HT201364 How do I delete items from my startup disk?

Lately I've been getting the message "your startup disk is almost full." I'd like to upgrade my MacBook Air to Mavericks but am unable due to not enough space on my startup disk. How do I free up space on the startup disk

Freeing Up Space on The Hard Drive
  1. See Lion/Mountain Lion/Mavericks' Storage Display.
  2. You can remove data from your Home folder except for the /Home/Library/ folder.
  3. Visit The XLab FAQs and read the FAQ on freeing up space on your hard drive.
  4. Also see Freeing space on your Mac OS X startup disk.
  5. See Where did my Disk Space go?.
  6. See The Storage Display.
You must Empty the Trash in order to recover the space they occupied on the hard drive.
You should consider replacing the drive with a larger one. Check out OWC for drives, tutorials, and toolkits.
Try using OmniDiskSweeper 1.8 or GrandPerspective to search your drive for large files and where they are located.

Similar Messages

  • HT201364 How do I remove items from the startup disk?

    Apparently my startup disk is too full. I looked through my downloads and documents folders and there is barely anything?

    1. Increase Disk Space
        http://support.apple.com/kb/PH13806?viewlocale=en_US
    2. Startup in Safe Mode
        http://support.apple.com/kb/PH14204
    3. Delete "Recovered Messages", if any.
        Hold the option key down and click "Go" menu in the Finder menu bar.
        Select "Library" from the dropdown.
        Library > Mail > V2 > Mailboxes
        Delete "Recovered Messages", if any.
        Empty Trash. Restart.
    4. Repair Disk
        Steps 1 through 7
        http://support.apple.com/kb/PH5836
    5. Local Time Machine Snap Shots
        http://support.apple.com/kb/PH14329
    6. Re-index Macintosh HD
       System Preferences > Spotlight > Privacy
       http://support.apple.com/kb/ht2409

  • HT1338 how do i delete items from my startup disk

    I'm trying to upgrade my software but my startup disk is full, how can I fix this?

    petermac87 wrote:
    tjackson919 wrote:
    I'm trying to upgrade my software but my startup disk is full, how can I fix this?
    Download OmniDiskSweeder (free) and see what large files are filling up your disk. They would be the first ones I would consider backing up and deleting. How big is your drive and how much space is left?
    Pete
    OmniDiskSweeper  apologies for the typo. Even forgot to paste the link!!!! Thanks Clinton
    Cheers
    Pete

  • How do I delete items from my startup disk to be able to d/l maverick?

    I have Mac OS X Version 10.6.8
    Processor: 1.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
    Memory: 2 GB 1067 MHz DDR3
    I am unable to upgrade to Maverick because I need to clean up my startup disk apparently.  How do I do this?
    Can my old laptop even handle the Maverick?
    Should I increase my memory - is that expensive?

    Mavericks requirements >  OS X Mavericks: System Requirements
    Requires 2GB's or more of memory so you may want to upgrade the RAM (memory).
    Mavericks also requires 8GB's of free disk space.
    To install Mavericks, you need one of these Macs:
    iMac (Mid-2007 or later)
    MacBook (13-inch Aluminum, Late 2008), (13-inch, Early 2009 or later)
    MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid-2009 or later),
    MacBook Pro (15-inch or 17-inch, Mid/Late 2007 or later)
    MacBook Air (Late 2008 or later)
    Mac mini (Early 2009 or later)
    Mac Pro (Early 2008 or later)
    Xserve (Early 2009)
    Your Mac also needs:
    OS X Mountain Lion, Lion, or Snow Leopard v10.6.8 already installed
    2 GB or more of memory
    8 GB or more of available space\
    You can free up disk space by transferring photos, video, documents, etc., to an external drive or burn to CD's or DVD's.

  • How do I delete items from my startup disc?

    How do I delete items from my startup disc?  I keep getting a message saying my startup disc is full

    That is your internal hard drive...look at your content in places like pictures, documents and other folders where you keep things.  Get an external hard drive and move videos, music, photos to the external and then delete by dragging to the trash, empty the trash and then restart the MacBook Pro.

  • How do I delete items from start up disk?

    My start up disk is almost full.  How do I delete items from it?

