MacBook Pro Time Machine restore stuck after photo library problems

It really begins to sound like there are corrupt files or a corrupt database. Can you open the Library in Photos at all? Corrupted files are often videos--maybe old ones that aren't supported, anymore.

There is a slightly awkward process that we can try--but you need to be sure that you have a good backup copy of your Library. You can option-drag the "photoslibrary" package to another folder to make a copy of it. The awkward process that I'm thinking of is to open the package and copy all the folders to another folder, hoping that Finder will clean it up. If the new folder is given "photoslibrary" as an extension, then it works as a Photos Library package.

You might try getting a copy of the trusted 3rd party app PowerPhotos ($40). Don't buy it--the free trial version does a lot, and it would be interesting to know if the Library will open in that app.

How is your Time Machine drive formatted? It should be formatted as APFS format or Mac OS Extended (Journaled) format.

Hello Richard, 

I bought another EHD yesterday so that I could duplicate the photos library on a clean disk not used for Time Machine. I did that but still no photo library.

I then started moving files and stuff from my MacBook to clear some space for trying the ‘awkward’ fix. 

Then I received a notification that 15.8.1 was available. With some trepidation I set the MacBook to update and left it for the night. 

This morning I clicked on Photo app on the MacBook and the photo library opened as if nothing has ever been wrong. Just missing that last import (September 16) when all the trouble began after the 15.8 update. 

Finder is also showing RAW images on the preview pane again. 

i am greatly relieved. Now I just have to shuffle all my files back.

Thanks for all your advice Richard and everyone, Julie

Well, it's good you can see pictures! Have you made a duplicate of your Library? It is even possible that in the duplication process, especially in transferring to an external drive, repairs might be made by Finder.

I think if I had tried all else, and if it were still a mess, I would try the "awkward" process I suggested earlier--only if there is a backup, of course. That is, right click on the Library, choose "Show Package Contents"

to see something like this:

The Originals folder has all your original unmodified pictures, but their file names have been changed to a GUID (Global Unique Identifier) to avoid name duplication. These names are pretty useless to us humans, but the pictures are unmodified.

The, create a new folder and transfer these items one at a time to the new folder. If, in transferring "resources" for instance, you get an error, then open that folder so see this:

and transfer these folders one by one, perhaps finding the one that caused the error. The "renders" folder, for instance, may contain full resolution edited versions of most of the pictures, again with GUID names. But don't change anything!

If you find a problem file, you might try to open it in Preview or an editor like GraphicConverter ($40) or whatever you have, and save a clean version. If you have to, you can simply skip a file that is causing the trouble, and that might work. Corrupted files are often videos, so there may not be much you can do with them other than leaving them out.

Let us know how it's going…

If you are plagued by the 15.8 problem that others are talking about, then you may have to wait for a solution from Apple. But in the mean time, try this:

• Restart the computer (of course)
• Re-start in Safe Mode. This bypasses certain potentially disruptive processes, and it often helps. Safe Mode is different for different computers, so see this: 

           Start up your Mac in safe mode - Apple Support 

• Use another library if you have one, or make a small test Library with a few pictures in it and see if the same thing happens. You can create a new Library by closing Photos and then option-clicking on the Photos icon.
• Rebuild your Photos Library--close Photos and re-launch by option-command-clicking the app icon. If you use iCloud Photos, it’s possible that this will cause a re-sync that lasts long enough to make you nervous. I usually turn off wifi when I do this.Make a new user and see if the same problem recurs with it.  This is a bit harder, because a new user can't access a different user's stuff. You would need to temporarily move your Library out of your own user's Pictures folder up to the general "Users" folder. 

I sounds like you may have done some of these things already. The idea is to find out if the problem is with the Library, with your account, or with caches and login items, and stuff like that. One of these steps may fix the problem, but their failure to work also helps figure out what's happening.

It would also help to know:

1. Do you have more than one Photos Library? It sounds like, yes. Which one is the System Library? You can check by closing Photos and then option clicking the Photos icon.
2. Where does your Mac's Photos Library reside-- in the Pictures folder of your internal drive, or on an external drive? or on a network? on iCloud drive?
3. What is your storage on this Mac? At System Settings>General> Storage, my Mac says 745 GB of 1TBB used. What does yours say?

Let us know…

Hi, again, Julie,

See this:

Time Machine Restores a Photos Library - Apple Community

and see if it offers any ideas. To use Time Machine, you must use the Restore function. Sometimes dragging will work for some files, but not so much for a Photos Library. Is that the problem?

I've stopped the restore and thinking about trying again. At present my library is completely defunct.

Am now trying to delete the test library in case that was an issue with the restore. but don't seem to be able to delete that either. Not sure what is going on.

[Edited by Moderator]

Hi Richard.

i was busy with other life issues but yesterday did this.

Restart. Open Photos. Restoring box appears. 2.30 pm. Got to 29% at 2.50 pm. Still at 29% at 4.30. Gave up at 4.45. 

Restarted in safe mode. Open Photos. Restore window pops up. Got to 29% in a flash. Stuck there at 10 pm. About 5 hours. 

Next trying rebuild/repair. It quickly like in seconds reached 98% complete. Started 10 pm. I left overnight, and now at 9.30 am it is still at 98%. I’m still in safe mode. 

A few days ago I made a temporary library and had same problem with camera card. I recharged my old MacBook Air and amera card fine with that. Seems to indicate card is ok and likely the update the cause?

I deleted the other test library so only have one at present. It resides in my Pictures folder. 

I can’t check storage at present with this Repairing 98% window but a few days ago it was 86 go available of 500 gb. 

Thanks for your help. I’m not sure whether to k

Leave it repairing library a bit longer or what to try next. 

Hi Richard

I can’t open Photos as when I click on it, it goes automatically into Restore. 

Time Machine is configured APFS.  Very scary is that the Restore is greyed out on the Seagate Time Machine EHD. A few days ago it was available, but not now.  So I’m uncertain about whether I do have a good backup copy now. I’ve been doing regular backups and now that I may need, there seems to be a problem with that as well. 

I do have a 1TB CoreStorage Logical Volume backup with a backup from last week before the issue. However that also is not allowing me to enter Time Machine. 

If I was to try your suggestion of another folder I will have to do a lot of pruning to have the space to try that out. ie copying the photoslibrary package and then copying all the folders again.

I’ll try to be patient and work on something but would appreciate more help when I have the space. 

If I were to free up space on old MacBookAir 2013, could I somehow look at the photos library from the 1TB Seagate and do something?  I suppose the issue will still be getting my Photoslibrary back into working order though?

PS I just got PowerPhotos. I had to prompt it to add library to side bar. If I press Library there's lots of photos. Hopefully all of them. But Albums doesn't show anything. My structure isn't there.

Interestingly the photos that wouldn't show on Photos during import are not there!

Hi Richard,

I did do a restore from Time Machine. 8 hours later since I posted still the same message. Do you think I should cancel and try again? Thanks. Julie

PS I'm not using iCloud for photos.

Wow! So there was some corruption that leaked into the OS that even Safe Mode didn't avoid! I was itching to suggest upgrading, but I figured that you couldn't. I'm so glad this worked!