How do I optimise system data on iMac running macOS Sonoma?

Why would my system data be using 314GB of my 500MG har drive?



[Re-Titled by Moderator]

iMac 27″, macOS 14.6

Posted on Mar 6, 2025 5:25 PM

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Mar 7, 2025 4:59 AM in response to Jimlupo

How to delete Time Machine snapshots on your Mac.


This often occurs if the Time Machine Drive isn’t attached to the computer and TM Backup is set to run on a schedule.


TM Backup makes snapshots on the internal drive until the Time Machine Drive is attached. Then, the snapshots are transferred to the external drive.

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Mar 7, 2025 4:41 AM in response to Jimlupo

OK, here’s some more information. The picture below says it all I have a 500 GB hard drive why is 318 GB being taken by the operating system.


I don’t have much in the other categories.


When you click on the little eye to the right of the system data it says this is generated by the operating software and cannot be controlled or deleted.


I find that hard to believe and asking why this is the case.


Thanks.





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Mar 7, 2025 4:53 AM in response to Jimlupo

It prevents the email from opening up. It says HD disk full so the email will not launch and the backup Time Machine passport will not back up and I can’t even upgrade to the new operating system because there’s not enough storage on the hard drive disk.


I just find it hard to believe that an operating system would take up 60% of the hard drive.

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Mar 7, 2025 4:57 AM in response to Jimlupo

User wrote >> “ OK, here’s some more information. The picture below says it all I have a 500 GB hard drive why is 318 GB being taken by the operating system. “ 


A - System Data is Not used by the Operating System per se.


A - This is the first error


A - System Data is where the User Account or User Accounts are located 


A - From your representation Image


A - The drive is basically 100 % Full


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Mar 7, 2025 5:02 AM in response to Jimlupo

Jimlupo wrote:

It prevents the email from opening up. It says HD disk full so the email will not launch and the backup Time Machine passport will not back up and I can’t even upgrade to the new operating system because there’s not enough storage on the hard drive disk.

I just find it hard to believe that an operating system would take up 60% of the hard drive.


An aside and this can and does happen.


You are talking to yourself by relying to yourself


To help avoid doing this


To get the replies to your question in chronological order by Date 


Click on your User Name  >>   >> " Edit Profile and Preferences "


Scroll way down and look for >> >> " Other Preferences "


Change the >> >> " Default thread sort " to Oldest 

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Mar 7, 2025 7:50 AM in response to Jimlupo

So this is helpful and I’m trying to delete the backup snapshots on my Mac, but is not as easy as it looks.


How do you turn off the Time Machine? It will only allow me to elect manual backup.


I can’t figure out how to delete the snapshots in the hard drive

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How do I optimise system data on iMac running macOS Sonoma?

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