    Empty the Trash if you haven't already done so. If you use iPhoto, empty its internal Trash first:
    iPhoto ▹ Empty Trash
    Do the same in other applications, such as Aperture, that have an internal Trash feature. Then restart the computer. That will temporarily free up some space.
    According to Apple documentation, you need at least 9 GB of available space on the startup volume (as shown in the Finder Info window) for normal operation. You also need enough space left over to allow for growth of the data. There is little or no performance advantage to having more available space than the minimum Apple recommends. Available storage space that you'll never use is wasted space.
    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.
    See this support article for some simple ways to free up storage space.
    You can more effectively use a tool such as OmniDiskSweeper (ODS) or GrandPerspective (GP) to explore the volume and find out what's taking up the space. You can also delete files with it, but don't do that unless you're sure that you know what you're deleting and that all data is safely backed up. That means you have multiple backups, not just one. Note that ODS only works with OS X 10.8 or later. If you're running an older OS version, use GP.
    Deleting files inside an iPhoto or Aperture library will corrupt the library. Any changes to a photo library must be made from within the application that created it. The same goes for Mail files.
    Proceed further only if the problem isn't solved by the above steps.
    ODS or GP can't see the whole filesystem when you run it just by double-clicking; it only sees files that you have permission to read. To see everything, you have to run it as root.
    Back up all data now.
    If you have more than one user account, make sure you're logged in as an administrator. The administrator account is the one that was created automatically when you first set up the computer.
    Install the app you downloaded in the Applications folder as usual. Quit it if it's running.
    Triple-click anywhere in the corresponding line of text below on this page to select it, then copy the selected text to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination command-C:
    sudo /Applications/OmniDiskSweeper.app/Contents/MacOS/OmniDiskSweeper
    sudo /Applications/GrandPerspective.app/Contents/MacOS/GrandPerspective
    Launch the built-in Terminal application in any of the following ways:
    ☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)
    ☞ In the Finder, select Go ▹ Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.
    ☞ Open LaunchPad. Click Utilities, then Terminal in the icon grid.
    Paste into the Terminal window by pressing command-V. You'll be prompted for your login password, which won't be displayed when you type it. You may get a one-time warning to be careful. If you see a message that your username "is not in the sudoers file," then you're not logged in as an administrator.
    The application window will open, eventually showing all files in all folders, sorted by size. It may take a few minutes for the app to finish scanning.
    I don't recommend that you make a habit of doing this. Don't delete anything as root. If something needs to be deleted, make sure you know what it is and how it got there, and then delete it by other, safer, means. When in doubt, leave it alone or ask for guidance.
    When you're done with the app, quit it and also quit Terminal.

  • How do i delete items from sart up disk

    How do I delete items from the start up disk

    Drag them to the trashcan on the Dock and then empty the trash (look under the Finder menu). But I think your question may have another question behind it....

  • HT201364 How do I remove stuff from my startup disk?

    How do I remove stuff from my startup disk?

    GrandPerspective is a nice app that shows a graphic representation of what's on your disk, so you can get an idea of what is taking up too much space.GrandPerspective
    Don't buy CleanMyMac or any other dreck that offers to "clean" your Mac for you. Worst software ever.
    If there are apps in your Applications folder you don't need any more, drag them to the trash and empty the trash.
    In general, it is media files, like music, photos, and especially video that is taking up a lot of space. You can move your iTunes library, iPhoto Library, and iMovie video to an external drive.
    iTunes for Mac: Moving your iTunes Media folder
    iPhoto '11: Move your iPhoto library to a new location
    Quick Tip: Move Your iMovie Events and Projects to an External Drive - Tuts+ Mac Computer Skills Tutorial
    it's a good idea to have a backup before you start moving things.

  • HT201364 How do I do this - Remove items from your startup disk to increase available space.

    I need more space to download OS X Mavericks. How do I remove items from myr startup disk to increase available space?

    Move items you don't need on it, such as the iTunes and iPhoto libraries, to another drive, verify they work in the new location, and then delete them from the internal drive. If you don't need something at all, drag it to the Trash and empty it.
    (96858)

  • How do you delete items from the reading list?

    How do you delete items from the reading list?

    I'm trying to mark your reply as "solved my problem", but I can't see where to mark it. I tried to mark it in the email that came to me with your answer, but it went to a screen that said NOT FOUND. Help?

  • How do i delete items from the reading list

    how di i delete items from the reading list

    Swipe your finger across the item in the list and a delete button will pop up.

  • In microsoft office word, how do I delete items from the recent documents tableau? I have options for new, open, save, save as, etc. but no option to delete.

    In microsoft office word, how do I delete items from the recent documents tableau? I have options for new, open, save, saveas, etc. but no option to delete. Thank you.

    Hello.
    I have no idea and you should contact Microsoft for support. This is Firefox's support forum.
    Thank you for your understanding.

