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Computer says disk is almost full, but I have 14 GB free

iBook G4 1.33

OS 10.5.8

1.5 GB of ram

40 gig hard drive


I get a message that says that the disk is almost full. In disk utility, it states that 36 out of 37 gb of hard drive space has been used. However when I open the finder window after clicking on the hard drive (the first level showing applications, library, system, users), it only adds up to about 23 gb of space being used once I select calculate all sizes. It doesn't show me the other 13 gigabites that would add up to 36.


I don't have the 10.5 CD's since I bought this off of ebay preloaded with the os.


I've already repaired drive holding the shift key upon startup. I've ran cocktail pilot mode to run scripts, repair permissions, empty cache, etc...I turned on invisible items using cocktail to see if I can find the extra gigabites to no avail.


It is not connected to the USB external drive.


File Vault is off.


Any other suggestions.

iBook, Mac OS X (10.5.8)

Posted on May 16, 2012 2:30 PM

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Question marked as Best reply

Posted on May 16, 2012 3:03 PM

How much free space is on the HD, where has all the space gone?


OmniDiskSweeper is likely the easiest/best, and is now free...


http://www.omnigroup.com/applications/omnidisksweeper/download/

8 replies

May 16, 2012 3:44 PM in response to BDAqua

at the bottom of the finder window, it states that their are 400 mb's fee space. I don't know where the space has gone because when I add up the first level showing applications, library, system, users it amounts to 23 gb of space used not 36 as stated in disk utility. I don't know where to find the other space used. There are only but two videos on the computer and 6 gigabites of music. The library folder is about 4 gigabytes.


I am fairly proficient with macs so I know I'm not adding space used incorrectly.


I don't have the computer with me, but I will try that program tomorrow, and let you know what it reported.


Thanks for the recommendation.

May 16, 2012 4:42 PM in response to jjay91

You are not allowing for invisible system files, temp and swap files etc.


Basically you are running on vapour with such a small hard drive, and if it really states that you only have 400mb free space your system could collapse at any time with loss of, or at least damage to, data.


You urgently need an external hard drive at least ten times bigger.

May 17, 2012 2:56 PM in response to BDAqua

I ran it and it confirmed what I had calculated in the finder. After, I deleted files to make more room and ran it again. It still does not account for about 13 gigabytes of space. I have provided images below of what I am talking about. The image below shows that I am only using 13.9 GB's of space.


User uploaded file


This image of my drive shows that 26.5 GB is used.User uploaded file


Here is a picture of my finder window which adds up to about 13 GB's yet it is showing I only have about 10 GB's available from a 40 GB hard drive.

User uploaded file


Here is an image of the disk utility window showing my hard drive capacity and stating that I am using 26 GB's of space. Where are the other 13 GB's?



User uploaded file


I also ran Applejack AUTO in single user mode and Cocktail pilot in all accounts and restarted several times.

May 17, 2012 3:44 PM in response to jjay91

Seems there's some hidden File/Folder on the drive.


Let's try another way, get Find Any File...


http://apps.tempel.org/FindAnyFile/

Set it up File Size is greater than 3gb, hold Option key when selecting Find to Find all.


Then try EasyFind...


http://www.devon-technologies.com/download/


Near the bottom of the page.



Search your whole drive for Files Only, Case Insensitive, Include Package contes, include hidden for something like just a dot/period . then sort on Size.


Other things that may find this...


WhatSize...


http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/13006/


Disk Inventory X...


http://www.derlien.com/


GrandPerspective...


http://grandperspectiv.sourceforge.net/

May 17, 2012 4:35 PM in response to jjay91

Courtesty of jsd2:


I would run Disk Utility's Verify Disk, and if there are no problems reported, would continue to look for hidden items that are taking up the disk space.


There are folders on the HD that an admin user account doesn't have permission to access, and this means that apps such as OmniDiskSweeper that you run under your user account can't access these folders either. One example is the hidden top-level .Trashes folder, which is used only when you trash items on the HD when you are booted from elsewhere, and to empty it you need to be booted from elsewhere as well. Carbon Copy Cloner does not copy this folder. There are other possible restricted folders as well. Restricted folders will be reported as size zero even if they contain large files, and this will make the summary information incorrect as well.


To get around this restriction, you would need to examine the HD using "root" privileges. There are a number of ways to do this, but assuming that OmniDiskSweeper is currently in your main /Applications folder, you could try the following:


Open the Terminal (in /Applications/Utilities). Copy the following line and paste it directly into the Terminal window, then type Return:


sudo /Applications/OmniDiskSweeper.app/Contents/MacOS/OmniDiskSweeper


Enter your admin password when prompted (it will not echo on the screen), and hit Return.


This should open OmniDiskSweeper's "Drive List" window. Click inside it and then sweep your HD as you did before. This time OmniDiskSweeper should run with "root" privileges - see what you get this way.

Computer says disk is almost full, but I have 14 GB free

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