chengyinoz
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: Decrease 'other' storage.... and please don't say empty the trash!

Hi, I was running low on storage on my macbook pro and recently found an old iphotos library which was created when i upgraded to the Photos app. The library was about 192gig so I deleted it expecting to free up 192 gig of storage. Upon deleting it and then checking my storage via About This Mac-->Storage, it didn't free up any space at all and the 'Other category' has ballooned to over 200gig!  I've searched forums far and wide and none of them actually explain how to find these 'other' files in the finder and delete them. All the forums explain the definition of 'other' and what file types are included but none of them actually provide directions on how to find and delete them. I just want to locate the files in the finder (like you would on a PC Windows Explorer) and press delete!

 

I tried the time machine trick (turn off time machine, disconnect drive, reconnect drive, turn on time machine) and it didn't work.

 

Any help will be appreciated. I need to free up my disk space!

Thanks

Simon

MacBook Pro (17-inch Early 2009), null

Posted on Feb 1, 2016 2:47 AM

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chengyinoz

Q: Decrease 'other' storage.... and please don't say empty the trash!

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  • by OGELTHORPE,

    OGELTHORPE OGELTHORPE Feb 1, 2016 4:28 AM in response to chengyinoz
    Level 9 (52,710 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 1, 2016 4:28 AM in response to chengyinoz

    This is the definition of OTHER, a somewhat poorly named category:

     

    https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202867

     

    To address the real problem, deleting data, do this:  Download from the Internet OmniDiskSweeper and Grand Perspective (both free) and open them. They will show all of your files and the respective sizes. Transfer to an external HDD or delete files you no longer want on your MBP.

     

    Do not forget to empty trash. Only then is space allocated for new data.

     

    Ciao.