Startup Disk Full Error

Hi Lina, and welcome to Apple Discussions.

Safe Mode might allow you to boot and free up some space.

If you have access to another Mac and a FireWire cable, another option would be to use FireWire Target Disk Mode to transfer data to the other Mac and delete it on your MBA.

If either way works, you want to open up somewhere around 15% free space. Once you do that, run Repair Disk: Boot from install disc (insert disc>restart>immediately hold down c key and keep holding it until you see “Preparing Installation”)>at first screen select the language and click Continue> click on the Utilities Menu in the menu bar>open Disk Utility>select your HD in the panel on the left side>click Repair Disk at bottom of main window. Run this at least twice, and keep running it until it says “appears ok” twice in a row. If that doesn’t happen, you may need a stronger utility such as DiskWarrior or if the directory is damaged beyond repair, you may need to reinstall the OS, or you may have a damaged HD (repair utilities can only repair the directory structure, not the HD itself).

Ultimately, though, it sounds like you need a larger HD . . . .

Lina Naranjo wrote:
Hi! Thank you for such a prompt response!
The problem is that that I'm gonna need further instructions or explanations on how to run repair disc. I have no idea how to do that. Besides, I don't have an external drive to insert a disc :s

Ummm, the directions were right in my post, and no external drive needed.

Repair Disk: Boot from install disc (insert disc>restart>immediately hold down c key and keep holding it until you see “Preparing Installation”)>at first screen select the language and click Continue> click on the Utilities Menu in the menu bar>open Disk Utility>select your HD in the panel on the left side>click Repair Disk at bottom of main window. Run this at least twice, and keep running it until it says “appears ok” twice in a row. If that doesn’t happen, you may need a stronger utility such as DiskWarrior or if the directory is damaged beyond repair, you may need to reinstall the OS, or you may have a damaged HD (repair utilities can only repair the directory structure, not the HD itself).

In case you are using Tiger & File Fault: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=305454 *Mac OS X 10.4: FileVault - "There isn't enough space on your hard disk..." alert*



"I started to erase bunch of documents, but then my computer got blocked."

Empty the trash!





!http://i50.tinypic.com/izvwo1.gif!

Lina Naranjo wrote:
But how am I supposed to insert a disk if I have a macbookair (it doesn't have a cd or DVD drive) that is why I was telling you that I don't have an external drive. I have remote access to my computer from another mac.

Sorry, I was thinking in terms of a MBP (which is where this thread started out before being moved here), not realizing the MBA doesn't have an optical drive. My bad.

Lina Naranjo wrote:
Ok! No worries!! I got a friend to lend me an external drive and I already got the message saying everything appears ok in HD more than twice.
Thank you so much for your help!

So is everything all good now?