114GB went missing? Macbook Pro help! Ghost files??

[Finn91]

So I looked everywhere and I can't seem to find a solution.

Specs:
Macbook Pro
OSX
10.6.8
250GB

I tried to partition my Mac to run Windows ( I'm looking to get a few PC games ).
I'm still unsure how to do it but that's not the point; I basically didn't realize I had bootcamp and tried to partition the harddrive through disk utility.
Well as it was separating the 114 GB from the first HD, the computer froze for a bit. So I hit the emergency shutdown and restarted it.

Now I apparently only have 14GB left with 235GB used up.

Well I look and look and I can't seem to find the partitioned drive or what files coud be taking up such a large space.


I restarted the computer numerous times after every action taken.

I erased free space.

I repaired my permissions, verified my permissions, I think the only thing I haven't done is "verify disk" would that work??

I don't have the funds at the moment but I found a free program that can graph where I'm using my space--though I don't think it can track the "ghost files"....

Just typing down everything I've done already so it's clear.

I hope someone can help.

 

[GGJstudios]

For space issues, there are a few things you can try:

• Begin by restarting your computer as a first step. This sometimes resolves issues.
• Search with Finder to see if the space is being consumed by a very large file or several large files. Adjust the 50GB in the illustration to whatever size you deem appropriate.
  
  
• For Time Machine users on Lion, Time Machine local snapshots may be consuming space.
• Use DiskInventory X (pre-Lion), OmniDiskSweeper, JDisk Report or GrandPerspective to see how space is being used on your drive. Some of these apps may show more detail than others, so try several.

 

[Finn91]

For space issues, there are a few things you can try:

• Begin by restarting your computer as a first step. This sometimes resolves issues.
• Search with Finder to see if the space is being consumed by a very large file or several large files. Adjust the 50GB in the illustration to whatever size you deem appropriate.
  
  
• For Time Machine users on Lion, Time Machine local snapshots may be consuming space.
• Use DiskInventory X (pre-Lion), OmniDiskSweeper, JDisk Report or GrandPerspective to see how space is being used on your drive. Some of these apps may show more detail than others, so try several.

I did everything you said, jdisk seemed to be the only program to give me something other than the amount of disk space JUST in my 1st HD.

Jdisk asked what to scan, my Macbook and an HD labeled as "/" were listed.
I can't seem to find the "/" though and when I scan it, the bar goes maybe 10% of progress and stops moving.
( I scanned the other to see if it was working right and it did just fine. )

Could the "/" HD be the partitioned one? Thank you for answering by the way.

 

[theSeb]

Go into Disk Utility, click on your hard drive and post the screenshot of what you see.

 

[Finn91]

Go into Disk Utility, click on your hard drive and post the screenshot of what you see.

Here you go

 

[Finn91]

sorry to be rude but it's 6am and I need to sleep.
please post any help and I'll come back in the morning.

 

[Hansr]

Here you go

Post what's on the erase tab.

 

[0000757]

sorry to be rude but it's 6am and I need to sleep.
please post any help and I'll come back in the morning.

Curious, but can you post a screenshot of your partition? You can get that by doing this:

I just want to see it.

 

[theSeb]

Sorry, I should have been more specific. You need to click on the Hard Drive itself (you've clicked on a partition, the hard drive is one above) and then click on the Partition tab.

Edit: beaten by a minute with screenshots. Follow what chrf097 said.

 

[Finn91]

Sorry, I should have been more specific. You need to click on the Hard Drive itself (you've clicked on a partition, the hard drive is one above) and then click on the Partition tab.

Edit: beaten by a minute with screenshots. Follow what chrf097 said.

Curious, but can you post a screenshot of your partition? You can get that by doing this:

I just want to see it.

oh it's fine here.

 

[Steve.P.JobsFan]

It's normal for it to freeze while partitioning the drive with the Boot Camp Assistant. My iMac froze for 10 minutes while partitioning the drive. You may have things botched badly. From what I can remember, I believe OS X will store a file on the drive that's however large as the partition. In this case, it's made a file that's 114 GB. Backup, format, and reinstall.

