how to know how much space is left on my mac

Click on the Apple menu in the upper left. Then on "About this Mac." Then click on More Info. Wait until the System Information utility loads, then click on the Storage tab.

Any open Finder window will show that at the bottom of the window.

Klaus1 wrote:

Any open Finder window will show that at the bottom of the window.

Unless the open Finder window relates to an external HD when the space on that HD appears at the top of the window. (Don't know what happens with a second internal HD, presumably the same.)

Not on mine. External HDs are also showing capacity at the bottom.

I get the Path Bar at the bottom. Even if I kill it space is always at top in Status Bar if activated.

stevejobsfan0123 wrote:

click on the Storage tab.

For me it's called Serial-ATA.

Interesting. Here's mine.

That's Lion, as the OP posted here presumably the question refers to 10.6 (but I wouldn't bank on it).

Ah, my bad.

Michael Wasley wrote:

I get the Path Bar at the bottom. Even if I kill it space is always at top in Status Bar if activated.

Ah!

That applies if I open an external HD from desktop.

If I open it via Sidebar (which I very rarely do do) it's at the bottom.

It's at the bottom for me either way on all three SL machines (10.6.4 and 2x 10.6.5)

Have you got Sidebar open?

With Sidebar closed (my usual practice) space is at top, path at bottom.

With Sidebar open (which I don't do) space is at bottom below path.

Looks like it varies on how you use Finder (This is in 10.6.7.)

As my grandmother used to say "the things that we do see and hear when we haven't got a gun".

There you go then - I always have the sidebar open.

As you say, it switches to the top in clean mode - largely because the bottom bar disappears too!

If you have your drive icons displaying on the desktop, just highlight the appropriate one and press Command+I.