HT204146 My MacBook Air is always telling me that my start up disk is full or fairly full. Will iTunes match alleviate this problem? I have an iCloud account.
My MacBook Air is always telling me that my start up disk is full or nearly full. Will iTunes match alleviate the problem of storage on my Hard Drive? I have an iCloud account.
It could, but I wouldn't. You really need two external hard drives (one to act as a backup for the other one). Relocate your entire iTunes library to the external drive unless there are things you would prefer to simply archive (movies you don't need to watch everyday).
FAQ: Why iTunes Match Can Not Be Used as a Backup - https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-4112
Using Match as a backup for iTunes - https://discussions.apple.com/message/17039436#17039436
To move a library if you use iTunes' default preferences settings: Copy the entire iTunes folder (and in doing so all its sub-folders and files) intact to the other drive. Hold down the option (alt) key (shift on Windows) and open iTunes. At the prompt to create or choose a library choose the copied iTunes folder.
Similar Messages
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I am having problems gettting my mail to work ... Mac telling me that my start up disk id full and to delete some files to free up space ... have done this but when i open mail from the dock it just brings up the colour wheel and nothing happening ... it shows when you right click on the mail icon that " application not responding"
If your hard drive is getting full, you need to free up, at least, 20 GBs of space on your iMac's hard drive.
If your Mac is running a fairly recent version of OS X, here are some general guidelines.
Follow some of my tips for cleaning out, deleting and archiving data from your Mac's internal hard drive.
Have you emptied your iMac's Trash icon in the Dock?
If you use iPhoto, iPhoto has its own trash that needs to be emptied, also.
If you use Apple Mail app, Apple Mail also has its own trash area that needs to be emptied, too!
Other things you can do to gain space.
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 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.
Download an app called OnyX for your version of OS X.
When you install and launch it, let it run the automatic ans S.M,A.R.T. tests, then go to the cleaning and maintenance tabs and run the tabs that have the ability to 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! -
When I search a file called start up disc, nothing shows up. How do I delete files so when my computer starts up, I no longer get a message stating that my start up disc is full and that I need to delete some files?
There is a boot drive inside the computer and it's storage space is filled up.
You need to create a external storage drive and transfer some of your files off the internal boot drive.
TimeMachine doesn't work for this as it's just a rotating backup image of what's on your boot drive, it's not a storage drive for more space and to save things permanently.
So what you need to do is get three external drives from the office or computer store.
I suggest 3-4 separate drives at 1TB each (or more capacity if you really got a lot of stuff), USB 2 is currently fine, the newer USB 3's are more expensive but your Mac doesn't have USB 3 ports, so get the less expensive USB 2 drives and save some money. If you can get Firewire 800/USB combination drives, those would be a better choice as Firewire 800 is the fastest for most Mac's. Only the very new ones have Thunderbolt and the new drives for that are rare and expensive.
Make sure they are self powered drives with their own power supply, not port powered as those are a bit flaky as Apple can just determine the device is drawing too much current from the computer and turn it off.
Note: sometimes if your computer is so full, you might actually have to delete some files in order to be able to get it to function transferring files, so pick ones that you can get new copies again, like free iTunes podcasts or movies for instance.
TimeMachine Drive
The first drive you connect to the Mac is going to pop up a window to ask if you want to make this a "TimeMachine Drive" go ahead and allow it to do that, it's backing up everything on your internal boot drive, it's going to take a long time.
Once it's finished, disconnect this TimeMachine drive and label it as a "TimeMachine Drive"
Extra space /Storage drives
The second drive you connect is going to be your "extra storage drive" basically to free up space off the internal boot drive by transferring files to it.
Formatting:
You first need to format this drive, you use Disk Utility in the Applications> Utilities folder.
On the left will be the 'name of the drive' + "media" click that and then click the Partition tab
Now click 1 Partition, Option: GUID, format OS X Extended (Journaled), give it a name like "StorageOne" and click Apply.
Now click the Erase Tab and Security Option> Zero All Data and click Erase (use the same name) this will take a long time, like 2 hours per 1TB. It's going to check the drive for any errors and make sure it's working.
Note: If the drive fails to format, then perform the Zero All Data first, then visit the Partition tab.
Once the second drive is finished, then do the third drive in the same manner, this time naming it "StorageTwo"
Transferring Data off to the Extra Storage drive
Connect only StorageOne drive and visit your User/Movies folder, it's likely the biggest culprit of oversized files. Create a new folder on the StorageOne drive called "ExtraMovies" and transfer the contents of User/Movies to the "ExtraMovies" folder via drag and drop methods.
Confirm the files were transferred and then delete those movies by dragging them to your Trash can and selecting "Empty Trash" from the Finder menu (if you select Secure Empty Trash on large files it takes a really long time to finish as it's scrubbing the drive, likely unnecessary except for sensitive files)
If you have a large amount of User/Files elsewhere, you will have to search yourself and repeat the same steps to free up room on your internal boot drive.
