Used storage?

[DanL]

So I'm trying to clearly understand how my system storage is being used (Monterey, iMac M1 2021). Disk Utility and Get Ifo on my system disk report that 170 GB is being used. But when I look in that system disk I see Applications -22 GB, Library - 7 GB, System - 17 GB and Users 73 GB. That totals only 119 GB. What gives? I'd like to understand this in planning my backup strategy.

 

[oldscribe]

Hi,

What storage info do you get by going to the Apple -About this Mac - Storage as my image?

 

[DanL]

"62.98 GB available of 245.11 GB" which means, I guess, that it thinks 182 GB is being used. That's a LOT more than I can account for.

 

[oldscribe]

Hi,

"62.98 GB available of 245.11 GB" which means, I guess, that it thinks 182 GB is being used. That's a LOT more than I can account for.

Possibly device backups.

Open Finder and access Finder main menu -> Go -> Go to Folder… enter “~/Library” and click Gobutton, and then access the subfolder“Application Support/MobileSync/Backup”, it will contain a backup folder named by your iPhone device UDID, which is the content of your iPhone backup files which can take up a lot of space. As screen shot.

 

[DanL]

That Application Support/MobileSync/Backup folder contains nothing at all. As in, zero bytes. As I said, there is only 7 GB in /Library.

 

[oldscribe]

Hi,

That is strange.

 

[DanL]

Well, you see all kinds of strange numbers. While the System file size is 17 GB, System Information Storage reports that there is System Data that takes up 92.99 GB. Duh, what's that? Also it reports that MacOS is 15.75 GB, Documents are 49.59 GB, and Apps are 21.43 GB. Those four add up to 179GB (which, including some cleanup I did, now matches the total of 64.42 GB available of 245.11GB). That report for Apps is the only thing that corresponds to any of the other size indicators I have. Not clear how the Users size of 73 GB relates to any of those numbers. Why does MacOS take up twice as much room as System?

So the issue is how this, which is the entire content of my system disk,

ends up as totaling 179 GB.

 

[oldscribe]

Hi,

You could possibly try this,


Start your mac in Safe mode

1) Now check your storage by going to the Apple - about This Mac - Storage. (while In safe mode, it should show very accurate usage)

2) Restart in normal mode

3) Repeat step 1 hopefully it should now give the same reading as safe mode.

 

[DanL]

I shouldn't have to go into safe mode to assess the storage on my disk.

My system disk, in Get Info reads 189 GB
, in Disk Utility reads 189 GB (173 Data + 16)
Applications 22 GB
Library 8 GB
System 28 GB
Users 62 GB
adding up to 120 GB

My backup disk, in Get Info reads 136 GB
, in Disk Utility reads 136 GB (120 Data + 15)
Applications 22 GB
Library 8 GB
System 28 GB
Users 62 GB
adding up to 120 GB

This is NUTS. GetInfo and DiskUtility on my system disk DON'T MAKE ANY SENSE. Why my backup is much smaller than my system disk also makes no sense. GetINfo and DiskUtility are seeing something in my system disk Data that no one else is seeing.

 

[oldscribe]

Hi,

Why my backup is much smaller than my system disk also makes no sense

Time machine will only back up what has changed since your previous backup, so a smaller time machine backup file is very normal.

 

[DanL]

Sorry, I was referring to a bootable backup. SuperDuper or Carbon Copy Cloner.

 

[TonyAguila]

Sorry, I was referring to a bootable backup. SuperDuper or Carbon Copy Cloner.

So, which cloning app did you use, SuperDuper or CCC? The former will clone both system and data partitions. CCC will not.

And I wish to know whether or not you are experiencing errors or slowdowns in general. My guess is that the missing space that you are trying to locate are disk caches and snapshots. They do not register as used space since macOS can and will clear those when the need for more space arises, or when they are no longer relevant.

 

[DanL]

I use SuperDuper. CCC is good, but I like the interface on SD better. I've been using it for decades. It's a little trickier these days to get SD to clone the system, but Dave Nanian has it all worked out.

Nope, no slowdowns. I've just started using Time Machine in addition to SD. But I think you're right that the extra space is "expendable" stuff like Time Machine snapshots. Now, About this Mac/Storage certainly recognizes that as used space. It is certainly "used", but it's expendable. The consternation is that different indicators of storage aren't consistent in that regard.

 

[alanwake82]

Some of them might be cached filed or application that you have used in past and delete it.
I try to run cleaner for my system and was able to clear 35% of it but can't get the all space that I should have according to the files.

 

[Sharon Pikul]

My thoughts for what it's worth. Try a disk optimizer software product. Most people recommend CleanMy Mac X. That is the only thing I can think of which might be a problem and explain the space issue.

In our company we have to speak Mac and Win. Have noticed on Windows that when I defrag my system that I have more usable space. It's worth a try.

Other products you might consider are :
AVG Cleaner
OnyX
Drive Genius
macOS Manage Storage
CCleaner
Disk Clean Pro

Let us know how it goes.

 

[DanL]

Well, the bulk of the extra stuff is in com.apple.asr files. Disk Utility reveals these, and allows them to be deleted. Now, these have something to do with Apple Software Restore, I believe. I don't believe they are connected to Time machine, but I might be wrong. Can someone explain EXACTLY what these are for, who makes them, and what you lose by getting rid of them?