IMac start-up disk suddenly becomes full
Hello!
I've got iMac 27 model id: iMac13,2 with 1TB disk with all latest software updates installed. All my files and folders normally count up to 300 GB, so around of 700 GB are free. But some time ago, I saw that my disk is full, 999,2 GB is used. DaisyDisk shows that I have 999,2 GB used, of which files and folder are only 250 or so GB and what is the rest is unknown.
Info in 'About this Mac' -> Storage shows that there is something marked as 'Other' that takes around 750 GB. After few hours the space frees up by itself. And this may repeat 3 or 4 times a week.
The most popular solution on the Internet for the problem when the disk comes full by itself is to switch off Time Machine, that creates local backups while external storage is unavailable. But Time Machine at this Mac is totally switched off so it can't be a reason.
Yesterday it was again 999,2 GB full, but now 700 GB is free. I have run a Hardware test and everything is OK.
What can be a problem? The only thing I suspect is disk malfunction.
To remove files from the 'Other' section you may try resetting your Mac to factory settings.
First of all, back up your system.
Restart your Mac. Once it restarts and the grey screen appears, press and hold the Command and R keys.
Select Disk Utility and click Continue.
Select your startup disk on the left and click the Erase tab.
Choose Mac OS Extended (Journaled) from the Format menu, enter a name, and then click Erase.
Select Reinstall OS X, click Continue, and then follow the instructions on your screen.
Similar Messages
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Error - start up disk is almost full
Bought this iMac not quite a year ago. I had very few files - some pictures and music mostly. Tried to update ANYTHING and kept receiving "start up disk is almost full". Burned pictures to disc and deleted them. Also, accidentally deleted all music as well. I am still receiving the error message. I called Apple and removing media files was their suggestion as well. I have no idea what to do next - I have no "tech savvy"
Processor 2.7 GHz Intel Core i5
Memory 8 GB 1333 MHz DDR3
Software Mac OS X Lion 10.7.2 (11C74)Okay, so for some reason your hard disk is literally just about out of space. Your OS needs about 10 - 15 GB of space empty at all times to function properly, so you'll need to take this somewhat seriously since you only have 1 GB left.
Before I forget: have you regularly emptied your trash bin?? If not, see how much is in there - if it is a lot, you might want to take out some of it temporarily and then start deleting. If you have a lot in there, it may choke on trying to delete it all, so do it in smaller batches.
Also, you can download Whatsize:
http://whatsizemac.com/
It will help you figure out what is hogging all your space (and help getting rid of it). Since you have to little space, you may need to get rid of some stuff just to make room for the file you want to download and run. -
I deleted files from my MacBook Air after it said my start up disk was almost full. It did several xs, then the color wheel wouldn't stop spinning, so I closed it. Then after a sufficient amount of time, I tried to start it up again, only now the Apple start up wheel just spins non stop and nothing else happens. How or what can I do to get my MacBook Air to work again, without having to take it in? Thanks so much!
Backup your MBA then take it to Apple
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When I bought my Mac Air OSX Version 10.9.2 my daughter helped me migrate the contents of my previous macbook. But in the process seems to have duplicated the iTunes library - How do I get rid of one. The start up disk is almost full and plus it doesn't synch properly with my iPhone 4S. Please help!
Hello nicky:
You should run repair disk from your software install DVD before you try anything else. The crash may have damaged some of your directories - and a possible cause of the "missing/not missing" tunes.
Barry -
I keep getting the message saying that my start up disk is nearly full and I have been deleting as many files as I can but now I find that actually it isn't my photos which I thought it might be, I have no music, videos or movies downloaded and just a small amount of document files. It seems that I have 91.56 GB of files in 'other' does anyone know what they might be and how I find out what they are?
ThanksSee here for answer about what is taking up space:
http://pondini.org/TM/30.html
and here:
http://pondini.org/OSX/DiskSpace.html
Seen in your "about this MAC" under storage as "OTHER -
i have a mac os x ver. 10.5.8 2x2.8 quad. my start up disk is almost full. can i change my start up disk from the original hard drive to an additional hard drive i added in Bay 4?
Always want to keep the boot drive with more free space than may seem necessary for performance and to function at its best, 30-40% free or even 50% is not excessive.
Ideal is to separate your system from your data.
You should always have bootable backup / clone of your system
Don't use a green drive for system or data though.
When you are done cloning system and/or data, remove the old original and keep as backup.
Then move the system drive to #1 - no matter what you want to reset the default boot volume to where the system is.
