How do i get my macbook to show real available space

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Level 1

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How do i get my macbook to show real available space

MY Macbook hard drive became very full down to last 25GB available.

I purchased a large external hard drive and promptly removed ALL data files from the internal drive. I used OmniDiskSweeper to ensure i have removed all the necessary files and this utility gives an actual reading of the storage now currently being used after the cull. I am now only using 125GB of space on the 650gb hard drive.

BUT, when i check the mac 'Storage' via About This Mac it still says the drive is almost full and only has 122GB available... I am assuming this si wrong but how do I get it to refresh?... emptying trash, rebooting, etc have all been attempted but to no avail...

Thanks

MacBook Pro, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.5)

Posted on Sep 15, 2014 1:45 PM

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Answer 1

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,649 points

Sep 15, 2014 2:15 PM in response to ThePringo

when i check the mac 'Storage' via About This Mac it still says the drive is almost full and only has 122GB available

I'll assume that you mean "122 MB." In that case, see below.

Rebuild the Spotlight index. If you try to search now from the magnifying-glass icon in the top right corner of the display, there will be an indication that indexing is in progress.

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Answer 2

ThePringo Author

Level 1

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Sep 15, 2014 2:26 PM in response to Linc Davis

Hi,

Thanks, I tried this but no luck... it still says i only have 122GB available. I've only used 125GB now that i have removed all the files to an external so the storage should read 639.28GB capacity and [514GB available] but eve though i have moved all the files to the external and eluted them from the internal hdd, emptied trash etc it still doesn't free up space (according to the About Mac facility). Like I said OmniDiskSweeper provides the information i expect but it concerns me that the mac itself isn't seeing the free space OmniDiskSweeper is seeing?

Thanks

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Answer 3

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,649 points

Sep 15, 2014 2:43 PM in response to ThePringo

You seem to be assuming that OmniDiskSweeper is giving an accurate reading of available space. It isn't. The Finder Info window is accurate for available space, not taking Time Machine local snapshots into account, and the Storage window should be accurate for free space.

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Answer 4

ThePringo Author

Level 1

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Sep 15, 2014 3:43 PM in response to Linc Davis

HI,

iI'm assuming that the Omnisweep is correct because I've removed over 500gb of data from the internal drive but only gained 100gb of space according to the mac 'storage' indicator. Which doesn't make sense to me. There's either Simeon files copied somewhere or it isn't refreshing for some reason...

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Answer 5

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,649 points

Sep 15, 2014 3:52 PM in response to ThePringo

When Time Machine backs up a portable Mac, some of the free space will be used to make local snapshots, which are backup copies of recently deleted files. The space occupied by local snapshots is reported as available by the Finder, and should be considered as such. In the Storage display of System Information, local snapshots are shown as Backups. The snapshots are automatically deleted when they expire or when free space falls below a certain level. You ordinarily don't need to, and should not, delete local snapshots yourself. If you followed bad advice to disable local snapshots by running a shell command, you may have ended up with a lot of data in the Other category. Ask for instructions in that case.

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