System Data Over 700GB Large

How to clear System Data Safely. System Data storage is larger than everything else on the system.


System has been on the edge of 1TB for a few weeks. System Data before removing what I could was at 736GBs. I removed over 500GB of VMs that were running on the system using VMware Fusion. After doing so the System Data grow more over 847GB. Still showing the storage total of 986GB.


I have pulled everything off the system and placed it on my NAS. Desktop, Documents, all VMs, anything that I created and placed on the system. After doing so the System Data dropped to 500GB.


There is something going on with the Applications. It keeps jumping between 20GB to 75GBs with nothing open but Safari.


After Googling for the last few weeks but all I could really find was pages trying to sell a non Apple application to clean the system with some stating they were not safe do not buy. I would assume Apple would have a list of safe files to clean and would like to see if that was available. I have cleared Cache files.


MacBook Pro 16'

Processor: Intel

Memory: 32GB

Storage: 1TB

MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 13.6

Posted on Oct 23, 2023 06:32 AM

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7 replies

Oct 23, 2023 07:13 AM in response to MauWoW

I have a theory but nothing to back it up. I think some of system data is the SSD memory that has not be cleared back to writeable state by the garbage collection. So, when you delete something, the space doesn't actually open up immediately.


Also, in case you didn't find a definition for "System Data," it's not a defined category. It is what is not a defined category. Everything Spotlight cannot kludge into the other categories gets labeled, "System Data." It used to be called, "Other." Some of it is actually system data, but some of it can be your data that Spotlight couldn't recognize.

Sometimes, you can resolve some of it by reindexing Spotlight since it is the thing that is making the categories.

Rebuild the Spotlight index on your Mac - Apple Support Just drag in Macintosh HD, then remove it.


I also think Local Snapshots are System Data. If you have Time Machine set up, but haven't connected a drive in a while, you could be building up local TM snapshots. I run that way for several weeks at a time and don't have excessive System Data, though.


When it doesn't resolve to a reasonable level, that's where the disk storage programs can be useful.

There are a couple of safe tools to use to look for large runaway cache or log files. I don't know that I would trust anything to delete, but these two tools show your the files and you pick what you want to delete. Or, you can just go find them in Finder and remove them if you want. They don't just search for all matches of a name and delete willy-nilly.

Grand Perspective -- I like this one because of the graphic display of storage.

OmniDiskSweeper


I haven't run either on Ventura or Sonoma.


Oct 23, 2023 07:15 AM in response to MauWoW

Never ever install Third Party Disk Cleaners or Disk Optimizers


It they were safe to using on macOS - probably Apple would include some type of an Application built into the Operating System


Manage Storage


It is generally a good computer practice to alway keep at least 20% to 25% of the Total Drive Capacity’s as Empty Space.


Allowing the computer to drop below these guidelines may eventually, cause unintended consequences.


There is Purgeable Space and there is Empty Space.


Purgeable Space which is Controlled by the Operating System. When the Operating Systems decides the computer needs additional Empty Space, it will move a portion of the Purgeable to Empty space


AFAIK - there is no User Actions to hasten this transition from Purgeable to Empty Space


It can day or longer before this will occur.


The links below will assist in identifying what is taking up space on the Internal Drive and provide possible ways to remove data that is under the direct control of the User ( Home Folder ) . 


Rebuild the Spotlight index on your Mac


What is “Other” storage on a Mac, and how can I clean it out?


Free up storage space on your Mac


GrandPerspective 


How to delete Time Machine snapshots on your Mac.  


Often caused if the Time Machine Drive has not been attached  to the computer and TM Backup is set to run on a Schedule. 


TM Backup will make Snap Shot on the Internal Drive awaiting the TM Backup Drive to be attached. 


Only then will the Snaps Shots be transferred to the External Drive and deleted the Internal Drive.


See used and available storage space on your Mac


Locate backups of your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch


Is there a Suite of Adobe Applications  used on this computer ?


They may create some very large cache files that can be removed. Though, the Adobe cache files will be recreated as the Applications needs them.


https://helpx.adobe.com/ca/premiere-pro/kb/clear-cache.html


The final word from Apple on Managing the " Other/ System Data “ Category


Other / System Data: Contains files that don’t fall into the categories listed here. This category primarily includes files and data used by the system, such as log files, caches, VM files, and other runtime system resources. Also included are temporary files, fonts, app support files, and plug-ins.


You can't manage the contents of this category. The contents are managed by macOS, and the category varies in size depending on the current state of your Mac.

Oct 23, 2023 09:36 AM in response to MauWoW

I installed the OmniDiskSweep after checking the TimeMachine. Time Machine was clean and there is still 1TB available on the device for backups.


OmniDiskSweep is pointing out a few things but there is a .crc file that is 51.9 GB. Inside are the directories: machines 29.8GB and cache 22.1GB that are the large files inside this dir. What is .crc? Can these be deleted? It also looks like vsCode is bit of a storage hog as well. MS in general seems to be a space hog.


Besides those, I don't see anything that would contribute to 500GBs that the System Data is using.



Oct 23, 2023 10:10 AM in response to Barney-15E

Rebooted after deleting some cache and down to 402GBs. Still almost half the system storage is System Data. Thats more in System Data than Documents, iCloud, Apps, Music and macOS. Nothing is open at this point with exception to Safari for this post.


Is there away to see what folders are connected to what App? See if I can find if an App is some how responsible and remove all their data.

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System Data Over 700GB Large

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