Mac Photos app disconnects from image file locations.

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Mac Photos app disconnects from image file locations.

Mac Photos app disconnects from image file locations. Message says "The volume for “IMG_0001.CR2” cannot be found. Connect the disk or mount the server volume needed, then try again", or "Missing file: Photos with unavailable original files cannot be opened. The original photo “IMG_0204.CR2” is either offline or cannot be found. Click “Find Original” to reconnect". The disk is an external USB disk but it is also running the OS so it is not disconnecting. The problem is temporarily fixed by closing and re-opening Photos. I have tried repairing the library and creating a new one, but the issue remains.

iMAc Late 2012, OSX 10.12.6, Photos Version 2.0 (3161.4.140).

iMac 21.5″, macOS 10.12

Posted on Aug 26, 2020 2:33 PM

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Answer 1

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davidja2 Author

Level 1

5 points

Aug 27, 2020 6:57 AM in response to Yer_Man

Hi Terence.

The disk format is Mac OS Extended (Journaled). However, I think I have found a resolution of the issue. I took a look at the Sharing and Permissions of the "Pictures" folder. The Custom Access entries were:

"Originally"

This seemed odd. So I applied my permission to enclosed items (took awhile), made me the owner, added "admin"to the names list, with "Read & Write" and changed "everyone" to "read only".

"Now"

Whether it was anyone of these changes or a combination of them, the problem seems to have been fixed.

Cheers

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Answer 2

Yer_Man

Level 10

163,800 points

Aug 26, 2020 10:48 PM in response to davidja2

Obviously you're running a referenced library, and frankly, Photos isn't very good at that. It thinks that the images are on a separate volume from the actual library. Can you explain your set-up in more detail?

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Answer 3

davidja2 Author

Level 1

5 points

Aug 27, 2020 12:15 AM in response to Yer_Man

Hi Terence.

Thanks for the input. My set up: Mac 21 inch, late 2012, OSX Sierra, booting from an external 1TB SSHD on a USB 3 connection, Photos Version 2.0 (3161.4.140). The library is in the usual place under my user account, "//users/my name/Pictures/Photos Library.photoslibrary, and the photo files are in that same Pictures directory. My library currently has about 6700 images in it. The available disk space is 684 GB.

Initially, I began using an external boot drive because it was significantly faster than the internal small form factor HDD. Now the internal HDD is full of bad sectors and has been completely erased.

Your comment implies that Photos, itself, might have a weakness when using an external drive. Is that correct?

Cheers

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Answer 4

Yer_Man

Level 10

163,800 points

Aug 27, 2020 2:46 AM in response to davidja2

No, not when using an external drive. But it does when you store the images external to the Library package.

These errors:

The volume for “IMG_0001.CR2” cannot be found.

or

The original photo “IMG_0204.CR2” is either offline or cannot be found.

means that Photos thinks these images are stored outside the library package.

As the issue is temporarily fixed by restarting the app, obviously these images are not stored outside the package - please correct me if I'm wrong. Assuming this, then the next thing I would ask about is the disk format? What is it?

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Mac Photos app disconnects from image file locations.

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