Yup. Same on my end. Don’t know if this is a bug or fine example of Apple’s “Intelligence.”
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Storage amount way off, endless system data calculating
- Thread starter brinkeguthrie
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I would say you’re fine. None of my important data is missing or corrupted. If your data is accessible and you are not seeing anything missing, I would just wait for future updates to see what shows then. Just keep backups as everyone always should. I wouldn’t waste time with support on this. I guess I’ve become used to anomalies as updates roll. Apple software quality is what it is these days and as someone that loves the Mac, I guess I have developed a certain immunity to the bugs and work around them when I can. In this instance it is a change in the way free storage is reported, or a stuck process calculating system data and Time Machine snapshots that perhaps a later version will resolve or not. Apple could be intending for things to be reported this way going forward. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
This is why I wont upgrade to sequoia yet
I had 23GB of photos in PHOTO, and that amount added to system data last month.
I moved the photos to a file as the system data also shrunk by 23GB !
Seems to me the system data INCLUDES stuff in apps: like music, photos, tv.
(edited for clarification, this is a confusing topic!)
I had 23GB of photos in PHOTO, and that amount added to system data last month.
I moved the photos to a file as the system data also shrunk by 23GB !
Seems to me the system data INCLUDES stuff in apps: like music, photos, tv.
(edited for clarification, this is a confusing topic!)
Last edited:
So if I did a complete reinstall and put my 30GB of music back on, this would be the same? Photos and stuff are all iCloud.
Also: if I were to wipe it and restore to original state, and I want to sell it- would I be literally selling a defective unit?
No. Your storage is fine: it's a MacOS bug.
If you factory reset your Mac without restoring I'm pretty sure it will calculate properly.
OP wrote:
"So my MBA is OK otherwise? Will they get this fixed? I've spent much time with support."
Your MBA is almost certainly fine.
Apple will NEVER "fix" the problems with the "storage" panel. It is what it is.
Don't waste any more time with "support" -- probably won't help. See above.
Here's a better way to find out what's using up space:
Download DiskWave from here:
It's small in size and free.
Open DiskWave and go to the preferences.
Put a checkmark in "show invisible files".
Close preferences.
The DiskWave window shows you all your volumes and drives in plain English (no ridiculous graphical formats).
Click on any item "on the left". Give it time to "digest".
Now, look to the right, you'll see what's ON the volume, listed in order of "largest to smallest".
You can easily locate what's eating up your space.
"So my MBA is OK otherwise? Will they get this fixed? I've spent much time with support."
Your MBA is almost certainly fine.
Apple will NEVER "fix" the problems with the "storage" panel. It is what it is.
Don't waste any more time with "support" -- probably won't help. See above.
Here's a better way to find out what's using up space:
Download DiskWave from here:
It's small in size and free.
Open DiskWave and go to the preferences.
Put a checkmark in "show invisible files".
Close preferences.
The DiskWave window shows you all your volumes and drives in plain English (no ridiculous graphical formats).
Click on any item "on the left". Give it time to "digest".
Now, look to the right, you'll see what's ON the volume, listed in order of "largest to smallest".
You can easily locate what's eating up your space.
Could you elaborate on that? So that would wipe out all data (including my music collection, right?)
Well, it's not what is eating up space. It's that it shows 21gb or something used...when it should be close to 100gb. and system data is always calculating. So DiskWave would address this?
Yes.
What I'm trying to say is: save your important stuff on an external HDD. Just saves the files. Don't do a backup with Time Machine or any other apple trickery. Then do a full wipe of your mac.
I know it's a headache. But hey, we're Apple users. We like paying premium prices and having headaches.
If you do a backup with some apple service (even the cloud) and then restore it something will go wrong and you'll get the issue again. That's why you have it happening on your computer AND iPad.
such an annoying bug my MacBook Pro m4 pro was perfectly fine until update 15.3 and now does the endless system data calculating so much for apple intelligence more like unintelligent, so apple can now write professional text for me but can't calculate some storage says a lot really 🤣
The more people get this issue the higher the chances of a fix
It is able to get done with System Data calculation after enabling Apple Intelligence. Disabling Apple Intelligence reverts to endless calculating.
It looks like system is unable to determine the amount of purgeable data correctly while "endlessly calculating". Finder shows purgeable space as "available" but other tools do not thus the discrepance.
It looks like system is unable to determine the amount of purgeable data correctly while "endlessly calculating". Finder shows purgeable space as "available" but other tools do not thus the discrepance.
Damn man, you were right. Not only is Apple Intelligence useless but we are forced to keep it enabled because disabling it creates this very annoying bug.
I hope this fixes it long term. Thank you.
Hi Chad are you saying you fixed it by enabling Apple Intelligence ? as I'm still having the problem but I have Apple Intelligence turned off.
Yep. Storage calculated as soon as I re-enabled Apple Intelligence. Just as @nmt1900 suggested.
Yea it worked instantly after a restart
Thanks so very much
here's the other thread on this and how I discovered the "fix."
mine is spot on accurate, no more calculating. But the iPad still does calculating...even after a full wipe.