7 Replies Latest reply: Apr 14, 2010 5:26 PM by 370H55V RSS

    Power Mac - Empty Trash Problem

    Mark A Goodwin Community Member

      Hi

       

      I am running a 550GB external HD for my Time Machine.  I have just received a message saying that Time Machine (TM) cannot backup as there is not enough room left on the HD.

       

      Firstly, I though it was set to automatically erase the oldest file first to make space whenever this happened, but that doesn't appear to be happening. So I went in to TM manually and selected the oldest 2 months backups and put them in the trash. 

       

      First of all it takes for ever to 'Prepare the files for deletion'  and then when it eventually starts to 'trash' files it takes ages and then gives up the ghost! There are something like 900.000 files to empty, but I am just sat there watching each file delete one by one and then it just freezes and stops!

       

      Any suggestions on how I can overcome this please?

       

      Many thanks

        • 1. Re: Power Mac - Empty Trash Problem
          370H55V Community Member

          The thing that helped me the most with Time Machine (and this really shouldn't be asked or answered here since this is an Adobe forum and not a Mac OSX forum) is to be selective in what you are backing up with it.

           

          For instance, I go through about 10 to 20 gigs a week in my downloads folder. Anything I download or save (no matter where it eventually ends up) lands there for an hour, or a day sometimes. Sometimes I delete things in there because I realize I really didn't need them after all. Other times I'll burn content to a DVD or DVD-DL if necessary to have a hard copy of it.

           

          If Time Machine backs all of that up I have a copy taking space on that drive for something I "threw away" intentionally or now have in another medium. I went into my TM preferences and blocked the downloads folder from backup. Also, As I have updated software, I delete the old backups from the drive

           

          Thus I have a 320 Gb Time Machine drive with 219 Gb available, and I also keep a backup of my font library on it.

           

          But like I said at the beginning, this ISN'T an Adobe question and it ISN'T a Photoshop question, so you might do better to ask it at the Apple Support forums.

          • 2. Re: Power Mac - Empty Trash Problem
            Mark A Goodwin Community Member

            Thank you for taking the time to respond.  However, it does not address the problem!

             

            I also do something similar to you as far as 'selecting' what I want to be backed up, the whole internal HD is not backed up on the hour!

             

            So I still have the problem of "is there any other way to empty the trash?

             

            Oh BTW, I am fully aware that this an Adobe site but it is my experience that the contributors on this site are far more helpful and knowledgeable that on the Mac Forum.  Secondly, I don't use my Mac for anything other than Adobe.

             

            Once again thanks for the trouble.

             

            Mark

            • 3. Re: Power Mac - Empty Trash Problem
              370H55V Community Member

              I was going to recommend using Permanent Eraser... but it does a 35X overwrite and that would take forever too.

               

              Assuming you have more than one external drive, why not copy ESSENTIAL files to the other drive from the TM drive,and run it through the Disk Utility to erase it, and start over.

               

              I also found performance of my TM drive increaased about 200% when I switched to FW800 from USB. I dont know if that's an option for you (maybe it's already running in the FW800 BUS).

               

              One last note: Emptying the trash can be significantly slowed down (even on the primary HD) by a large system cache. Have you ever run AppleJack on this system to clean up the cache and fix permissions?

              • 4. Re: Power Mac - Empty Trash Problem
                Mark A Goodwin Community Member

                That really helpful Info Mac Chappie!

                 

                I do have another external drive that I can use, and may well investigate further.  Also, I am not running FW800 on the TM it is on a USB 2 hub. So first opportunity is obtain a couple of FW800 leads/adaptors. Thanks you.

                 

                Haven't run AppleJack. Where can I get a copy please?

                 

                Once again thanks for the help

                 

                Mark

                • 6. Re: Power Mac - Empty Trash Problem
                  Mark A Goodwin Community Member

                  Thank you.

                   

                  You are a Gent and a scholar!

                   

                  Mark

                  • 7. Re: Power Mac - Empty Trash Problem
                    370H55V Community Member

                    Ahhh... you don't know me that well