Apple HD memory capacity

widgeon13 · 12-24-2011, 03:11 PM

Merry Christmas to all!

For the last few days I have noticed that my available HD space has been decreasing pretty dramatically. It was approx 72 GB for a long time and then dropped to 48 GB then 43 GB and now down to 31.81 GB. This all transpired in the course of a week or perhaps longer. I haven't loaded any new software or apps, have dumped a lot of pics and some docs that were old. Below is a graphics of the HD and how it is being used.

I have reviewed all the files that are visible and see nothing out of the ordinary. This is a MacBook Pro approx 4 years old and the graphics card was recently replaced by Apple. Everything was fine after that.

The only thing that was done in the last week was an update to Firefox 9.0 but I have earlier today deleted that browser.

Any ideas on what is causing this lose of HD capacity?? Thanks

StevoRocket · StevoRocket's Garage

Try running "repair disk permissions" in the disk utility.

That "other" group seems similar to mine (52.12 gig)

widgeon13 · 12-25-2011, 03:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StevoRocket

Try running "repair disk permissions" in the disk utility.

That "other" group seems similar to mine (52.12 gig)

Stevo, Merry Christmas! doing that now.

Thanks very much!

widgeon13 · 12-25-2011, 03:33 AM

did verify and repair and virtually no change.

RedBaron · 05:53 AM

Try using Disk Inventory X to see what is taking up space. It is very specific and it will give you a visual representation of your hard drive. Plus it is open-source/free.

Disk Inventory X

Here is a screenshot of it on my mac.

I know you said you already reviewed all visible files, but this also shows you your library and where all of your applications store data (~/Library). I think Lion hid this directory, which would explain why you didn't see it. If you want to access it, go to finder ->go -> go to folder and type in "~/Library". I used a command to make it permanently visible, but I do not remember it off the top of my head (I did it when Lion was released.)

Merry Christmas!

widgeon13 · 12-25-2011, 05:55 AM

Thanks and Merry Christmas.

This is what mine looks like. There is one big chunk labeled mail.

That seems out of the ordinary.

Gogar · 12-25-2011, 06:31 AM

go to your Mail app and select:

Mailbox -> Erase Deleted Messages -> in all accounts

and also

Mailbox -> Erase Junk Mail

In mac Mail app, you don't actually free up space until you do that.

Might help . . . . . .

azasadny · azasadny's Garage

Big mail file (23GB)... What Gogar said...

widgeon13 · 12-25-2011, 07:52 AM

imail doesn't show any messages in trash or deleted messages yet when I go to empty those folders it says there are messages that can't be deleted. When I close mail it doesn't close and I then have to do a force quit. My available space is now down to 27.54GB. Don't know if I'm crazy but it seems to only go down when imail is open.

I normally use chrome browser and open AOL in the browser to get my mail, don't normally use the mail app on the dock (imail). Pretty strange to have so much space taken up by mail. Back up has doubled and "other" has in creased by .5GB since earlier this morning.

Gogar · 12-25-2011, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by widgeon13

imail doesn't show any messages in trash or deleted messages yet when I go to empty those folders it says there are messages that can't be deleted. When I close mail it doesn't close and I then have to do a force quit. My available space is now down to 27.54GB. Don't know if I'm crazy but it seems to only go down when imail is open.

I normally use chrome browser and open AOL in the browser to get my mail, don't normally use the mail app on the dock (imail). Pretty strange to have so much space taken up by mail. Back up has doubled and "other" has in creased by .5GB since earlier this morning.

go to the folder

(your user) -> Library -> Mail

Highlight the folder "Mail", don't open it, and do "Get Info" (Command-I)

How big is that folder?

widgeon13 · 12-25-2011, 09:13 AM

Been checking on the Apple site and it seems that Time Machine stores back ups locally on the laptop until it is hooked to the external drive. This is a function of Lion and the main reason I am seeing the dramatic increase in HD usage over Snow Leopard. Time Machine will use 90% of the HD and then stop doing back up or eliminate locally.

I'm still not sure why the mail file is so big, still working on that.

widgeon13 · 12-27-2011, 01:16 PM

Addressed the mail situation w/ rebuild and typed "sudo tmutil disablelocal" in to terminal command and picked up 30GB of storage in about 15 seconds. Have 58 GB of space available on 120GB HD. I don't like the local storage of backups on the laptop. It's all a function of Lion and really just encourages people to think they are in need of more HD space ie. new computer.

I'm not really sure why they do it this way but I guess I can live with it. At least I have some decent HD space now.

Gogar · 12-27-2011, 01:51 PM

Can you disable the local storage of backups? That seems pretty counterintuitive to me. If the HDD takes a dump, how are you going to restore your system from the dead drive?

If you haven't I'd also recommend you buy a little external drive and do time machine with it. It's soooo easy.

widgeon13 · 12-27-2011, 01:59 PM

I did disable the local storage. I have an external drive and back up every day or so using Time Machine. I may bring the drive downstairs and have it hooked up all the time. Other than pics and a few other docs, nothing on the machine that isn't on the HD. Thanks