Available space different

[Bennett1984]

Hi there, and apologies for the slightly confusing thread title. I would not make a good newspaper editor.

I'm posting as I wanted to find out if any of you know why the available space given on my brand new macbook pro gets listed as different depending on where you look. The status bar at the bottom of finder states that I have around 230GB of available space on my SSD, which is the correct number I hope. However, when I install applications, or look at my available space in the 'About This Mac' tool, it states I have only around 50GB available. Closer inspection reveals this to be due to 177GB of 'Backups'.

Where are these backup files - shouldn't they be being stored on my external HD that I'm using specifically for Time Machine?

What is the likely cause I believe is that I messed up my iPhoto library import at first, causing it to import over 110,000 photos, when the real number is around 13,000. As deleting large numbers of photos seems to break iPhoto I just deleted the library and used iPhoto Library Manager to merge my old libraries. Are the ghosts of all these photos sitting in my system somewhere? Why would they be listed as backups, and why can only part of OS X see them? Where can I find them?

I've run OmniDiskSweeper on the drive and that also sees about 230GB of unused storage.

Thanks for your help!

 

[maflynn]

Download and run OmniDiskSweeper (its free) It will provide a sorted list of your files/folders and show you where all your space is going. It includes system and hidden folders

The OSX provided one does give you the granularity you need to see how your space is being consumed.

 

[Bennett1984]

I've run OmniDiskSweeper, which does not see these Backup files.

 

[Weaselboy]

I'm posting as I wanted to find out if any of you know why the available space given on my brand new macbook pro gets listed as different depending on where you look.

That is normal and it is because of Time Machine's local backups. The space used by local backups (the purple 177GB in your graphic) is not included in the Finder calculation since this space is available to the user if needed. If your drive reaches 80% full, OS X will shrink that backups space down if you need the space.

You can just ignore it, or if you like turn Time Machine off then back on and the space will be zeroed out.

 

[Bennett1984]

Thanks!