iMac 2.4 GHz w/ 4 GB SDRAM running OS 10.6.2 suddenly has a near full HD

[aznmenace]

Ok, maybe I haven't been paying attention but my HD seems to have a misc 50-150 GB of stuff on there that didn't seem to be there before, nor can I account for what it is.

I have opened up the HD and gotten "info" on all folders there. The total amount of storage does not equal what the HD tells me I have. I get "info" on the HD and it says 300 GB used (20 GB left).

The folders and size are as follows as listed on my HD:

Users: 154.46 GB
World of Warcraft (ashamed faced): 21.28 GB
Applications: 3.68 GB
Library: 6.34 GB
System: 4.49 GB
Limewire: 49.4 MB
Incompatible Software (?): 1.6 MB
Developer: 165 KB
iTunesShut: 479 KB

For a grand total of: 190.39 GB or so (not including the 50 mb or 644 kb)

I'll include what is on my desktop as well (I assume it is already included on the list above but just incase).

Desktop: 85.18 GB

Add desktop and HD and that is still only 275.57 GB on a 320 GB drive. That implies to me that at minimum I should have 44 GB left (or 129.61 GB if I don't include the desktop separately).

Things that I've done since I noticed this were:

1) Started backing up on an Iomega 320 GB External HD
2) Let iTunes keep Media Folder organized
3) Rip a few movies that that are kept on my desktop (i.e. they are already included in the desktop number)

Those are the only things I can think of that I've done recently. I did a spotlight check for backups being stored on my HD vs. the external one and I can't find anything. I thought that maybe that was somehow the problem. I did a spotlight check for "backup".

Any ideas?? It's kind of annoying for me...

 

[wrldwzrd89]

I suspect one of two things is going on.

1. You have a large enough iTunes Music Library for it to matter, free space wise, if it gets duplicated.
2. You have a runaway log file.

#1 is easy to spot, if this is your problem. The offending folder(s) will generally be inside Music in your home folder, in the old AND new locations.

#2 is a bit harder, but Console is your friend here. It's located in the Utilities folder. What you want to do is review the size of each log file. If any single log seems abnormally huge compared to the others (for example: A typical log never has more than 10,000 messages. A runaway log can have 2,000,000 or more.), you've found the culprit.

 

[aznmenace]

So I was unable to find either of those issues as the cause of my full HD. Any other suggestions?