Help: Unsupported Library Can't access Photos??

[Jedi5]

I really hope someone can please chime in and help me out.


I was trying transfer my photos from my old 2009 iMac to my new 2019 iMac.

In the process, something went wrong and the pictures didn't transfer over.


Now on my 2009 iMac, when I open Photos, I get the error message that my library is not supported and I need to upgrade. Only I can't upgrade as my I am running 10.13.6 High Sierra.


Can someone please help and tell me what I need to do to get my pictures back?


Thanks!

 

[hobowankenobi]

Generally speaking, you can only move forward with updates to apps with databases (Photos, Mail, etc,).

Copy your Photo Library first to be safe before trying to repair or update.

Do you have any backups before the failed update?

Have you tried this:

1. Close Photos by selecting Photos > Quit Photos.
2. Press Option-Command and double-click the Photos icon in the Applications folder or in the Dock.
3. Repair Library window opens. Click Repair

Or...you could try a Mac running a newer OS.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP:

Tell us the method you used to "transfer" the photo library from the old iMac to the new one.

What OS is on the 2009 iMac?
What OS is on the 2019 iMac?

I'd also try the "repair library" trick that hobo mentions above.

 

[Jedi5]

09 has High Sierra and 2019 has Mojave.

Used Migration Assistant to transfer files/docs.
Everything "seemed" to work minus the photos.
Photo library did not transfer over.

Since I am going to be getting rid of the 09 iMac, I guess I don't really need
to fix the photos.

How would I go about transferring my photos from old mac to new mac?

I don't have an external drive or iCloud.
it's just one mac to another.

Thanks!

 

[ApfelKuchen]

Are you sure you're trying to open the right library on the 2009 iMac? There's almost undoubtedly at least one iPhoto library lying around, as well as a more recent Photos library. An old iPhoto library could easily trigger that "library not supported" message. This support article may help you address the issue: https://support.apple.com/HT202358

There shouldn't be any compatibility issues with a Photos for High Sierra library opening in Mojave. The problem comes with iPhoto and Aperture libraries.

As to whether the library had been migrated? If the library was in the default location on the 2009 iMac ([user] > Pictures) then Migration Assistant would have moved it. Basically, anything in User folders should have been migrated, unless you chose to exclude something.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP wrote:
"How would I go about transferring my photos from old mac to new mac?
I don't have an external drive or iCloud."

You asked for advice so I'll offer mine:

GET an external drive (you should be backing up this stuff, in any case!)

Copy the Photos library onto the external drive and connect it to the new Mac.

BEFORE you do anything else, do this:
a. Let the drive icon mount on the desktop
b. Click on the icon ONE time to select it
c. Bring up the get info box (type command-i) that's "eye"
d. At the bottom of get info, click the lock then enter your password
e. Also down at the bottom, put a check into "ignore ownership on this volume" (in sharing & permissions)
f. Close get info
You can now copy stuff from the external drive to the new Mac without running into permissions problems.

At this point you might try opening Photos and "importing" the entire Photos library -- and see what happens.

Seems to me Photos (or was it iPhoto, I don't really use either very much) wanted the user to download a small "update utility" or something to bring over pics from an older version? Not sure.

But you want to get the old library onto an external drive that you can connect to the new Mac, and then "do your importing" from there.

 

[Jedi5]

@ApfelKuchen - it's the not the photo library that's the problem. the more i tried to find the fix, i read quite a few times that once you open your photos library with a newer version of Photos app, your old photos app won't be able to access your library. that's what's happening now.

@Fishrrman - you are correct. i should be backing up my files. i know that, just been lazy and careless.
i don't have an external drive right now. i will go and buy one though.

in the meantime, is there another way to transfer the photos from old mac to new mac without using an external drive?
i don't want to use Migration Assistant again and transfer over unnecessary files i don't need like some doc from Snow Leopard.

Thanks

 

[Fishrrman]

"in the meantime, is there another way to transfer the photos from old mac to new mac without using an external drive?
i don't want to use Migration Assistant again and transfer over unnecessary files i don't need like some doc from Snow Leopard."

Buy a USB3 drive.
They're cheap.
It's the fastest, EASIEST way.

 

[Jedi5]

Thanks everyone.

I'm going to go out and buy the external HD which is something I should have done years ago.