how do i clear backup from my internal hdd?, how do i clear backup from my internal hdd?

Question

GimGim Author

Level 1

5 points

how do i clear backup from my internal hdd?, how do i clear backup from my internal hdd?

im using 13" macbook pro running Mountain Lion

i found that backup is taking a lot of my internal hdd space

as you can see in the picture...

i tried many different way and try to free up that space,

i tried going into terminal like some other tutorial say but still cant free up the space

but still no luck

does anyone what problem that cause this? and how do i solve this problem?

i would love to free up my 107GB of space on my hdd...

MacBook Pro, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2)

Posted on Oct 1, 2012 8:55 PM

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Answer 1

rrahimi

Level 3

615 points

Oct 1, 2012 9:08 PM in response to GimGim

The culprit seems to be Time Machine's local snapshots. This might help:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4878

Apart from that, you are backing up to a safe external drive, right?

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Answer 2

GimGim Author

Level 1

5 points

Oct 1, 2012 9:20 PM in response to rrahimi

hi rrahimi thanks for your response

yes, i already have a time machine backup on my external drive

i checked the page, it seems like to be the problem,

but i still can't figure out how to free up those space on my internal hdd... :/

now i try using an app called "Omnidisksweeper" but i can't seems to be able to find the folder that store the backup files on my internal hdd

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Answer 3

rrahimi

Level 3

615 points

Oct 1, 2012 9:27 PM in response to GimGim

You can disable Time Machine's local snapshots.

Disable Time Machine Local Backup Storage

Here’s how to turn off local backups:
Launch Terminal from /Applications/Utilities

Enter the following command:
sudo tmutil disablelocal
Enter the admin password when requested to disable local backups

Here's the full article:

http://osxdaily.com/2011/09/28/disable-time-machine-local-backups-in-mac-os-x-li on/

I also find Disk Inventory X (free app, Google it) to be extremely useful in figuring out what file types and what specific files are taking too much space on my system.

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Answer 4

GimGim Author

Level 1

5 points

Oct 1, 2012 9:32 PM in response to rrahimi

thanks again

and yes, i already did it like the said on the page before,

but the backup files are still there,

its kind of strange, because i have read many case and artical, and it seems to work for lot of people but not me :/

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Answer 5

rrahimi

Level 3

615 points

Oct 1, 2012 9:35 PM in response to GimGim

Hmm... try a restart if you haven't already. It might be locked right now.

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Answer 6

Shootist007

Level 6

16,703 points

Oct 1, 2012 10:03 PM in response to GimGim

All you have to do is Turn Time Machine off, In System Preference, Time Machine, then if you want turn it back on.

Or turn it off and then only turn it on when you want to do a backup to an external drive. That is what I do.

Turning it off will delete the Local Snapshots.

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Answer 7

GimGim Author

Level 1

5 points

Oct 1, 2012 10:11 PM in response to Shootist007

thanks

i just restarted my mac, and eject my ext hdd and turned off my time machine, now i will give it some times to see if they will go away, since its over 100GB i will give it some times, hope it will free up some space

wish me luck

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Answer 8

rrahimi

Level 3

615 points

Oct 1, 2012 10:14 PM in response to Shootist007

Interestingly this just solved a mystery for me. I check the free space available in two ways: Get Info or Quick Look on the drive. From time to time these two showed vastly different numbers. I never figured out which is the correct one until now.

The Quick Look view shows what is available but the Get Info dialog shows what is available if Local Snapshots where cleared. That's why availability on Quick Look had sometimes a 20+ GB disparity.

It's not a bug though as Quick Look indicated "Free" space while Get Info indicated "Available" space.

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Answer 9

GimGim Author

Level 1

5 points

Oct 6, 2012 9:59 PM in response to rrahimi

hmm i still can't solve this problem...

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Answer 10

smarcosh

Level 1

0 points

Dec 5, 2014 3:43 PM in response to GimGim

hi, I have the same problem, have you figured it out?

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