0KB of disk space available even after deleting files (follow-up)
Disk eaters identified.
[Friday, March 7th]
We previously noted a significant issue, experienced by a number of users, in which various applications including the Finder report that 0KB of disk space is available despite attempts to delete files.
We noted that the first step in countering this problem is to find out what exactly is eating your disk space and offered a number of solutions for doing so. We've since received a number of reports from readers identifying potential disk eating culprits.
John Guttermann reports that his mirrored iDisk was to blame:
"I had a similar situation that puzzled me for a long time; tried to get help from Apple support to no avail: literally overnight, my available disk space was cut in half. Finally, after several months, I opened the disk images smart disk file, discovering there a disk image with consuming some 10 gigs of memory; found its location in library - mirrors folder: it is used for the iDIsk -- so, cut my iDisk size down and instantly had more hard drive memory."
Tom Stiller says a rogue CUPS process was spawning unnecessary files at a rapid pace, filling up any recovered disk space immediately:
"I had a similar problem with my wife's G4 iBook, running Tiger. The culprit turned to be a botched CUPS update that caused the CUPS daemon to create files just as fast as it could until the disk was filled. Newly freed space was grabbed as quickly as it was freed. A DiskWarior directory rebuild had no effect and Retrospect could not create a backup. Finally, I used DiskWarrior's "Check All Files & Folders" option and it complained that the suspect folder had more than the allowed number of files (several hundred thousand).
"To fix the problem, I started in Safe mode, disabled the rogue CUPS startup process, and used the Terminal app to remove the contents of the suspect folder. That got back my 'lost' disk space and a install of an earlier release of CUPS restored normal operation."
Tom brings up a great point. Starting in safe mode, by holding the Shift key while your Mac is starting up, may temporarily arrest whatever system process is creating files that are filling up disk space. After you've used our tips to identify the culpable process, start in safe mode to disable it.
Finally, MacFixIt reader Ken Turner reports a case that we've never heard about before where having an incorrectly set date caused the "0KB disk space available" message. He writes:
"I had exactly this problem with a mac that I was fixing. The fix? Please check the date and time. The iBook in question had reverted back to somewhere in the second half of the last century (can't remember when). Simply setting the date correctly fixed the problem."
The problem can be temporarily resolved by simply using the Date and Time System Preference pane to correct this setting, but the erroneous date/time may return the next time the system is restarted, causing significant issues with file creation dates, some date-reliant applications and more.
This problem generally has three causes, which can manifest singly or in tandem:
- A faulty PowerBook/iBook primary battery that must be replaced
- Corrupt or otherwise problematic PRAM or NVRAM
- A malfunctioning PMU (power management unit)
In the first case, a faulty or expiring primary portable battery, you may experience a number of other issues in addition to the date reversion, including the system suddenly falling asleep while a charge is still shown, the system being unable to stay powered up without the power cord attached, and more.
Your first step in this scenario should be to re-calibrate the battery, per Apple's instructions in Knowledge Base article #86284. Calibration can be accomplished by first fully charging your portable's battery (look for the "Charged" message in the menubar battery display), then disconnecting your portable from external power and allowing it to run until it falls asleep automatically when the charge is spent. Upon re-connecting power and again fully charging your portable, the battery will be calibrated.
If you continue to experience the date reversion issue after re-calibration, you may need to replace the battery. If your PowerBook/iBook is still covered under an Apple warranty or AppleCare, you may be able to obtain a free replacement. Otherwise, the online Apple Store lists replacement batteries for all portables.
In the second case, corrupt or otherwise problematic PRAM or NVRAM, you may need to reset these two small memory banks via the following process:
- Turn off your Mac
- Press the power button, then immediately begin to hold the Command, Option, P and R keys.
- Hold the keys down until the computer restarts and you hear the startup sound for the second time.
- Release the keys.
In the third case, a malfunctioning PMU (power management unit), you may need to reset the PMU -- a small integrated circuit that is responsible for various power-related properties, including scheduling of sleep, charging, and date/time storage.
Instructions for resetting the PMU for various Mac models are contained in the following Knowledge Base articles:
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