installing Big Sur O/S/ insufficient storage space

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Level 1

10 points

installing Big Sur O/S/ insufficient storage space

I have tried three or four times to install Big Sur but without success.

When I begin, the storage 'meter' in 'About This Mac' indicated that 17.14 GB was available. Big Sur requires 12.18 GB, according to the Software Update message.

Approximately halfway through, the installation message indicates 7.38 GB (of the 12.18 GB) has been installed. The storage meter shows 9.58 GB remaining.

At the end of the download, when I come to the installation of Big Sur, I click through the license agreement only to be told that 'there is not enough storage space...an additional 29.91 GB is required.'

Each time that I received this message, I have clicked on 'Manage' and deleted the 12.2 GB that appears in 'Applications' as 'Install macOS Big Sur'. This takes me back to the beginning but when I try again, it is with the same results.

Any advice will be gratefully received. Most of the storage is devoted to Music files (43.8 GB). Should I consider buying an external hard drive?

Thanks in advance to the community for its consideration.

MacBook Air 13″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Nov 18, 2020 1:14 PM

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Answer 1

jethro11 Author

Level 1

10 points

Nov 18, 2020 1:23 PM in response to dialabrain

Thank you so much for the lightening quick response.

Two follow up questions, if I may.

1) Are 35.5 GB initially required for the installation of the O/S, although some of those 35 GB will be 'restored' once the update has been installed?

2) I will never be able to free 35 GB of storage. Is a hard drive my only option? If I am storing only music files (i.e., no film or videos), would 1 Terabyte be sufficient for me?

Thank you.

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Answer 2

dialabrain

Level 10

136,127 points

Nov 18, 2020 1:28 PM in response to jethro11

You're welcome.

You should at least have one external to back up using Time Machine or other backup software. You could use a 1TB drive to store your music.

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Answer 3

jethro11 Author

Level 1

10 points

Nov 18, 2020 1:49 PM in response to dialabrain

You have been very helpful. Thank you for taking the time to assist me. Please be safe and well.

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Answer 4

dialabrain

Level 10

136,127 points

Nov 18, 2020 1:51 PM in response to jethro11

You're welcome. You too.

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Answer 5

Nov 18, 2020 1:31 PM in response to jethro11

I'm running into the same issue.

I have/had about 23GB of free space, and the installer is about 12-13GB, and when I get past the license agreement bit it says I need another 11-something GB.

When I look at the storage under "about this Mac" there's a greyed out portion of the used space totalling 37.95GB listed as "Other".

What is this and can it be freed up?

I'm not really using that much space.

Music is only 45.75GB

Apps are only using 1.64GB

Documents, 1.22GB

System 11.32GB

With just the 22.91GB of free space I feel like I've been screwed with the supposed 120GB I was meant to have with this MacBook pro as I realistically only got just over 71GB of useable space.

71GB from 120GB.

So, can the "Other" be cleared and made usable?

This is my personal MacBook, so no one else is using it and therefore there are no other profiles or anything on it.

I'd actually be able to install this update if I can.

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