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To the point I cannot update Xcode nor can I reveal what is in "Other" storage. I have 16GB available.
One post, regarding clearing other storage, said it would be freed as needed but this is obviously not the case. I can't find anything about "Other" storage.
iMac 27" 5K, macOS 10.14
To find and remove large and unneeded documents from Other Storage manually:
Run a backup using Time Machine, just in case it all goes horribly wrong!
To find and remove large and unneeded documents from Other Storage manually:
Run a backup using Time Machine, just in case it all goes horribly wrong!
This does not answer the question. I do not know the file types (pdfs etc show as documents). I do not know anything about what's in "Other" other than it occupies 198GB of my memory. When I sort all files by size there are (virtually) no large files.
I have 1 250GB drive and I cannot figure out what is occupying 80% of that. It should be free, but it is not.
Imagine there is nothing in my file system. Then you will understand what my problem was. It was not that I had used up my storage but the file system that was reporting itself to be full when in fact it was not. I knew it should not be but could not find anyway to identify what made it think it was full. I was concerned that there was a hidden log file being created somewhere, or something of that nature that I needed to find/kill.
Booting into safe mode solved the problem (I did not bother with time machine backup, nor did I need to replace my hdd).
Apparently there was a "directory issue" that needed repairing. As I was beginning to suspect, there was nothing in "Other" but the directory error which made the system believe there was no free space. I didn't have to do anything in Safe Mode. While in safe mode I examined the "Other Storage Category" and it was fixed, already. Apparently safe mode finds and repairs "directory issues" automagically. My drive is again 80% free rather than 99% full.
To boot into safe mode just start or restart your Mac, then immediately press and hold the Shift key. More details here: (https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201262)
You could firstly try repairing the file system. Enter Launchpad, Select Disck Utility and run First Aid. That will re index your drive.
If that doesn't help try running in safe mode to investigate any issues.
Make a Time Machine backup, this may take some time to complete.
Power off your Mac. Hold down the Option and D keys on a wired keyboard and power up. Keep the keys held down until the Apple logo appears.
Choose Diagnose. This will check your hdd for errors. If the issue is hdd errors, replace the hdd and reload your OSX as detailed below.
Power off your Mac, with a wire keyboard (or use your USB cable), hold down the three keys; Command, Option and R. Power up the Mac and keep holding the keys down until the World Logo appears.
Follow the onscreen prompts to reload the OSX from Apples site.
When prompted select Restore Data from Time Machine.
That will give you a clean install of the latest OSX version and all of your apps and data will be restored without any errors, hopefully.
I have the same issue. I have a new macBook Air running Catalina. I'm using 150 Gb of storage of my 250 Gb available. Roughly half of this, 73 Gb is listed as "other" and inaccessible to me. What gives? How to see what this is, and get rid if anything that isn't necessary?
Thanks!
Without seeing the contents of your personal system, no body will know what files you no longer use or not need or causing loss of space.
"Other" storage occupying 80% of 250GB
