copy.photoslibrary"  and double click it to open it in Photos. Can Photos open this library?

Posted on Oct 19, 2016 11:36 AM

Close
reddragon1964

Q: Photo Library Transfer, Error -36

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by LarryHN,

    LarryHN LarryHN Oct 19, 2016 10:11 AM in response to reddragon1964
    Level 10 (85,678 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Oct 19, 2016 10:11 AM in response to reddragon1964

    What is the format of the EHD? For the Photos library it can only be Mac OS extended (journaled)

     

    LN

  • by reddragon1964,

    reddragon1964 reddragon1964 Oct 19, 2016 10:35 AM in response to LarryHN
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Oct 19, 2016 10:35 AM in response to LarryHN

    Hello LN,

    Thank you for asking.

    Yes, it is journaled. I use this drive for other storage too.

    I used the Photos repair tool and I still got the error at about the 7.06 GB mark.

    Tried an old iPhoto Library. Got the same error.

    Tried a different external Transcend drive and got the same result.

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Oct 19, 2016 10:46 AM in response to reddragon1964
    Level 10 (108,994 points)
    iCloud
    Oct 19, 2016 10:46 AM in response to reddragon1964
    Yes, it is journaled.

    But is it MacOS Extended (Journaled)? Any other file system format may give the error -36 when you try to copy to it from your system drive, because some filenames may be clashing.

  • by reddragon1964,

    reddragon1964 reddragon1964 Oct 19, 2016 10:53 AM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Oct 19, 2016 10:53 AM in response to léonie

    Hello Léonie,

    Yes, it is MacOS Extended (Journaled). See snapshot attached.

    Screen Shot 2016-10-19 at 1.51.17 PM.png

     

    What do you think about just exporting ALL photos and then importing back. It would make a new Photo Library, would it not?

  • by LarryHN,Helpful

    LarryHN LarryHN Oct 19, 2016 12:37 PM in response to reddragon1964
    Level 10 (85,678 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Oct 19, 2016 12:37 PM in response to reddragon1964

    Exporting and importing is not a great option since you lose all history and either get the edited photos with no history or the original photos only

     

    How are you moving the library? The recommended way is to drag it accross

     

    LN

  • by léonie,Solvedanswer

    léonie léonie Oct 19, 2016 11:36 AM in response to reddragon1964
    Level 10 (108,994 points)
    iCloud
    Oct 19, 2016 11:36 AM in response to reddragon1964
    What do you think about just exporting ALL photos and then importing back. It would make a new Photo Library, would it not?

    First try to copy the library over with different methods. Otherwise you will just have your photos but lost all your work - edits, keywords, albums.

     

    Do you have cloning software like Super Duper or Canbon Copy Cloner? Then try to clone your library instead of copying. Only, this will copy any problematic files as well.

     

    You could try to isolate the file that is giving this error.

    The error -36 could also be created by a corrupted image file or video in your Photos Library.


    • If the Library cannot be read, and the file system on the destination drive is correct, but you can still not copy, one of the files inside may be corrupted and cannot be read. Then try to copy the library in parts. This way, you are able to identify the culprit that is causing the I/O error and can skip it, when copying:

     

      • Create a new folder on your external drive. Call it "Photos Library Copy".
      • Ctrl-click (or right-click) your current Photos Library and use the command "Show Package Contents". This will open a folder, showing you the files and folders inside your Photos Library.
      • Copy these folders one-by-one to to the new folder on your external drive.  If one of these folders is giving an error -36, check how far the copying proceeded. The files, that have been copied, are o.k. The file or folder, that should have been copied next will be the unreadable  file. Probably the problem is caused by one of the files in "Masters" or a database folder. In that case look into the Masters folder and copy as much as you can, while leaving out the file that will not copy.

     

    When you are done, rename the copy of your Photos Library to "Photos Library Copy.photoslibrary"  and double click it to open it in Photos. Can Photos open this library?

  • by reddragon1964,

    reddragon1964 reddragon1964 Oct 19, 2016 11:31 AM in response to LarryHN
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Oct 19, 2016 11:31 AM in response to LarryHN

    Yes, dragging

  • by reddragon1964,

    reddragon1964 reddragon1964 Oct 19, 2016 11:45 AM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Oct 19, 2016 11:45 AM in response to léonie

    Hi Léonie,

     

    Ah, ha! Got it! I had totally forgotten about right clicking on the Photo Library to open it! Problem file may end up being in Masters folder or Originals or both. I will let you know in about an hour my results. Everything else copied fine.

     

    Thank you!

  • by reddragon1964,

    reddragon1964 reddragon1964 Oct 19, 2016 12:50 PM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Oct 19, 2016 12:50 PM in response to léonie

    Photos opened this library!

     

    I deleted the old Photo library from internal SSD. When I import any new images, Photo uses this new library reference that now resides on my external HD?

     

    Thank you so very much!

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Oct 19, 2016 12:52 PM in response to reddragon1964
    Level 10 (108,994 points)
    iCloud
    Oct 19, 2016 12:52 PM in response to reddragon1964

    Yes. Photos will import into the library you most recently opened.

     

    But set this library to be your system Photo Library in the Photos > Preferences > General:

    Enable "Use as System Photo Library". This option should be grayed out. Then other apps will use this library in the Media Browser when they are looking for photos - iTunes, iMovie, Pages, Keynote, Desktop & Screensaver, ..

  • by reddragon1964,

    reddragon1964 reddragon1964 Oct 19, 2016 12:56 PM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Oct 19, 2016 12:56 PM in response to léonie

    Yes, it is working perfectly now. Thanks for the last reply so others reading this thread will know this too.

    Very helpful of you and this was the correct answer!

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Oct 22, 2016 11:21 AM in response to reddragon1964
    Level 10 (108,994 points)
    iCloud
    Oct 22, 2016 11:21 AM in response to reddragon1964

    You're welcome