Level 2

184 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

27 replies

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

Joe Sixpack Author

Level 2

184 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.

léonie

Level 10

203,865 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.

Joe Sixpack Author

Level 2

184 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.

léonie

Level 10

203,865 points

Oct 22, 2017 1:46 AM in response to Joe Sixpack

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

They will come back when you enable iCloud Photo Sharing again. But it may take several days for all photos to be downloaded from iCloud and added back again.

Joe Sixpack Author

Level 2

184 points

Oct 18, 2017 2:08 PM in response to Olivier00786

You imply that you were having the same issue as I did. If so, I am curious--what hardware (especially Wifi connection) and OS version are you using?

Oct 21, 2017 3:26 AM in response to Joe Sixpack

So, bad news.

I made a chat conversation with Apple support yesterday.

They told me to wait enough time to download all the pictures.

I am not convinced by this solution.

I will wait.

Joe Sixpack Author

Level 2

184 points

Oct 21, 2017 10:02 AM in response to léonie

Yeah, except IT DOESN'T UPDATE, whereas if I change to the shared connection it updates instantly.

Joe Sixpack Author

Level 2

184 points

Oct 24, 2017 5:01 PM in response to killcondo

Sorry for your troubles, but it is good to know that the issue is not peculiar to my ancient Mac Pro.

Installing HS on an SSD will automatically reformat the drive to APFS. There is no other option.

Oct 27, 2017 6:26 AM in response to killcondo

PS. The iMac runs a 1TB 850 Evo as well, been sweet as for two years and waaaaaaaayyy faster than HDD.

Joe Sixpack Author

Level 2

184 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.

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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iCloud Photo Library does not work with High Sierra.