Using Cloning as a Backup Strategy
Carbon Copy Cloner 3.4.1
http://www.bombich.com/software/updates/ccc-3.5.html
How to clone your system:
http://macperformanceguide.com/Mac-HowToClone-backup.html
http://macperformanceguide.com/Mac-HowToClone.html
http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/7032/carbon-copy-cloner
http://www.macperformanceguide.com/blog/2012/20120711_2-MacPro-internal-clone-ba ckup.html
How to relocate system and user data to another drive:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4337
By staying with 10.5.8 you are not going to receive security updates, might want to consider 10.6.8. -
Hi, Im new to Apple MacBook PRO. I have saved about 50GB files plus applications and message advises that my start up disk is almost full! My MacBook pro has a 500GB hard drive so don't know why this message is coming up. Please help.
MacBook Pro
https://discussions.apple.com/community/notebooks/macbook_pro
https://discussions.apple.com/community/mac_os/mac_os_x_v10.7_lion?view=discussi ons -
For a while now my computer has been saying " Start up disk is nearly full", however I don't have a lot of stuff saved on the computer I moved a lot to a flash drive, and all the other stuff are songs and recently saved essays for school. I have and frequently empty my trash can. I have researched this before and i see a lot of things that say get a external hard drive, but before I go and purchase one I want to make sure there is no other, simpler way, to solve this problem. Help Please.
You need an external drive so you can free up disk space. Right or control click the MacintoshHD icon. Click Get Info. In the Get Info window you will see Capacity and Available. Make sure you have a minimum of 15% free disk space.
Freeing space on your Mac OS X startup disk -
What data do I need to remove as I am getting alerts that my start-up disk is almost full?
What data do I need to remove from my laptop as I am getting alerts that my start-up disk is almost full. I have been deleting emails (I still have 4000+ in my inbox).
Also, I have been unable to download software updates nor been able to download more photos from my iPhone because there is too much on my hard drive. I don't know what to delete. I have no books or movies on laptop.
Thanks-----this is my maiden attempt for online discussion support.Read here > Freeing space on your Mac OS X startup disk
And here > Freeing Up Hard Disk Space - Mac Guides
For iTunes you can back up your library...
iTunes: Back up your iTunes library by copying to an external hard drive
Or burn iTunes media to CD/DVD's > How to back up your media in iTunes -
Running slow... said my start-up disk memory was full and I'm only using 200GB of 1TB hard drive.
How do you know you only have 200GB on your disk?
Where did my Disk Space go?
http://macmost.com/what-to-do-when-your-hard-drive-is-full.html
OmniDiskSweeper is a good program to see what's taking up space: http://www.omnigroup.com/products/omnidisksweeper/ -
My start up disk is nearly full how do I fix this?
My start up disk is nearly full how do I fix this?
Freeing Up Space on The Hard Drive
See Lion's Storage Display.
You can remove data from your Home folder except for the /Home/Library/ folder.
Visit The XLab FAQs and read the FAQ on freeing up space on your hard drive.
Also see Freeing space on your Mac OS X startup disk.
See Where did my Disk Space go?.
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. -
My start up disk says almost full
I keep getting an error that says "your start up disk is almost full you need to delete some files"
Hope this helps.
1. Empty Trash.
http://support.apple.com/kb/PH10677
2. 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.
3. Repair Disk
Steps 1 through 7
http://support.apple.com/kb/PH5836
4. For more on this and very helpful tips:
http://pondini.org/OSX/DiskSpace.html
http://pondini.org/OSX/LionStorage.html -
Your start up disk is almost full
error message your start up disk is almost full and computer keeps crashing. Have erased loads of files and still get the same error message
Hope this helps.
1. Empty Trash.
http://support.apple.com/kb/PH10677
2. 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.
3. Repair Disk
Steps 1 through 7
http://support.apple.com/kb/PH5836
4. Disk space / Time Machine ?/ Local Snapshots
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4878
5. Re-index Macintosh HD
System Preferences > Spotlight > Privacy
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht2409 -
Received a message that my start up disk is almost full. Where do I locate my start up disk / files and how do I know what i can delete from this folder to make more space?
Start up disk is the main, and only, internal disk of your computer.
I hope you know what you saved on it, so you also know what can be removed -
How do I restore the warning "Start Up Disk is Almost Full"
Hey,
i accidentally checkt the box, to not show the warning "Start Up Disk is Almost Full" again.
Now i want the warning to show again, if the disk is full.
Thank you for helping.Drag them to Trash and emoty Trash
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