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Backup taking over 100GB on Mac!?

M

Macaroooon

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Sep 9, 2012
378
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CGuPfDM.jpg


I backed up my mac today, however I had to delete the old backup from my external hard drive as I had no space for the new one. I was happy to do this.

Anyway, my mac is now backed up and the external hard drive is now disconnected, but for ages when it tried to empty my trash the old backup I'd dragged from my external hard drive just wouldn't delete.

It's been deleted now but when I check how much space my mac has 182.15 GB is taken up with backups and I don't know where they are and why they are on my laptop.. I'm trying to make space!
 
This is actually normal believe it or not. It's a feature called local time machine. But usually when you start running low on disk space it should delete some of it to make room.

Here's Apple's explanation. http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4878?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US

There is a command to remove them though, as seen here.

I haven't seen it get quite that big, but mine has gotten to 80GB or so before.

Here's a reference of backups on a week old mac with a few drives attached.


But really you shouldn't have to worry about it. What does the finder say if you go to your hard disk and get info for the size? It will likely be different.

Note the difference in reported space available.
 
BrettApple said:
This is actually normal believe it or not. It's a feature called local time machine. But usually when you start running low on disk space it should delete some of it to make room.

Here's Apple's explanation. http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4878?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US

There is a command to remove them though, as seen here.

I haven't seen it get quite that big, but mine has gotten to 80GB or so before.

Here's a reference of backups on a week old mac with a few drives attached.
[url=http://i.imgur.com/TQeyaIb.png]Image[/URL]

But really you shouldn't have to worry about it. What does the finder say if you go to your hard disk and get info for the size? It will likely be different.
[url=http://i.imgur.com/SSQjdB9.png]Image[/URL]
Note the difference in reported space available.
Click to expand...

Thanks! Yes I checked and theres 232.29GB Available! Awesome! :)
 
Macaroooon said:
Thanks! Yes I checked and theres 232.29GB Available! Awesome! :)
Click to expand...

Good explanation from Brett on what is going on there. If you want you can just turn Time Machine off then back on and it will zero out that Backups space. Or, just ignore it and the OS will manage the space.
 
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