  • TS1702 how do i delete from the startup disk? I am trying to get Mountain Lion from the App store and it says that the purchase was not complete because i need 4.06 GB space to download OS x 10.8. and to remove items from my startup disk to increase space

    how do i delete from the startup disk? I am trying to get Mountain Lion from the App store and it says that the purchase was not complete because i need 4.06 GB space to download OS x 10.8. and to remove items from my startup disk to increase space. How?
    Thanks

    You can use iCloud with 10.7.5. You do not need to upgrade to Yosemite. You should provide a minimum of 15 GBs of free space or 10% of the hard drive's capacity, whichever is greater.
    Freeing Up Space on The Hard Drive
      1. See Lion/Mountain Lion/Mavericks' Storage Display.
      2. You can remove data from your Home folder except for the /Home/Library/ folder.
      3. Visit The XLab FAQs and read the FAQ on freeing up space on your hard drive.
      4. Also see Freeing space on your Mac OS X startup disk.
      5. See Where did my Disk Space go?.
      6. See The Storage Display.
    You must Empty the Trash in order to recover the space they occupied on the hard drive.
    You should consider replacing the drive with a larger one. Check out OWC for drives, tutorials, and toolkits.
    Try using OmniDiskSweeper 1.8 or GrandPerspective to search your drive for large files and where they are located.

  • What is the "Other" category under storage and how can i delete items from this?

    My disc is almost full.  "About this Mac" says that I have 47 GB of "Other."  What is this Other and how can I delete items from this?

    For information about the Other category in the Storage display, see this support article.
    Empty the Trash if you haven't already done so. If you use iPhoto, empty its internal Trash first:
    iPhoto ▹ Empty Trash
    Do the same in other applications, such as Aperture, that have an internal Trash feature. Then reboot. That will temporarily free up some space.
    According to Apple documentation, you need at least 9 GB of available space on the startup volume (as shown in the Finder Info window) for normal operation. You also need enough space left over to allow for growth of the data. There is little or no performance advantage to having more available space than the minimum Apple recommends. Available storage space that you'll never use is wasted space.
    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 asBackups. 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. Reboot and it should go away.
    See this support article for some simple ways to free up storage space.
    You can more effectively use a tool such as OmniDiskSweeper (ODS) to explore the volume and find out what's taking up the space. You can also delete files with it, but don't do that unless you're sure that you know what you're deleting and that all data is safely backed up. That means you have multiple backups, not just one.
    Deleting files inside an iPhoto or Aperture library will corrupt the library. Any changes to a photo library must be made from within the application that created it. The same goes for Mail files.
    Proceed further only if the problem isn't solved by the above steps.
    ODS can't see the whole filesystem when you run it just by double-clicking; it only sees files that you have permission to read. To see everything, you have to run it as root.
    Back up all data now.
    If you have more than one user account, make sure you're logged in as an administrator. The administrator account is the one that was created automatically when you first set up the computer.
    Install ODS in the Applications folder as usual. Quit it if it's running.
    Triple-click anywhere in the line of text below on this page to select it, then copy the selected text to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination command-C:
    sudo /Applications/OmniDiskSweeper.app/Contents/MacOS/OmniDiskSweeper
    Launch the built-in Terminal application in any of the following ways:
    ☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)
    ☞ In the Finder, select Go ▹ Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.
    ☞ Open LaunchPad. Click Utilities, then Terminal in the icon grid.
    Paste into the Terminal window (command-V). You'll be prompted for your login password, which won't be displayed when you type it. You may get a one-time warning to be careful. If you see a message that your username "is not in the sudoers file," then you're not logged in as an administrator.
    The application window will open, eventually showing all files in all folders, sorted by size with the largest at the top. It may take a few minutes for ODS to finish scanning.
    I don't recommend that you make a habit of doing this. Don't delete anything while running ODS as root. If something needs to be deleted, make sure you know what it is and how it got there, and then delete it by other, safer, means. When in doubt, leave it alone or ask for guidance.
    When you're done with ODS, quit it and also quit Terminal.

  • HT201364 You need 4.93 GB of available space. I cannot download OS X Mavericks. I obtain the following answer: Remove items from your startup disk to increase available space. How do I know what items I should remove in order to make more space available?

    You need 4.93 GB of available space. I cannot download OS X Mavericks for I obtain the following answer: Remove items from your startup disk to increase available space. How do I know what items I should remove in order to make more space available? Thanks.

    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.
    Other things you can do to gain space.
    Once you have around 15 GBs regained, do a search, download and install OmniDisk Sweeper.
    This app will help you locate files that you can move/archive and/or delete from your system.
    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.
    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!

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