HT201364: OS X Mavericks system requirements

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Maralyn Claire
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: How do you clean up the start up disk?

HELP ME!?!? My start up disk is full where I can't do any updates or change from Mountain Lion to Maverick. The start up disk is full of "other". I've uninstalled/deleted almost everything I put on it and "other" space never reduces. I've emptied my trash. All my photos are stored on an external drive. This macbook is basically useless this way. How do I reduce the amount of "other"? ANY help is appreciated!

MacBook Air (11-inch Mid 2011), OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.5)

Posted on Apr 4, 2014 6:40 PM

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Maralyn Claire

Q: How do you clean up the start up disk?

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  • by Barney-15E,

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Apr 4, 2014 6:53 PM in response to Maralyn Claire
    Level 9 (50,854 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 4, 2014 6:53 PM in response to Maralyn Claire

    Get something like OmniDiskSweeper to see where all of the large files are located.

  • by MichelPM,

    MichelPM MichelPM Apr 4, 2014 6:54 PM in response to Maralyn Claire
    Level 6 (14,279 points)
    iPad
    Apr 4, 2014 6:54 PM in response to Maralyn Claire

    Here are some general tips to keep your Mac's hard drive trim and slim as possible

     

    You should never, EVER let a conputer hard drive get completely full, EVER!

     

    With Macs and OS X, you shouldn't let the hard drive get below 15 GBs or less of free data space.

    If it does, it's time for some hard drive housecleaning.

     

    Follow some of my tips for cleaning out, deleting and archiving data from your Mac's internal hard drive.

     

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

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

    If you store images in other locations other than iPhoto, then you will have to weed through these to determine what to archive and what to delete.

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

    Delete any old or no longer needed emails and/or archive to disc, flash drives or external hard drive, older emails you want to save.

    Look through your other Mailboxes and other Mail categories to see If there is other mail you can archive and/or delete.

    STAY AWAY FROM DELETING ANY FILES FROM OS X SYSTEM FOLDER!

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

    Again, archive to disc, flash drives, ext. hard drives or delete any old documents you no longer use or immediately need.

    Look in your Applications folder, if you have applications you haven't used in a long time, if the app doesn't have a dedicated uninstaller, then you can simply drag it into the OS X Trash icon. IF the application has an uninstaller app, then use it to completely delete the app from your Mac.

    To find other large files, download an app called Omni Disk Sweeper.

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

    When you install and launch it, let it do its initial automatic tests, then go to the cleaning and maintenance tabs and run the maintenance tabs that 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.

    move these files/data off of your internal drive to the external hard drive and deleted off of the internal hard drive.

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

     

    Good Luck!