System Data is 400GB - how to make it smaller?

Question

System Data is 400GB - how to make it smaller?

My MacBook Pro (2021) 1TB drive is getting full, mainly because I have around 400GB in System Data. I have read pretty much everything I can find on how to cut this down, and nothing makes much difference. I have used:

- Onyx

- Mac Cleaner Pro

- OmniDisk Sweeper

- Daisy Disk

- CleanMyMac X

- Parallel Toolbox

. . . they have all got rid of a few duplicate files, unused language files

I have tried restarting in Safe Mode. I have deleted

- Time Machine backups (there was only 1)

- Apple Mail logs (there were none)

- iPhone backups (there were none)

I have emptied my Trash and deleted everything substantial in my Downloads folder. I have tried the sudo purge in Terminal. None of my Library folders (I have 3 - is that normal?) are more then 20GB, so going through those with a fine toothcomb and deleting caches etc. will not make much difference. I am currently running iBoySoft's DiskGeeker to try to solve the problem (which is taking a very long time, and I doubt if it has any magic tools the other apps lack . . . and I am a bit leery of giving a Chinese app full disk access) . . . but I will give it a few more hours and see what it comes up with.

I am not a power user or geek, but having been using Macs for the last 37 years I am not entirely dumb about Macs. I hate to think of changing to a PC, but that would probably be cheaper than going out to buy a 2TB Mac just to store more unnecessary files! Any advice?

MacBook Pro 16″

Posted on May 24, 2023 12:49 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

BobHarris

Level 9

56,885 points

Apr 1, 2024 1:52 PM in response to corgi_watkins

Freeing up macOS disk space (often times it is file system snapshots)

https://tidbits.com/2024/03/18/follow-these-steps-to-clear-space-on-your-mac

https://www.stellarinfo.com/blog/how-to-clear-system-storage-on-mac

Applications -> Utilities -> Terminal

Finding big files as candidates for removal

sudo du -hx "$HOME" /var/* /opt/* /tmp/* /cores | sort -h  # This will take a few minutes
tmutil listlocalsnapshots /
diskutil apfs listSnapshots /

The 'du' (disk usage) command will show storage being used in every folder under your Home Folder and the /var, /opt, /tmp & /cores folders.

After checking for local APFS snapshots (see below), there is a reasonable possibility your Home Folder tree is where most of the storage is being used. You can specify other starting folders.

Time Machine snapshots

tmutil listlocalsnapshots /

Snapshots for volume group containing disk /:

com.apple.TimeMachine.2021-04-01-142742.local

com.apple.TimeMachine.2021-04-01-163342.local

com.apple.TimeMachine.2021-04-01-174425.local

com.apple.TimeMachine.2021-04-01-192243.local

com.apple.TimeMachine.2021-04-01-203820.local

com.apple.TimeMachine.2021-04-01-222814.local

com.apple.TimeMachine.2021-04-01-232930.local

com.apple.TimeMachine.2021-04-02-002823.local

com.apple.TimeMachine.2021-04-02-012748.local

tmutil deletelocalsnapshots 2021-04-01-142742 # deletes 1 snapshot

tmutil deletelocalsnapshots /   # deletes all the snapshots

Also see:

diskutil apfs listSnapshots /

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Answer 2

May 27, 2023 11:26 AM in response to Anthony Glaser

Update - I also tried iBoysoftDiskGeeker and MacBooster 8, and Command-Shift-Period to look for hidden files, without any benefit. This morning I started an online chat session with Apple about this, and within 5 minutes I was set up with a senior tech support guy who spent an hour and a half with me on line, holding my hand through a large number of (to me) complicated steps that I do not really understand, with the net result that my System Data has dropped from 400 to 41 GB, so I am very happy. He said anyone with this problem should reach out to Apple as there is no app, utility, or other ready-made answer, as every case will be individual. We still don't know quite what caused my System Data to get so huge, but at least (for the time being) the problem is solved. By the way, I do not have Apple Care and my 2021 MacBook Pro is of course long out of warranty

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Answer 3

Old Toad

Level 10

215,652 points

Apr 1, 2024 2:28 PM in response to Anthony Glaser

Anthony Glaser wrote:

My MacBook Pro (2021) 1TB drive is getting full, mainly because I have around 400GB in System Data. I have read pretty much everything I can find on how to cut this down, and nothing makes much difference. I have used:

- Onyx - xxxx

- Mac Cleaner Pro - xxxx

- OmniDisk Sweeper - xxxx

- Daisy Disk. - OK

- CleanMyMac X - xxxx

- Parallel Toolbox - xxxx

First, there is no reason to ever install or run any 3rd party "cleaning", "optimizing", "speed-up", anti-virus, VPN or security apps on your Mac. This documents describe what you need to know and do in order to protect your Mac: Effective defenses against malware and other threats - Apple Community and Recognize and avoid phishing messages, phony support calls, and other scams - Apple Support.

There are no known viruses, i.e. self propagating, for Macs. There are, however, adware and malware which require the user to install although unwittingly most of the time thru sneaky links, etc.

Anti Virus developers try to group all types as viruses into their ad campaigns of fear. They do a poor job of the detecting and isolating the adware and malware. Since there are no viruses these apps use up a lot of system resources searching for what is non-existent and adversely affect system and app performance.

There is one app, Malwarebytes, which was developed by a long time contributor to these forums and a highly respected member of the computer security community, that is designed solely to seek out adware and known malware and remove it. The free version is more than adequate for most users.

Unless you're using a true VPN tunnel, such as between you and your employer's, school's or bank's servers, they provide false security from a privacy standpoint.

I recommend you uninstall the 5 apps indicated by "xxxx" according to the developer's instructions. You can check to see if you've removed all of the supporting files by downloading and running the shareware app Find Any File to search for any files with the application's or the developer's name in the file name. For the mentioned software you'd do the following search(es):

1 - Name contains cleanmymac

2 - Name contains maccleanerpro

3 - Name contains onyx

4 - Name contains omnidisksweeper

5 - Name contains paralleltoolbox

Any files that are found can be dragged from the search results window to the Desktop or Trash bin in the Dock for deletion.

FAF can search areas that Spotlight can't like invisible folders, system folders and packages.

If you get warnings that the file can't be deleted because it is in use or used by another app boot into Safe Mode according to How to use safe mode on your Mac and delete from there.

Note: if you have a wireless keyboard with rechargeable batteries connect it with its charging cable before booting into Safe Mode. This makes it act as a wired keyboard as will assure a successful boot into Safe Mode.

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