Disk Utility "Erase Free Space" used up my whole HD and stalled! HELP!

riklrask · Dec 27, 2008, 02:37 PM

I used to love my mac, but right now i hate it so much.

So i've just been having a tonne of problems and now i have a huge one.

I went into disk utility to "erase free space" on my Internal HD and my 79GB that i did have free was slowly eaten up while disk utility ran. Now it reached "Creating temporary file" and stalled leaving me with ZERO space on my hard drive. it is completely filled up and disk utility isn't working. wtf?

can someone please please please help me out?

shwc · Dec 27, 2008, 03:04 PM

boot off of install disks.
Trash the temp file.
I believe that "erase free space" writes over the free space by means of a temporary file which is then deleted. Not sure why the process stalled for you.

Rijksband · Mar 5, 2009, 09:42 AM

I am having the same problem! I'm trying to use spotlight to search for files made today...this stupid diskutil has filled up my disk too! How do I get rid of this temp file?

Whats the file name? File extension? How can I search for it?

Jethryn Freyman · Mar 5, 2009, 03:59 PM

When this happened to me, all I had to do was restart. Have you tried that?

Wowzera · Mar 5, 2009, 04:13 PM

http://www.omnigroup.com/applications/omnidisksweeper/
Try it. If Disk Utility created a huge file hidden somewhere, then you this program to sort all your files by size.
Should work!
Good Luck!

MachadoAMDG · Dec 27, 2012, 03:32 AM

Almost 4 years after the original poster I did the same thing and you guys saved my butt! Thanks for the suggestions and the omnidisksweeper is a great tool. I was able to complete what I was trying to do when erasing my free space with the omnidisksweeper. I didn't understand fully what the computer was doing when erasing free space. I will figure out what I am doing better before I do anything next time. Thanks again, you guys rock.

Dec 27, 2008, 02:37 PM	#1
riklrask macrumors newbie Join Date: Dec 2008	Disk Utility "Erase Free Space" used up my whole HD and stalled! HELP! I used to love my mac, but right now i hate it so much. So i've just been having a tonne of problems and now i have a huge one. I went into disk utility to "erase free space" on my Internal HD and my 79GB that i did have free was slowly eaten up while disk utility ran. Now it reached "Creating temporary file" and stalled leaving me with ZERO space on my hard drive. it is completely filled up and disk utility isn't working. wtf? can someone please please please help me out?
	0

Dec 27, 2008, 03:04 PM	#2
shwc macrumors regular Join Date: Jul 2005	boot off of install disks. Trash the temp file. I believe that "erase free space" writes over the free space by means of a temporary file which is then deleted. Not sure why the process stalled for you. __________________ MBP, Mid-2010, Core i7, 2.66GHz 15" MBP SR, 2.4GHz, 4GB, 15" MP, 2X dual core 3GHz, 6GB, FX4500, 20" CD
	0

Mar 5, 2009, 09:42 AM	#3
Rijksband macrumors newbie Join Date: Jul 2007	What file? Where? I am having the same problem! I'm trying to use spotlight to search for files made today...this stupid diskutil has filled up my disk too! How do I get rid of this temp file? Whats the file name? File extension? How can I search for it?
	0

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Neither Disk Utility nor Boot Camp are working	sclomps	Windows, Linux & others on the Mac	6	Oct 10, 2011 02:43 AM
Disk Utility Replacement	caen1	Mac OS X 10.7 Lion	16	Aug 30, 2011 04:49 PM
Problem with "erase free space" in disk utility	BMAC5927	Mac OS X	2	Oct 11, 2010 03:39 PM
Snow Leopard messed up my external HD and Time Machine Partition?!	drummerboy03	Mac Basics and Help	6	Sep 15, 2009 02:08 AM
Can Windows viruses fill up my Mac's HD and affect the OS X environment?	amin	Windows, Linux & others on the Mac	3	Aug 17, 2006 09:41 PM

Mar 5, 2009, 03:59 PM	#4
Jethryn Freyman macrumors 68020 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Australia	When this happened to me, all I had to do was restart. Have you tried that?
	0

Mar 5, 2009, 04:13 PM	#5
Wowzera macrumors 6502a Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Brazil	http://www.omnigroup.com/applications/omnidisksweeper/ Try it. If Disk Utility created a huge file hidden somewhere, then you this program to sort all your files by size. Should work! Good Luck!
	0

Dec 27, 2012, 03:32 AM	#6
MachadoAMDG macrumors newbie Join Date: Dec 2012	Almost 4 years after the original poster I did the same thing and you guys saved my butt! Thanks for the suggestions and the omnidisksweeper is a great tool. I was able to complete what I was trying to do when erasing my free space with the omnidisksweeper. I didn't understand fully what the computer was doing when erasing free space. I will figure out what I am doing better before I do anything next time. Thanks again, you guys rock.
	0


MacRumors Forums > Apple Applications > Mac Applications and Mac App Store