Why is my system folder over 200GB in size and still growing?

[ashallcross]

Hi

I have a strange issue with my MBP. Spec is:-

OSX 10.10.3 (14D136)
MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2012)
16 GB RAM
750 GB hard drive

Basically I have run out of disk space...

However, the wierd thing is that I keep deleting stuff but my space keeps disappearing again very quickly and I have no idea why.

I have deleted or moved over 200GB worth of space over the past month, including 20GB last night and it's already down to 16GB.

I have tried all the recommended things, downloaded all the disk checking tools etc, but can't see where is it all going...and yes I have emptied my recycle bin before you ask!

However, whilst checking folder sizes I used this command:-

sudo du -d 1 -x -c -g /

which gave:-

1 /.DocumentRevisions-V100
1 /.fseventsd
3 /.Spotlight-V100
0 /.Trashes
0 /.vol
13 /Applications
1 /bin
0 /cores
1 /dev
1 /home
19 /Library
1 /net
0 /Network
11 /private
1 /sbin
229 /System
408 /Users
1 /usr
1 /Volumes
680 /
680 total

As you can see the system folder is huge - 229GB!! This has actually grown by 5GB since i deleted some stuff.

However, if I look at the system folder via finder it says it is only 7.4GB in size (see attached screenshot)

Anyone have any idea why this might be?

Cheers

Adam

 

[Weaselboy]

Run this to drill down a bit into that System folder to see what's up.

Or try OmniDiskSweeper for a GUI look at space used.

sudo du -d 1 -x -c -g /System

 

[PhiLLoW]

Experienced something similiar nearly a year ago. On my Mac it was an icloud bug. Deactivating icloud drive + restart solved the problem.

 

[ashallcross]

Update...

@weaselboy thanks..

So having drilled down I have found the following is taking up the space

0 /System/library/caches/com.apple.bootstamps
0 /System/library/caches/com.apple.corestorage
252 /System/library/caches/com.apple.coresymbolicationd
1 /System/library/caches/com.apple.CVMS
1 /System/library/caches/com.apple.kext.caches
252 /System/library/caches
252 total

But I can't get into this file as it says I don't have permissions.

Any thoughts on what this is as you can see my computer has canibalise another 20GB since yesterday!

Cheers

 

[Weaselboy]

You can kill that by holding command-s at startup to boot to single user mode then run the command below to delete the entire cache folder. Then enter reboot to restart.

sudo rm -rf /System/Library/Caches/

You will be asked for your password when you enter this command.

But that does answer why it is happening. I found this talking about Xcode causing it. Are you using Xcode?

 

[ashallcross]

Update

Hi @weasleboy

Yes I saw that article as well after I had found the folder and did some digging around.

I have no idea if I am using XCode. I am not knowingly using it...

How would I find out if I was?

Cheers

 

[Weaselboy]

Hi @weasleboy

Yes I saw that article as well after I had found the folder and did some digging around.

I have no idea if I am using XCode. I am not knowingly using it...

How would I find out if I was?

Cheers

Oh you would know. It is Apple's programming environment used to develop applications.