[Help] Disappearing Disk Space on Mac OS X

[Topaz8]

This problem only happens this year where my Disk Space drops from 8GB to zero during usage. I had to clear RAM regularly like very few mins and i get this message.

After i reboot, my free disk space drop from 8GB to 2.5GB. This happens about 2 months ago. I clear more files and freed another 8GB free then.

Today i booted up my mac and my free space drop to 580MB! The above message keep appearing. I then freed another 2GB (total 2.5GB now). I have clear ~/library/caches on both occasions to free disk space.

Where did my free disk space disappeared to? Does anyone have similar encounters?

Please advice.

 

[szeli]

what apps do u have opened?

 

[Topaz8]

I google this issue and basically have the same problem as this guy.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/where-has-my-hd-space-gone.2030539/

 

[Topaz8]

what apps do u have opened?

Just firefox. But i remembered both time it happens a few days after i updated firefox sw this year.

I just did a clean install last night but disk space still dropping. It could drop like from eg 5GB to 0 in a few secs. Got to clear RAM and pray a little and it refresh back to the 5GB.

i tried this last nigh but clear a little but i guess disk space eaten again.

Run this command in Terminal and tell us what it says. It will show how much space is being sued for local snapshots.

Code:

sudo du -hs /.MobileBackups

I don't know where all my 8GB (initial disk space) + 8GB(2nd round) missing to? Now balance disk space after clearing disk space last night 2.5GB left.

Anyone can help. Am not good with IT.

 

[boliao45]

When you delete files on mac, it usually went into trash and not really being deleted yet, do remember to make sure you've also empty trash after deleting files to really free up the spaces.

 

[kandinsky]

Use a disk usage utility like Disk Inventory X to help reveal what's taking up space on your drive.

http://www.derlien.com/

 

[szeli]

Just firefox. But i remembered both time it happens a few days after i updated firefox sw this year.

I just did a clean install last night but disk space still dropping. It could drop like from eg 5GB to 0 in a few secs. Got to clear RAM and pray a little and it refresh back to the 5GB.

i tried this last nigh but clear a little but i guess disk space eaten again.


I don't know where all my 8GB (initial disk space) + 8GB(2nd round) missing to? Now balance disk space after clearing disk space last night 2.5GB left.

Anyone can help. Am not good with IT.

yr Firefox have a lot of tabs open? yr Time Machine enabled?

 

[Topaz8]

yr Firefox have a lot of tabs open? yr Time Machine enabled?

When on FF, its like 3-4 tabs. Usually never more then 6 tabs. I clear my cookies very often when i am on the web. I don't use Time Machine.

I use "memory clean" to clear my Ram memory.

I just made available 10GB of disk space and in a few mins it will drop to 1GB disk space.

Use a disk usage utility like Disk Inventory X to help reveal what's taking up space on your drive.

http://www.derlien.com/

Thanks will check it out.

When you delete files on mac, it usually went into trash and not really being deleted yet, do remember to make sure you've also empty trash after deleting files to really free up the spaces.

Thanks for the reminder. i Secure clear trash frequently too.

 

[Topaz8]

Use a disk usage utility like Disk Inventory X to help reveal what's taking up space on your drive.

http://www.derlien.com/

Thanks for the app recommendation.

I didn't realized Chrome app is 9.5GB!!! Done uninstalled

From the above, what is:

*Swapfike1 (1GB) & SleepImage (1GB)

* Snapshots.db in systemstats

Can anyone of the above be deleted? Please advice.

After uninstalling Chrome.

From the above pic the top Header Name show "Mac HD (70GB) My Free disk space i have avail is ~18GB. MY SSD is 120GB. Where did the balance (20+GB) go?

The Grey Box with Yellow Border show 24GB occupied by unspecified files which doesn't show details and can't zoom in. When mouse over it says "Space occupied by other files & Folders"! This could be the mystery missing disk space.

The grey box below that is the Free Space 18GB.

Does anyone knows about what or where the mystery grey box of 24GB is?

 

[szeli]

what ver of macOS r u on?

 

[Glariel]

Your disk space only 8 GB? That’s low

 

[warehaws]

not sure on this. but you might have recovery partition. go to terminal and run diskutil

 

[tsy111]

not sure on this. but you might have recovery partition. go to terminal and run diskutil

From painful experience, most of the space is lost to iTunes backup of your iOS devices. Check your iTunes please. I had 200 GB of iOS backups for my whole families IPad ,iPod and iPhones .

 

[Topaz8]

From painful experience, most of the space is lost to iTunes backup of your iOS devices. Check your iTunes please. I had 200 GB of iOS backups for my whole families IPad ,iPod and iPhones .

I did delete every back up files on itunes during my 2nd round flushing to get the 8GB which suddenly disappeared to <700MB a few days ago.

Besides i don't use Iphone now, so itunes is a white elephant to me now.

not sure on this. but you might have recovery partition. go to terminal and run diskutil

I'm noob in using terminal. Could u show me the command line for me to copy and paste please?

However, i use Disk utility to check under "Info" and the Used space is 102GB.

Disk Number : 0
Partition Number : 2

I have not created any partition before and i have no idea how to.

what ver of macOS r u on?

Am still on 10.9.5 due to my legacy MBA mid 2011.

 

[szeli]

if I were u I would upgrade to e latest macOS. it sounds like a bug in e OS. or try a backup n restore.

 

[Topaz8]

if I were u I would upgrade to e latest macOS. it sounds like a bug in e OS. or try a backup n restore.

The problem is the latest OS takes up too much resources and slows down my old mac. That's why i am hesitant.

 

[szeli]

The problem is the latest OS takes up too much resources and slows down my old mac. That's why i am hesitant.

I’m on High Sierra MBA 2012. no issues. don’t have irrational fear.

 

[Topaz8]

I’m on High Sierra MBA 2012. no issues. don’t have irrational fear.

OK. That's good to know. Did u upgrade any Ram or SSD? Did u do a clean install or just update from app store?

My app store has requested me to update to Mojave. ??

Regarding the Partition issue, When it indicates as shown in quote.

Disk Number : 0
Partition Number : 2

Does this mean that i have a hidden partition in my HDD?

 

[szeli]

OK. That's good to know. Did u upgrade any Ram or SSD? Did u do a clean install or just update from app store?

My app store has requested me to update to Mojave. ??

Regarding the Partition issue, When it indicates as shown in quote.



Does this mean that i have a hidden partition in my HDD?

nope I’m still on default config of 4GB RAM, 256GB SSD

 

[Topaz8]

nope I’m still on default config of 4GB RAM, 256GB SSD

mine is the mid 2011 128gb ssd. Even so my RAM always drops drastically when i am browsing web with 2-3 tabs.

From Disk Utility App / Info shows

Disk Number : 0
Partition Number : 2

Can someone please confirm if there's a 2nd partition based on the info above? I have not created any partition. The Gray out box is inaccessible. Very pak chek man!