Photos app repair glitch

Question

Photos app repair glitch

When launching the Photos app (OS 10.14.6) I get a message that the default photo library needs to be repaired. I click "repair" but after it starts, a pop-up window with the same message keeps reappearing. Clicking "repair" here just relaunches the pop up and the repair itself will not continue. I have to force quit the app. I don't know if in fact my library needs to be repaired, as this seems to be a problem with the application itself. How do I proceed? Should I delete the Photos app and reinstall it? Is there a corrupt file somewhere that is causing the problem?

MacBook Air 13″, macOS 10.14

Posted on Aug 3, 2020 12:29 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Old Toad

Level 10

210,591 points

Aug 6, 2020 10:36 AM in response to Eleanor Farrell

Boot into Safe Mode (How to use safe mode on your Mac - Apple Support) by booting with the Shift key held down and repeat the tests there. Did that help? Reboot normally afterward.

NOTE: Safe Mode boot can take up to 10 minutes as it's doing some system cache cleaning, volume verifying and directory repairing.

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Answer 2

Leanne_68

Community Specialist

Aug 5, 2020 4:44 PM in response to Eleanor Farrell

Hello Eleanor,

Thanks for using the Apple Support Communities. We know it's important that your photo library is functioning as expected, and it sounds as though you're receiving a message to repair your photo library. Are you following the actions outlined in the article below?

How to use the Photos library repair tool

If so, and the issue continues to persist, it would be best to speak with Creative Media Support for additional assistance. You can connect with them directly at Get Support. They'll be happy to assist.

Best wishes.

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Answer 3

Aug 5, 2020 5:04 PM in response to Leanne_68

Yes, as I said, I have TRIED to use the repair tool. However, clicking the "repair" button just opens a popup window and as often as you click the button there, the window just keeps reopening. The repair does not start because this window does not ever close.

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Answer 4

léonie

Level 10

197,291 points

Aug 6, 2020 11:28 AM in response to Eleanor Farrell

Where are you storing the Photos Library? Is it in the Pictures folder or somewhere else?

If the library is on an external volume, that is not compatible with Photos, it may not be possible to repair the library there at all or use it.

What have you been doing in Photos before the problem first occurred? Upgraded to anew system? Have you moved the library? Imported new photos or videos? Have you been running any cleaning applications to remove duplicates?

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Answer 5

Aug 6, 2020 11:59 AM in response to Old Toad

That did the trick! I rebooted in safe mode, the library opened in Photos (I did not have to quit processes in Activity Monitor). Then I rebooted (not Safe Mode) and tried again, and the library opens and seems to be fine. Sometimes the workings of a computer are just incomprehensible. Or magic.

Thank you so for the help, Old Toad!

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Answer 6

Aug 6, 2020 12:01 PM in response to léonie

I've fixed the problem (or it fixed itself) with a Safe Boot (suggestion from Old Toad). But to answer your questions, the library is on an external hard drive, I was not doing anything between the last use and the problem, other older libraries on the same hard drive opened without issues.

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Answer 7

léonie

Level 10

197,291 points

Aug 6, 2020 2:10 PM in response to Eleanor Farrell

Great, that you got it working again. 😊. If Safe Boot did the trick, you may want to check, if you have older software installed, that needs updating. Some older software is using kernel extensions, that can cause problems with the system, and Safe Mode helps to clear up the mess created by old, incompatible software. Are you using any applications, that have not been updated for years?

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Answer 8

Old Toad

Level 10

210,591 points

Aug 6, 2020 9:27 AM in response to Eleanor Farrell

Close the library.

2 - launch Activity Monitor

3 - in the CPU section do a search for photoanalysisd

4 - select it and use the Stop button to quit or force quit the process.

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Answer 9

wido711

Level 1

12 points

Aug 5, 2020 8:31 PM in response to Eleanor Farrell

I found that if you kill the photo library and photoanalysisd processes, repair works. I was experiencing a similar thing and once I killed those processes, was able to run the repair.

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Answer 10

Aug 6, 2020 9:07 AM in response to wido711

I'm sorry; I don't understand what you mean by "kill the photo library and photoanalysisd processes" — what are these processes and how would you "kill" them?

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Answer 11

Aug 6, 2020 10:33 AM in response to Old Toad

Thanks for the instructions. I just tried this, but it does not solve the problem. When I try to open the library after quitting the process, I just get the same issue again.

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Photos app repair glitch

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