iCloud Photo Library does not work with High Sierra.

Question

Level 2

183 points

iCloud Photo Library does not work with High Sierra.

I installed a new SSD drive in a Mac Pro 2009 (with 2010 firmware). I partitioned the drive and did clean installs of Sierra (HFS+) and High Sierra (APFS). I did not migrate anything from any other system.

On both partitions I enabled System Preference > iCloud > Photos. I selected "iCloud Photo Library" and "Photo Sharing" in System Preferences > iCloud > Photos and in Photos > Preferences. I also selected "Download Originals to this Mac" in Photos > Preferences.

On both partitions, all shared albums instantly appeared in Photos, and Photos gave a count of all the images it had to download from iCloud.

On the High Sierra partition, Photos proceeded to download nothing, even after several hours. Not even low resolution images.

On the Sierra partition, Photos rapidly downloaded low resolution images, and then very slowly started downloading the high resolution versions.

I took a photo with my iPhone and another Photo with my iPad (The iPad is running the latest version of iOS 11. The iPhone is running the latest version of iOS 10. Both have iCloud Photo Library enabled). Both photos appeared on the iPhone, the iPad, an El Capitan Mac, and the Sierra partition. Nothing on the High Sierra partition.

I copied the incomplete photo library from the Sierra partition to the High Sierra partition. Photos gave me a message like "2,266 Photos, 16 Videos, Downloading 2153 Originals” and proceeded to download nothing until (after a couple hours) I tried selecting images one by one to force Photos to download high res versions.

Mac Pro, macOS High Sierra (10.13), null

Posted on Oct 8, 2017 4:08 PM

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Answer 1

Joe Sixpack Author

Level 2

183 points

Oct 15, 2017 5:52 PM in response to léonie

None of your Photos Libraries has been restored from Time Machine?

Ever? I don't think so. And not relevant anyway--the initial library for High Sierra was empty. It was supposed to download from iCloud. Again, IPL is working everywhere else: iPhone, iPad, iMac El Capitan, Mac Pro Sierra.

I just tried it again with a new APFS partition on the SSD. The only things I did:

Clean install of High Sierra.
Install driver for USB Wifi Adapter..
Log in with AppleID.
Set prefs as described above in Photos and System Prefs > iCloud > Photos.

Photos just sits there forever "Updating x Items"

My conclusion is still the title of this post: IPL does not work with HS.

Another explanation? Maybe IPL does not work with HS with my hardware: PCIe SSD / Mac Pro 2009 flashed to 2010 / RealTek USB Wifi Adapter. But it's difficult to believe it's a hardware issue when IPL works fine with Sierra on the same hardware, and all other iCloud services work, including shared photo albums and iTune Music Library/Match.

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Answer 2

Joe Sixpack Author

Level 2

183 points

Oct 8, 2017 6:35 PM in response to LarryHN

I think not.

Under Sierra, the low resolution versions downloaded immediately, and the high resolution versions took way less than a couple hours. It's only about 6 GB.

Under High Sierra, not a single image downloaded, low resolution or otherwise, until I copied the Sierra library.

"... new photos will not download until the earlier download is complete"

I do not think that is strictly true. I think the low res versions of new photos download before or while high res versions of the older photos are also downloading. I would have to run another test to be sure.

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Answer 3

Joe Sixpack Author

Level 2

183 points

Oct 8, 2017 7:59 PM in response to Joe Sixpack

I should clarify that even after copying the Sierra photo library to High Sierra:

1) No new images, low or high res versions, downloaded automatically.

2) No low res images updated automatically to high res. I just got the same "Downloading x Originals" and x never changed. The only way to get the high res images was to open images full size one by one. Whereas, under Sierra, the low res versions slowly but surely were automatically updated, and the "Downloading x Originals" counted down in fits and starts.

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Answer 4

léonie

Level 10

194,969 points

Oct 9, 2017 6:04 AM in response to Joe Sixpack

Did you check, if Photos clandestinely activated the "Optimize Storage" option? I found this option enabled, after the upgrade to High Sierra.

To force Photos to download all photos quickly, I created a few slideshows with 10000 photos each, and played them with "preview Slideshow" during the night. This forced Photos to download all photos from iCloud.

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Answer 5

Joe Sixpack Author

Level 2

183 points

Oct 14, 2017 6:06 PM in response to léonie

That's a nice trick with the slideshow, but unfortunately it doesn't fix the problem.

Photos on High Sierra continues to NOT work. I just get the "Updating ..." message forever. I have created albums, shot photos, and deleted photos. None of that activity gets transmitted to or from the High Sierra version of Photos, whereas it all works almost instantly between iCloud.com, an El Capitan iMac, an iPhone, an iPad.

