Empty trash EATS space instead of freeing it up

[WolfBenz]

The starkest things just happened:
I had just done a few installs (on my new MBP) and decided it was time to clean stuff up.

Before "empty trash": 126 GB available
After "empty trash": ... (wait for it) : 94 GB available!

So I actually LOST space by emptying the trash??? !

In the trash were big files (some > 30 GB).

How on earth is this possible?

 

[Weaselboy]

Where are you looking at space used? Finder?

If you have Time Machine turned on, emptied trash does not really get emptied... it gets moved to a hidden /.MobileBackups folder and is purged off as the disk approached 80% full. You can read about it here.

sudo du -hs /.MobileBackups

If you run this command in Terminal it will show how much space is being used by that folder. If you briefly turn Time Machine off then back on it will empty that folder.

 

[WolfBenz]

To go into the questions:
1/ Indeed, to determine the space, I was looking in the status bar of a Finder window
2/ Your command gave this feedback:
49G /.MobileBackups


3/ Meanwhile, just half an hr later, I see I have 156 GB free.
It seems to be a floating journey ;-)

Do I get it right, from yr respons, I actually have 156 + 49GB free now?

 

[Weaselboy]

Do I get it right, from yr respons, I actually have 156 + 49GB free now?

It sounds like the OS was in the process of purging some of that /.MobileBackups stuff, hence the different readings.

You sort of have 156 + 49 "available" now but not empty/free. If you tired to copy over a large file that needed this space, the OS would purge off some of the 49GB to make room for it. So that 49GB is space used right now, but at the same time available for you use should you need it.

If you briefly turn TM off then back on, and run that command again, you will see it goes down to almost zero.

From what I am seeing here you have nothing wrong and this is working as intended.

 

[WolfBenz]

"From what I am seeing here you have nothing wrong and this is working as intended."
Indeed. It was just confusing at first. Perhaps Apple could optimise a bit the labelling / real time feedback.

 

[Weaselboy]

"From what I am seeing here you have nothing wrong and this is working as intended."
Indeed. It was just confusing at first. Perhaps Apple could optimise a bit the labelling / real time feedback.

Yeah... it is confusing as all get out and a common question on the forums. If you look at Finder it does not account for that hidden space, but the About this Mac storage tab and Disk Utility do.