Once you have made some free space, download this free program to help you visualize where all your space is being taken up.
http://grandperspectiv.sourceforge.net/#download
Once you have completed moving files to the StorageOne drive, connect StorageTwo and copy the contents of StorageOne folders to StorageTwo drive. Both drives have to be connected of course.
Rule of thumb
Maintain TWO separate hardware copies of your User data at ALL TIMES
Because you need more room, thus the storage drives are for extra space. The TimeMachine drive is a backup of your internal boot drive and the second storage drive is a backup copy of the first storage drive. So that way your sticking with the rule of thumb, get it?
Don't connect TimeMachine while your transferring files, or formatting drives, you don't want it to "kick in" while your doing all this heavy work or transferring a large amount of files, I think it does so every hour, which you are going to taking quite some time to do all this work.
Once your all done making room and copying files to the Storage drives, disconnect them and label them and date them.
Reconnect TimeMachine drive
Then connect the TimeMachine drive and it will make a NEW backup of your now newer configuration on your boot drive and keep it updated every time you connect it.
Again, TimeMachine is NOT a storage drive for permanent keeping of data, it deletes old stuff as time progresses. So even though you can "go back in time" and recover a file you transferred then deleted off the your internal boot drive, it won't keep everything forever like a storage drive can.
Consider Cloning your boot drive.
TimeMachine drives can only restore, they are not bootable like a clone is, so a TimeMachine drive isn't a heck of a lot of help if your hard drive fails to boot the computer, so a "hold the option key bootable clone" made with third party software is a very useful as you get to use the computer just like it was before and can get online, grab files off the internal drive and so forth. Even erase and reverse cloning!
The trick with a clone is you make one and keep it disconnected, updating it from time to time. If a software update or install hoses your machine, you can option boot off the clone, grab the latest copy of your files and reverse clone the clone with the updated files back onto your OS X partition, reboot the computer and it's like nothing happened.
It's a advanced technique, you will have to learn a lot more perhaps before attempting it, but it's a lifesaver.
Cloning requires another separate external hard drive and free cloning software.
You can read more about it all here. Take your time, you have a lot to absorb.
https://discussions.apple.com/message/16276201#16276201 -
Macbook air won't turn on and the screen will go white. It says that the start up disk is full. HELP
When I turn my macbook air on it sends me a message saying that my start up disk is full and that I have to free up some space. When I log in into my account the screen will go white and I won't be able to do anything. I tried to restart my computer in safemode holding down the shift key while restarting it but it won't work. HELP PLEASE.
If you could boot from an external OS X boot drive then you could delete some files. You probably don't have such a HDD/Thumb drive but a Genius at an Apple Store or an Apple Authorized Service Provider could help you. This is not a hardware repair so a Genius should not need to charge you for this service.
Genius reservation http://www.apple.com/retail/geniusbar/ .
or find an Apple Authorized Service Provider https://locate.apple.com/country
After it is healthy again I would buy a new external HDD and use Carbon Copy Clone or Super Duper! to create a bootable clone. Keeping a clone current is also an excellent backup methodology in addition to Time Machine.
Commonly used backup methods:
https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3045
Methodology to protect your data. Backups vs. Archives. Long-term data protection -
HT201364 my macbook air states "start-uP disk is full" how do i fix this?
my macbook air states "start-uP disk is full" how do i fix this?
Welcome to Apple Support Communities
You need to remove files. First, if OS X does not get into Desktop and you only see that message, turn off your Mac and hold the Shift key while your Mac is starting up to start up in safe mode.
There are different things you can do in order to get free space in the MacBook Air hard drive. Have a look at this website > http://thexlab.com/faqs/freeingspace.html
Apart from that, you can also delete personal files or move them to an external drive -
I really don't have time to go into the Apple Store, does anyone know how to clear up some space on my start-up disc?
You might read through this.....it will mean deleteing some stuff though....
http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/freeingspace.html -
mac keeps showing me that my start up disk is full. what can other be???
Where did my Disk Space go?
Slimming your hard drive
OmniDiskSweeper is a free utility that checks HD space.
FreeSpace cost $1 or is a free utility that checks HD space.
SpaceControl is a free utility that checks HD space. -
My macbook air won't load. Says start up disk is full but I can't get the home page to open
My Macbook air won't load. Says the start up disk is full but won't open the home page so I can do anything about it
Step 1
The first step in dealing with a startup failure is to secure the data. If you want to preserve the contents of the startup drive, and you don't already have at least one current backup, you must try to back up now, before you do anything else. It may or may not be possible. If you don't care about the data that has changed since the last backup, you can skip this step.
