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The start up disk on my iMac is full, preventing me from updating software etc. How do I make space? I have an external hark disk drive.

The start-up disk on my iMac is full, preventing me from updating software etc. How do I make space? I have an external hark disk drive. I understand it is possible to transfer space-taking photo collections in Aperture to the external hard disk drive I have, but am not sure how to do this. I would be very grateful for advice. Many thanks!

iMac, Mac OS X (10.7.5), I use 1 TB Ext HD Drive

Posted on Jun 7, 2013 5:57 AM

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2 replies

Jun 7, 2013 6:03 AM in response to mcbhinda

If your HD is full then you are correct you should move large libraries such as your photos, music and movies to external HD's. Apple explains how in:


iPhoto: How to move the Library to an EHD


iTunes: How to move the library to an EHD


iMovie: How to move the Library to an EHD


Your Aperture library can by located by opening Aperture Preferences-General and you will see where the library is located. Simply use Finder to move to the library and drag the library to your EHD.


DO NOT repeat DO NOT use the same EHD as you use for backup, use a seperate EHD. The reason being is if the EHD crashes you will have lost your library and the backup.

Jun 7, 2013 6:09 AM in response to mcbhinda

Do a search for and downlaod and install OmniDisk Sweeper and OnyX.


Hard drive getting full or near full?

Here are some of my tips for deleting or archiving data off of your internal hard

Have you emptied your iMac's Trash icon in the Dock?

If you use iPhoto, iPhoto has its own trash that needs to be emptied, also.

If you use Apple Mail app, Apple Mail also has its own trash area that needs to be emptied, too!

Other things you can do to gain space.

Delete any old or no longer needed emails and/or archive older emails you want to save to disc, Flash drive/s or to ext. hard drive.

Look through your Documents folder and delete any type of old useless type files like "Read Me" type files.

Again, archive to disc, Flash drive or ext. hard drive and/or delete any old documents you no longer use or immediately need.

Uninstall apps that you no longer use. If the app has a dedicated uninstaller, use it to completely uninstall the app. If the app has no uninstaller, then just drag it to the OS X Trash icon and empty the Trash.

Also, if you save old downloaded .dmg application installer files, you can either archive and delete these or just delete the ones you think you'll never install, again.

Download an app called OnyX for your version of OS X.

When you install and launch it, let it do its thing initially, then go to the cleaning and maintenance tabs and run all of the processes in the tabs. Let OnyX clean out all web browser cache files, web browser histories, system cache files, delete old error log files.

Typically, iTunes and iPhoto libraries are the biggest users of HD space.

If you have any other large folders of personal data or projects, these should be thinned out, moved, also, to the external hard drive and then either archived to disc, Flash drive or ext. hard drive and/or deleted off your internal hard drive.


Good Luck!

😉

The start up disk on my iMac is full, preventing me from updating software etc. How do I make space? I have an external hark disk drive.

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