 

[Finn91]

It's normal for it to freeze while partitioning the drive with the Boot Camp Assistant. My iMac froze for 10 minutes while partitioning the drive. You may have things botched badly. From what I can remember, I believe OS X will store a file on the drive that's however large as the partition. In this case, it's made a file that's 114 GB. Backup, format, and reinstall.

I'm sorry if I'm slow with this but how would I "backup, format, and reinstall"?

 

[theSeb]

I'm sorry if I'm slow with this but how would I "backup, format, and reinstall"?

I think he is on the money. You could just delete this file, but I have no idea where it's hidden. It will be somewhere in a system directory. By backing up he means using an external disk and backing up using Time Machine.

Have you tried to follow the steps below to see if bootcamp assistant can figure out what to do?

http://www.mymacosx.com/tricks-and-tips/macosx-delete-boot-camp-partition.html

If this does not work, we can try something else.

Edit: I think I now know where the files are located, but try the method above first. Google tells me that it may work.

 

[Finn91]

I think he is on the money. You could just delete this file, but I have no idea where it's hidden. It will be somewhere in a system directory. By backing up he means using an external disk and backing up using Time Machine.

Have you tried to follow the steps below to see if bootcamp assistant can figure out what to do?

http://www.mymacosx.com/tricks-and-tips/macosx-delete-boot-camp-partition.html

If this does not work, we can try something else.

I tried but bootcamp doesn't recognize any new partition. So should try simply wiping my whole computer clean?

 

[thundersteele]

Edit: I think I now know where the files are located, but try the method above first. Google tells me that it may work.

How about

sudo du -h -d1 /

and then proceed as explained in your other post. It should be possible to locate the file if it can be found at all.

 

[theSeb]

Sure, that will work, but it will require a couple of posts back and forth. I prefer fire and forget solutions

 

[fullojellybeans]

If you could do two things.

Screenshot the following:

/Users

~/Users/Library (if you're using library go to finder "go to folder" type in "~/Library"

I'm wondering if Mail has an issue with a "recovered file" repeating itself.

Honestly I would just use omnidisksweeper because it's a great free utility and it will tell you what's eating the space. Run that and post the screen shot of it then we'll be on to something.

 

[theSeb]

If you could do two things.

Screenshot the following:

/Users

~/Users/Library (if you're using library go to finder "go to folder" type in "~/Library"

I'm wondering if Mail has an issue with a "recovered file" repeating itself.

Honestly I would just use omnidisksweeper because it's a great free utility and it will tell you what's eating the space. Run that and post the screen shot of it then we'll be on to something.

Why send the op on a wild goose chase? If he takes the screenshots you asked for and has the default finder settings, you won't be able to see what you're hoping to see anyway.

I am pretty he has a huge temporary file that osx creates whilst creating the bootcamp partition. He needs to delete this file. It usually sits in var/root/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems

The only way to be sure is to locate where the space has gone. Omnidisksweeper does not show you where these kinds of files are because they are in system directories.

You will need to start Terminal (cmd + space, type Terminal, enter)

First, just to make sure

type in

cd ~
du -h -d1

Paste the output that you have

Then, follow what thundersteele said

sudo du -h -d1 /

You will need to enter your password because you're running the command on hidden and system folders

Paste the output.

 

[Steve.P.JobsFan]

I'm sorry if I'm slow with this but how would I "backup, format, and reinstall"?

Connect an external drive, and run Time Machine. Or, plug in a flash drive, and drag and drop all your files that you want to keep over to it. If you have an iTunes library, then a flash drive isn't for you. Once you get all your files backed up, put the OS X DVD in, and open System Preferences. Click on Startup Disk. Click on the DVD, then on restart. You'll restart into the OS X DVD. Select a language. Then, choose Utilities in the menu bar, then Disk Utility. Click on your hard drive (The one that will say something like 500GB TOSHIBA whatever) Click on format, then make sure it says Mac OS Extended (Journaled). Hit format. When it's done, close Disk Utility. Then, go through the OS X install process.

 

[Finn91]

Why send the op on a wild goose chase? If he takes the screenshots you asked for and has the default finder settings, you won't be able to see what you're hoping to see anyway.

I am pretty he has a huge temporary file that osx creates whilst creating the bootcamp partition. He needs to delete this file. It usually sits in var/root/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems

The only way to be sure is to locate where the space has gone. Omnidisksweeper does not show you where these kinds of files are because they are in system directories.

