Google backup and sync - Photos - Masters cannot be synced

I'm trying to use Googles backup and sync to store a copy of my Photos library on google drive. If I select the Photos library it's tries to upload 100's of thousands of pictures even though I don't have that many. I found out it was due the facetiles folder which stores lots of small jpeg's for facial recognition in, plus other preview jpegs too. So I showed photo library's contents then added Masters to my favourites selected that and I get an error saying -

The folder 'Masters' can't be synced.

Please select a folder on an HFS+ or APFS drive that is not mounted over a network.

I see it has a special @ permission assign to it?

drwxr-xr-x@ 10 parismac
staff 320
3 Jun
2017 Masters

I'd like google apps to think it was a normal directory although I don't want to break Photos.

Posted on Jan 31, 2018 8:48 AM

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4 replies

Old Toad

Level 10

215,760 points

Jan 31, 2018 9:49 AM in response to parismac

You won't be able to backup a Photos library to Google and recovery it in working condition due to the unique ecosystem of hard links and permissions the can only be maintained on a drive that is formatted OS X Extended (journaled). There are no online backup sites that offer that type of format for their servers.

If you want to backup your library get an external HD that is formatted correctly and use it.

KiltedTim

Level 10

226,008 points

Jan 31, 2018 8:55 AM in response to parismac

You should probably ask Google.

parismac Author

Level 1

15 points

Jan 31, 2018 9:16 AM in response to KiltedTim

I've tried. I just wondered what is making googles app think Masters is not a regular folder?

Jan 31, 2018 9:43 AM in response to parismac

Probably because the contents of the Photo Library is not a normal directory.

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Google backup and sync - Photos - Masters cannot be synced