hard drive is full of backup files?

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Level 1

9 points

hard drive is full of backup files?

My 17 inch Macbook pro running Yosemite seems to be filling up with back up files. 225.3 GB to be exact. I back up all my devices to iCloud and deleted the back up files from iTunes from when I backed up to the computer. I have 152 GB left on the drive. I do film so I need the space. I Did remove iTunes music to an external drive as well as iPhoto pix but this cleared nothing even though my music folder was 112GB. Oddly it seemed when I dumped the files from the computer to the external drive the Backup folder increased even though I emptied the trash.

Posted on Jan 8, 2015 7:54 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

Jan 8, 2015 8:03 PM in response to ratskiss

Do you have Time Machine enabled? If so do you have the backup drive frequently disconnect? If so, then you are dealing with Time Machine snapshots: About Time Machine local snapshots. The space they take up will be released if and when you need more space on the HDD. They do not keep the space permanently, so you need not worry over them. If you don't want them to continue then turn off Time Machine when you do not have the backup drive connected. Or:

Time Machine Snapshots

Open the Terminal in the Utilities folder and enter or paste the appropriate command line. Press RETURN and enter your admin password when prompted. It will not be echoed. Press RETURN again.

To turn them ON: sudo tmutil enablelocal
To turn them OFF: sudo tmutil disablelocal

Note that turning them OFF will also delete all existing snapshots.

For more about snapshots see: OS X Mountain Lion- About local snapshots.

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Answer 2

ratskiss Author

Level 1

9 points

Jan 8, 2015 8:18 PM in response to Kappy

Thanks that cleared a lot of space. 377GB free now. Odd I don't get many disconnects on Time Machine? Only if travel.

Now I edit.

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Answer 3

Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

Jan 8, 2015 8:21 PM in response to ratskiss

That's when the snapshots pile up - when you are traveling. Time Machine is making a snapshot every hour. Over time that's a lot of backups. The easiest thing to do is ignore them. Next is to turn off Time Machine when you travel.

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Answer 4

Jan 15, 2015 3:38 PM in response to Kappy

Solved a big issue for me too. Had over 40% of my 120GB Flash Drive full of backups - used this and it cleared them all.

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