MAC OS FULL 20gb of hidden files?

[shaktimage]

My HD is getting filled with hidden files. If I compare it with my 1st Time Machine back up, it's all the same but with 20Gb extra... If i "get info"of each files (applications, library, system ) it is all the same except "users"so i open "users", there is 2 files, "shared" and "me" NOW look: if i open every folder inside "me" (application, desktop, documents,download...) IT IS ALL THE SAME AMOUNT OF GB BUT IF I "GET INFO" OF THE "ME" OF THE 1ST TIME MACHINE BACKUP AND TODAY THERE IS 20GB DIFFERENCE!
My Question: what is it? How can i see these 20gb of files and remove them???
THANKS!

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did i mentioned that i have a 15"MBP quadcore with Lion

 

[simsaladimbamba]

To find out, where you hard drive capacity is being used, you can use the following free applications:

• DiskInventory X
• OmniDiskSweeper
• JDisk Report
• GrandPerspective

Maybe try a combination of several, if you still can't find the "missing" capacity.

Mac OS X – Show / Hide Hidden Files in Finder

What is this "Other" in the storage tab? What is eating up my space? by theSeb

 

[maflynn]

Download and use Omnidisksweeper It will detail your disk utilization sorted by size. Then you can determine where your space went

 

[jlc1978]

My Question: what is it? How can i see these 20gb of files and remove them???
THANKS!

Before you remove them you may want to determine if they are needed by Lion - they may be hidden for a reason; for example some may be the user library files, while others are simply local backups that can be safely deleted but will return due to the nature of Time Machine. You can disable this feature - google Lion OSX Local backup.

 

[mkflyfish]

Are they in your trash can ?

 

[shaktimage]

ok i found what's wrong: it is a mobilebackup created my time machine when it is on but the external HD for backup is not on...
I found the tutorial how to disable it via the terminal: http://osxdaily.com/2011/09/28/disable-time-machine-local-backups-in-mac-os-x-lion/
but funny enough, it is still there after doing the disable thing and rebooting twice...

 

[thundersteele]

The local backups get deleted after about a week, or earlier if space is neede. Time machine cleans up after itself.

The last screenshot you posted would indicate that the backup was removed. You could also delete /.MobileBackups , at your own risk!

 

[shaktimage]

The local backups get deleted after about a week, or earlier if space is neede. Time machine cleans up after itself.

The last screenshot you posted would indicate that the backup was removed. You could also delete /.MobileBackups , at your own risk!

YES, i would love to delete that bloody mobilebackup. My disc is full! (doesn't look removed to me?) Note that i use only 15Gb, all the rest is the backup!

 

[shaktimage]

YES, i would love to delete that bloody mobilebackup. My disc is full! (doesn't look removed to me?) Note that i use only 15Gb, all the rest is the backup!

.

look:

 

[GGJstudios]

YES, i would love to delete that bloody mobilebackup. My disc is full! (doesn't look removed to me?) Note that i use only 15Gb, all the rest is the backup!

If you're wondering what "Other" category in the Lion storage tab is about, this may help explain:

What is this "Other" in the storage tab? What is eating my space​

For space issues not explained by the above, there are a few things you can try, some of which may or may not apply:

• Begin by restarting your computer as a first step. This sometimes resolves issues.
• For Time Machine users on notebooks running Lion, space may being consumed by Time Machine local snapshots, which can be disabled.
  OS X Lion: About Time Machine's "local snapshots" on portable Macs
• 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.
  
  
• Use OmniDiskSweeper, JDisk Report, Disk Inventory X, DaisyDisk 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.
• Check your drive with Disk Utility: Using Disk Utility to verify or repair disks
• Try re-indexing your drive: Spotlight: How to re-index folders or volumes

Here are a few resolutions found by others with the same question:

• Encrypted drive
• Time Machine backup files and needed disk repair
• App filling log file
• App or file was 89GB
• Drive needed to be re-indexed
• Time Machine backup file
• Large app cache file
• Garageband files and video podcasts
• Oversized email being duplicated
• Another email issue

 

[shaktimage]

Woao! What a post! Thank you for all these infos. I will keep trying things, and hope that it will disappear after a week. Worse case i will just reformat... I still have close to 50Gb of mysterious "others" ...

 

[shaktimage]

PROBLEM SOLVED!!!
It drove me nuts, so what i did is restore my computer to the 1st backup after installing all my applications then i updated the data that i had saved. It was fast, now my HD has 34Gb free instead of....4

So i made a tutorial so i will remember next time, I thought i could share it here...

restore the computer to "1st day pristine state"

1) Make sure you have done a Time Machine Backup on your external HD right after your all your applications are installed and updated, permissions verified, the whole package rebooted. Then NOTE the ref. of his precious back up and NEVER let Time Machine fill up your external HD and delete the older backup. You want to control that, in order to NOT delete that particular backup

2) make sure you have disable the automatic mobile backup by typing in the terminal: sudo tmutil disablelocal and never turn on the Time Machine switch, you can backup manually by clicking on the time machine icon on the menu bar

3) save tour data, bookmarks, contacts, preferences of some upgraded applications (just in case)

3) Turn off your computer, turn it on and press / hold the option key. Choose the recovery disc and restore from the backup you have saved (1st day pristine state)

4) when this is done, update your applications and install new ones if needed, verify permissions, reboot and make a new backup with Time Machine. Take note of its ref. It is your new "1st day state" backup you want to save for the next time

Well, i am not a computer gig, this tutorial may be far from perfect but it did worked for me and it allow me to always have a fresh and clean computer with little effort