You will need to start Terminal (cmd + space, type Terminal, enter)

First, just to make sure

type in

cd ~
du -h -d1

Paste the output that you have

Then, follow what thundersteele said

sudo du -h -d1 /

You will need to enter your password because you're running the command on hidden and system folders

Paste the output.

cd ~
du -h -d1

0B ./.config
4.0K ./.cups
26M ./.jagex_cache_32
0B ./.Trash
0B ./.wapi
42M ./Applications
12G ./Desktop
3.3G ./Documents
261M ./Downloads
8.7G ./Library
10G ./Movies
59G ./Music
1.3G ./Pictures
8.0K ./Public
56K ./Sites
95G .


and

sudo du -h -d1 /

100K /.fseventsd
154M /.Spotlight-V100
0B /.Trashes
0B /.vol
3.0G /Applications
3.9M /bin
0B /cores
du: Can't follow symlink cycle from /dev/fd/3 to /dev/fd/3

 

[theSeb]

That's happening because of wonky file permissions. Edit: I think this is a bug in du in Snow Leopard

Let's concentrate on your space issue for now. Everything looks fine in your home folder so...

Do this instead:

sudo du -h -d1 /Library/
<take output>

sudo du -h -d1 /private/
<take output>

 

[Finn91]

That's happening because of wonky file permissions. Edit: I think this is a bug in du in Snow Leopard

Let's concentrate on your space issue for now. Everything looks fine in your home folder so...

Do this instead:

sudo du -h -d1 /Library/
<take output>

sudo du -h -d1 /private/
<take output>

lol ugh

2.5G /Library//Application Support
361M /Library//Audio
12M /Library//Caches
0B /Library//ColorPickers
72K /Library//ColorSync
0B /Library//Components
0B /Library//Compositions
52K /Library//Contextual Menu Items
84M /Library//Desktop Pictures
0B /Library//Developer
164M /Library//Dictionaries
180M /Library//Documentation
0B /Library//Extensions
0B /Library//Filesystems
245M /Library//Fonts
54M /Library//Frameworks
1.4M /Library//Google
0B /Library//Graphics
24M /Library//Image Capture
0B /Library//Input Methods
174M /Library//Internet Plug-Ins
20K /Library//iTunes
4.0K /Library//Java
0B /Library//Keyboard Layouts
124K /Library//Keychains
4.0K /Library//LaunchAgents
8.0K /Library//LaunchDaemons
320K /Library//Logs
92K /Library//Modem Scripts
0B /Library//Mozilla
0B /Library//PDF Services
388K /Library//Perl
1.5M /Library//PreferencePanes
356K /Library//Preferences
688M /Library//Printers
3.2M /Library//PrivateFrameworks
0B /Library//PrivilegedHelperTools
0B /Library//Python
1.1M /Library//QuickLook
5.2M /Library//QuickTime
56M /Library//Receipts
3.0M /Library//Ruby
0B /Library//Sandbox
0B /Library//Screen Savers
1.0M /Library//Scripts
0B /Library//Security
0B /Library//Speech
0B /Library//Spelling
2.2M /Library//Spotlight
508K /Library//StartupItems
682M /Library//Updates
416K /Library//User Pictures
3.3M /Library//WebServer
7.8M /Library//Widgets
5.2G /Library/


and




6.0M /private//etc
0B /private//tftpboot
0B /private//tmp
5.1G /private//var
5.1G /private/


nothing with a significant amount of memory

 

[theSeb]

Ok. Time to try a different approach.

type the following in the command line

sudo find / -size +4096M

This command will find all files bigger than 4 GB

 

[Finn91]

Ok. Time to try a different approach.

type the following in the command line

sudo find / -size +4096M

This command will find all files bigger than 4 GB

find: /dev/fd/3: Not a directory
find: /dev/fd/4: Not a directory

sigh lol I think I should go to a genius bar...

 

[theSeb]

find: /dev/fd/3: Not a directory
find: /dev/fd/4: Not a directory

sigh lol I think I should go to a genius bar...

I am actually discussing another missing space issue with another person on the MBA subforum and it's given me my last thought before I have to admit defeat

Can you tell me what this gives you?

ls -al /Volumes/

This will list the contents of your Volumes directory.