No, "Optimize Storage" did not get re-enabled. And even if it did, Photos should download low res versions and transmit/receive album and deletion information, which it does not. Yes, the internet connection is working and is fast (60/6 Mbps down/up). Other cloud-based apps, like the Address Book, Notes, and Reminders are working fine.

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Answer 6

léonie

Level 10

194,969 points

Oct 15, 2017 2:04 AM in response to Joe Sixpack

I partitioned the drive and did clean installs of Sierra (HFS+) and High Sierra (APFS). I did not migrate anything from any other system.

None of your Photos Libraries has been restored from Time Machine? A photos Library can no longer be restored correctly with Time Machine, if the library has been on an external drive.

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Answer 7

Joe Sixpack Author

Level 2

183 points

Oct 15, 2017 6:35 PM in response to Joe Sixpack

Okay ... pretty weird. I turned off Wifi on the Mac Pro, ran an ethernet cable from the Mac Pro to an iMac, and turned on Internet Sharing on the iMac. Boom. All the photos downloaded.

Maybe some tech genius can explain what's going on.

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Answer 8

Oct 18, 2017 1:59 PM in response to Joe Sixpack

Hello Joe

I have tested your trick. It work !! That’s weird indeed.

I have a phone call with an Apple adviser tomorrow and i will notice if I have something new about this problem

Have a nice day

Olivier

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Answer 9

Oct 18, 2017 11:39 PM in response to Joe Sixpack

Hello

I have a Mac mini late 2012 High Sierra usually connected with Ethernet. I want all my photos in this Mac mini.

To do your trick, I use a Mac Book Pro late 2010 connected with ethernet and share the connection with my Mac mini through wifi.

Some photos download but my Mac Book pro locked during the night and the transfert stopped.

I have an phone call with Apple Hotline this afternoon.

Sorry for my basic english but I am french. 😉

Have a nice day

Olivier

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Answer 10

Oct 19, 2017 10:27 AM in response to Olivier00786

I just hang up the phone with Apple support. I had to restart my computer and press ALT CMD P R. No change.

We tried to add a photo in the photo library. The picture loaded, but the download remained blocked.

The technician hopes that it will unlock in the night. But I do not believe it.

I tried to explain to him the manipulation done by Joe Sixpack, but he did not think that was the solution.

I also explained to him that everything worked very well on Sierra. For him, it is not High Sierra that is the problem.

I also explained that I was not the only one to have this problem and go see on the Apple forum. No result...

I am desperate.

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Answer 11

Joe Sixpack Author

Level 2

183 points

Oct 19, 2017 5:19 PM in response to Olivier00786

@Oliver00786. I'm stumped, especially because all other iCloud services work fine, including the shared albums feature. Was that true for you also? Maybe it's a firewall issue. I have no idea how to test that or if it's even a reasonable hypothesis.

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Answer 12

Joe Sixpack Author

Level 2

183 points

Oct 19, 2017 7:26 PM in response to Joe Sixpack

That was short-lived. IPL updated once and then stopped updating. Now, instead of just saying "Updating x items" forever, it says "Updating ..." and then, after a few seconds, "Last updated x minutes ago" with x getting larger and larger, until at some point it changes to "Last Updated x:xx PM". with x:xx getting later and later and later and later ...

I rebooted everything again, but that made no difference.

For now I will resort to updating via the previously described Internet Sharing.

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Answer 13

léonie

Level 10

194,969 points

Oct 21, 2017 9:45 AM in response to Joe Sixpack

then, after a few seconds, "Last updated x minutes ago" with x getting larger and larger, until at some point it changes to "Last Updated x:xx PM". with x:xx getting later and later and later and later ...

That is the normal behavior after the sync finished. It means, that the upload has been done.

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Answer 14

Oct 21, 2017 12:49 PM in response to Joe Sixpack

Hello,

I have maybe a fix.

I desactivate shared photo from the photos preference panel. Several hours later, the download start.

I don't know if the fix will be the same on your computer but you can try.

Let me know.

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Answer 15

Joe Sixpack Author

Level 2

183 points

Oct 21, 2017 3:32 PM in response to Olivier00786

Turn off photo sharing and wait hours? I'd put that in the "does not work" category.

Worse, actually--all the shared albums will go away, won't they? Sorry, I'm not trying it.

For now, it's easier for me to use the shared internet connection. Turns out I don't even have to log into the second computer or turn off wifi on the main computer.

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