karlasch
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: How do I recover disk space of "other" on my MacBook Air? Everytime I erase something the other bar grows, help!

"Other" on About my Mac (MacBook Air 10.7.5) is taking up 205.32 GB of disk space. I've backed up my computer and erased nearly all pictures, movies and music, but every time I free space the Other bar gets longer and longer, and then I get a message saying I'm running out of disk space. So I'm constantly erasing things and gaining a little more space, at least for a while until the Other bar grows again…. What is "Other" on my mac? Is it possible it's a bug or something? How do I get rid of ti? How can i recover this space ??

 

Then I read a response to somebody with a similar situation that instructed to..

re-index a folder or an entire volume for Spotlight.

  1. From the Apple () menu, choose System Preferences.
  2. Click Spotlight.
  3. Click the Privacy tab.
  4. Drag a folder or an entire volume (your hard drive) to the list.
  5. If prompted for confirmation, click OK.
  6. Remove the item or volume you just added to the list by clicking it and then clicking the minus ("-") button.
  7. Close Spotlight preferences.

Spotlight will re-index the contents of the folder or volume.

I did this, and now everything (Audio, Photo, Videos, Apps, Backups) went to ZERO KB and "Other" went up to 248 GB!!! How do i recover the space? Please help!

MacBook Air, Mac OS X (10.7.5), null

Posted on Aug 21, 2015 1:35 AM

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karlasch

Q: How do I recover disk space of "other" on my MacBook Air? Everytime I erase something the other bar grows, help!

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  • Helpful answers

  • by karlasch,

    karlasch karlasch Aug 21, 2015 1:31 AM in response to karlasch
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 21, 2015 1:31 AM in response to karlasch

    I read a response to another person with a similar situation that instructed to

    ...re-index a folder or an entire volume for Spotlight.

    1. From the Apple () menu, choose System Preferences.
    2. Click Spotlight.
    3. Click the Privacy tab.
    4. Drag a folder or an entire volume (your hard drive) to the list.
    5. If prompted for confirmation, click OK.
    6. Remove the item or volume you just added to the list by clicking it and then clicking the minus ("-") button.
    7. Close Spotlight preferences.

    Spotlight will re-index the contents of the folder or volume.

     

    I did that and now everything (Audio, Photos, Movies, Apps, Backups) just went to ZERO KB!! and the "Other" bar went up tp 248.73 GB!! What is going on? How do i get the space back??

  • by OGELTHORPE,

    OGELTHORPE OGELTHORPE Aug 21, 2015 12:03 PM in response to karlasch
    Level 9 (52,776 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 21, 2015 12:03 PM in response to karlasch

    First gain an understanding of what OTHER is:

     

    https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202867

     

    Download from the Internet OmniDiskSweeper and Grand Perspective (both free) and open them.  Both will show all of your files and the respective sizes.  This should allow you to determine where the largest files are located.  then you should be able to transfer files to an external HDD or delete them.  Make certain that trash is emptied.  Only then is space allocated for additional data.

     

    Ciao.

  • by Lexiepex,

    Lexiepex Lexiepex Aug 21, 2015 12:12 PM in response to karlasch
    Level 6 (10,536 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 21, 2015 12:12 PM in response to karlasch

    As Ogelthorpe said, and especially Make certain that trash is emptied  .

    Lex

  • by karlasch,

    karlasch karlasch Aug 24, 2015 2:04 AM in response to OGELTHORPE
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 24, 2015 2:04 AM in response to OGELTHORPE

    Thanks. Ok I got one of these programs, and a few questions...

    1) If there's a big part going to "iPhoto Library", is there any way to reduce this without deleting the photos?

    2) There's a folder called "private" -> "var" -> "vm" -> "sleepimage/swapfile6…" or "var" -> "folders" - > "8q"…in the Applications folder taking up 7.2 GB, can I just erase this??

    3) And then in Library - "Application Support"  - MobileSync - Backup… there is about 23.3 GB and in "Mobile Documents" 4.3 GB…. will erasing thins cause any problems on my computer?

     

    Thnks

  • by Lexiepex,

    Lexiepex Lexiepex Aug 24, 2015 2:36 AM in response to karlasch
    Level 6 (10,536 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 24, 2015 2:36 AM in response to karlasch

    1. iPhoto has its own Trash can, empty it.

    2. You can vertainly delete the sleepimage and the Swapfile. But the Sleepimage will come back, the Swapfile sometimes also when there is a bit "lost" in OSX.

    It is possible to set the mac such that the sleepimage is avoided, but you loose some startup speed.

    3. Mobilesync backups can be deleted, but then you do not have a backup of your iDevices. Next time you sync a backup will be written again. I would not delete that, unless you do not have the iDevice anymore.