There are several ways to back up a Mac that is unable to start. You need an external hard drive to hold the backup data.
a. Start up from the Recovery partition, or from a local Time Machine backup volume (option key at startup.) When the OS X Utilities screen appears, launch Disk Utility and follow the instructions in this support article, under “Instructions for backing up to an external hard disk via Disk Utility.” The article refers to starting up from a DVD, but the procedure in Recovery mode is the same. You don't need a DVD if you're running OS X 10.7 or later.
b. If Step 1a fails because of disk errors, and no other Mac is available, then you may be able to salvage some of your files by copying them in the Finder. If you already have an external drive with OS X installed, start up from it. Otherwise, if you have Internet access, follow the instructions on this page to prepare the external drive and install OS X on it. You'll use the Recovery installer, rather than downloading it from the App Store.
c. If you have access to a working Mac, and both it and the non-working Mac have FireWire or Thunderbolt ports, start the non-working Mac in target disk mode. Use the working Mac to copy the data to another drive. This technique won't work with USB, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth.
d. If the internal drive of the non-working Mac is user-replaceable, remove it and mount it in an external enclosure or drive dock. Use another Mac to copy the data.
Step 2
You might be able to start up in safe mode even though you can't start up normally. Otherwise, start up from an external drive, or else use the technique in Step 1b, 1c, or 1d to mount the internal drive and delete some files. 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. -
How to fix macbook air that is frozen after log in, it says start up disk is full.
Hi! Im getting an error message on my macbook air that the start up disk is full, so i trashed some files and this morning when i turn it on it still says the same error message, and just freezes upon log in.. it wont let me do anything, it only display blank screen. plaese help. thanks.
Hi Laiwin,
What did you delete? Did you by any chance delete anything out of the /Library or /System folder off the root level of the drive? Probably the best option is startup the computer and then immediately hit Command + V. This will boot into Verbos mode. When does the boot process stop? What does it say? This will help tell us where it is failing in the boot process. -
How do i mirror my macbook air with apple tv now that i have mountain lion
how do i mirror my macbook air with apple tv now that i have mountain lion
Settings-display-look at the bottom for an airplay menu and select your apple tv
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When I connect my iPod Touch to a new laptop (Macbook Air) the "Info" tab won't appear and therefore I cannot sync it with my new iTunes. How can I sync this iPod with the iTunes on my new laptop?
There is no Info tab in Mavericks
if you use OS X v.10.8.5 or earlier. If you use OS X Mavericks v.10.9 or later, your contacts, calendars, and other info are updated on your computers and iOS devices via iCloud. For more information, see iCloud Help at icloud.com.
iTunes 11 for Mac: Sync contacts, calendars, and other info with iPod, iPhone, or iPad -
I have just recently bought a MacBook Air. I am looking for an email which I put into a folder on my Mac Pro. The smart folders have come across to the Air, but not the 'On my Mac' folders. Are they lost?
Are you sure that the "On My Mac" folders weren't empty? If all your mail accounts are IMAP, they may have been.
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I have a new MacBook Air with Yosemite (no CD/DVD capacity). I want to install Photoshop Elements 6. Can I do this with the serial number? If pse 6 is not compatible, can I upgrade to pse 7. I do not need pse 12 or 13
I cannot answer regarding compatibility, but there is no download available for PSE6 if you would need one for this. You might be able to copy the installation files from a disk to some other removable media that the machine accepts. Upgrading to PSE7 would not be possible mainly because Adobe does not sell older versions of their software.
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my macbook air won't turn on.. last night it was still working properly... when i woke up this morning, i went to turn it on but it didn't respond..i tried plugging the charger and the lightning cord showed a green light which is normal when charging..i tried to open the macbook air again but nothing happened.. no fans, no chimes, no light in the laptop showed..what should i do? please help..thank you
Welcome to Apple Support Communities
A green light means that your battery is full or that it can't be detected. If you can't start up the Mac, probably your logic board or battery aren't working.
Take the MacBook to an Apple Store or reseller to get your battery or logic board replaced. If the MacBook is in warranty, this repair will be free -
I have an icloud account and can access my numbers documents on my mac at home and iphone by clicking on the numbers icon and these saved documents appear
I now have a macbook air on which I have icloud but when I click the numbers icon I can't find my saved documents
Any ideas ?Hello mikebundy,
Let's double check to make sure everything is setup correctly, please see the following resource:
iCloud: Use Documents in the Cloud with OS X v10.8
http://support.apple.com/kb/PH12514
To use Documents in the Cloud with your Mac apps, Documents & Data must be turned on in iCloud preferences.
Turn on Documents in the Cloud
- Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click iCloud.
- If you are not already signed in, sign in with the Apple ID you use with iCloud.
- Turn on Documents & Data.
Thanks,
Matt M.
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