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andyx181x

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jun 28, 2008
123
5
Hi group, need some advice/options on a small roadblock in uploading my wife’s iPhone pictures onto my desktop.

My wife has over 100GB of photos and videos she’s never deleted and has had a dependable windows laptop in some years. I bought a new Mac mini earlier this year and I figured maybe I can backup her phone and offload her photos onto my Mac.

So the good news I was able to do a full backup of her phone to the Mac mini. However when I went to photos to download all her photos it stopped about halfway through.

I am using a OWC ministack stx with a 4GB 2.5 SSD where I have my photos library file stored and it appears it’s “ejecting” and losing contact with photos as I try to continue the import.

I didn’t get a chance to continue it over the weekend but I’m trying to figure out a plan B if I can’t get the import to continue.

I was figuring since the Mac succeeded in doing a full backup of the phone maybe I can use a third party software to extract All the photos out of the backup and drag/drop them into photos.

Please let me know if this sounds like the best path forward or there might be other options.
 

eyoungren

macrumors Penryn
Aug 31, 2011
29,603
28,365
Do you have Dropbox?

Dropbox has a Camera Uploads feature where photos that are taken are uploaded to Dropbox. That means they get pushed to the Dropbox folder (Camera Uploads folder) on any PC/Mac running the Dropbox app.

Google Photos does the same, but some object to Google and my primary use for photo transfer is Dropbox.
 

MacCheetah3

macrumors 68020
Nov 14, 2003
2,267
1,206
Central MN
I am using a OWC ministack stx with a 4GB 2.5 SSD where I have my photos library file stored and it appears it’s “ejecting” and losing contact with photos as I try to continue the import.

I didn’t get a chance to continue it over the weekend but I’m trying to figure out a plan B if I can’t get the import to continue.
The unexpected volume/disk ejection is a separate (though in your case linked) issue. With that said, I’d suggest using...


… And initially import/transfer the media to the Mac’s internal SSD, if possible, then transfer to an external drive, if desired.
 

andyx181x

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jun 28, 2008
123
5
The unexpected volume/disk ejection is a separate (though in your case linked) issue. With that said, I’d suggest using...


… And initially import/transfer the media to the Mac’s internal SSD, if possible, then transfer to an external drive, if desired.
Oh wow I didn’t know Mac OS had an app like this now.

So if I am able to succeed in copying all the photos from the iPhone should I then delete everything I imported in Photos?

This was my initial plan to use her older window laptop and just drag and copy all the picture folders off the iPhone but the laptop was crashing and we don’t have an external SSD drives that are USB A type.
 

MacCheetah3

macrumors 68020
Nov 14, 2003
2,267
1,206
Central MN
So if I am able to succeed in copying all the photos from the iPhone should I then delete everything I imported in Photos?
It might be the most reliable method in terms of maintaining organization. However, the Photos app has improved regarding duplicate recognition, including during the import process.


My mass media imports are rare, so I don’t have vivid recollection of the experiences.
 
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