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synvolk · Mar 28, 2009, 02:20 PM

Hello everyone,
I'm having problems with error message that pops up after a couple of hours of using internet that says "Startup disk Full"

HD is 10GB running Version 10.3.9 and I only have a little over 1GB of free space.
BTW in "About This Mac" when I clicked on "Version 10.3.9", it changed to "Build 7W98" what's up with that?

In looking at my HD finder it shows that I have 2 Library folders, one in the HD = 2.38GB and one in Users = 1.18GB.
In checking contents of each, both are very different.
Is that a normal thing?
Both ituens=69MB and iphoto=79MB are not excessive in space used.
I was wondering if I could somehow remove OS9 since I don't use that OS hardly at all...
Or...
Could someone explain the acceptable was to free up the space short of reformatting the disk....
Any thought or input would help...
Thanks,
Bob

Andrew Stephens · Mar 28, 2009, 03:24 PM

Hello synvolk

Firstly, it's NOT a good idea to mess with either library folder unless you have a good knowledge of what files do what. You may well end up disabling your Mac totally. These folders contain files vital to the smooth running of OS X.

I would seriously consider a hard drive upgrade. 10GB is tiny by modern standards and an 80GB drive costs peanuts. Fitting is probably beyond your scope, though not overly hard if you are confident, takes around 35 mins.

If you MUST attempt to recover drive space via your library folder then use the one in your user folder only. In the library folder you should see a folder called Printers, you can loose a couple of hundred MB of files from there, just don't loose the files that your actual printer uses.

You can also throw away your OS 9 folder. It will be the folder called system folder (NOT system, which is the OS X folder). That should save you another couple of hundred MB.

On a drive your size, this will only offer temporary relief. Get a bigger drive. You'll never look back.

synvolk · Mar 28, 2009, 03:45 PM

Thanks Andrew,
I think you are right... need to upgrade...
It wouldn't let me trash the System Folder because it said it was needed by the System...
I'm also having a flicker problem with the display and running an external monitor...
I guess I need to start thinking about maybe a mac mini or Macbook Pro...
I believe I will just make do with this one and my 2 PCs until I can round up some coinage for the upgrade...
Have fun and thanks again,
Bob

Andrew Stephens · Mar 28, 2009, 04:10 PM

Originally Posted by synvolk

Thanks Andrew,
I think you are right... need to upgrade...
It wouldn't let me trash the System Folder because it said it was needed by the System...
I'm also having a flicker problem with the display and running an external monitor...
I guess I need to start thinking about maybe a mac mini or Macbook Pro...
I believe I will just make do with this one and my 2 PCs until I can round up some coinage for the upgrade...
Have fun and thanks again,
Bob

If your Mac won't let you delete the classic system it is probably because you have classic set to start up automatically. make sure classic has stopped, them you should be able to delete the system folder OK.

If your flickering problem shows up on both an external AND the main screen then your video card is on the way out. It happens.

I'd look at a MacBook unless you really need the extras of the Pro. It's a good cash saving over the Pro.

synvolk · Mar 28, 2009, 06:53 PM

Went to the Apple website and that Macbook Pro surly is premo..
Premo price too...
I will have to start saving my duckets for that one, as I like the 17" display...
Thanks for your input.....
Bob

amazing · Mar 28, 2009, 08:46 PM

Since it's got a 10 GB HD in it, I'm thinking it's a Titanium, perhaps a 400 or 500? Easy enough to open, easy enough to replace the HD. You can find the guide at ifixit.com, you print out 2 and then as you remove a screw, you tape it onto one copy. Simple.

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/Produc...tCode=10007495
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/Produc...tCode=10007591

synvolk · Mar 28, 2009, 09:00 PM

[QUOTE=amazing;3821199]Since it's got a 10 GB HD in it, I'm thinking it's a Titanium, perhaps a 400 or 500? Easy enough to open, easy enough to replace the HD. You can find the guide at ifixit.com, you print out 2 and then as you remove a screw, you tape it onto one copy. Simple.

Right, it's a 400...
Where can I find a good price on a drive?
What size should I get...
Thanks,
Bob

besson3c · Mar 28, 2009, 09:42 PM

Bob:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...p;Order=RATING

Looks like they start at 80 gig, which ought to be plenty for the life of your machine.

synvolk · Mar 29, 2009, 09:38 AM

[QUOTE=Andrew Stephens;3821127]
If your flickering problem shows up on both an external AND the main screen then your video card is on the way out. It happens.

That flickering is very slight and does not show up on the external monotor.
Any ideas as to what the problem might be...?

Andrew Stephens · Mar 29, 2009, 02:13 PM

[QUOTE=synvolk;3821310]

Originally Posted by Andrew Stephens

If your flickering problem shows up on both an external AND the main screen then your video card is on the way out. It happens.

That flickering is very slight and does not show up on the external monotor.
Any ideas as to what the problem might be...?

Either inverter board or backlight. If you can hear a faint buzzing then inverter, if not then backlight. Probably.

Backlight means complete new screen, inverter does not.

synvolk · Mar 29, 2009, 02:22 PM

Yes, there is a small noise there in the back of the keyboard...
Is that a pricy fix?
If not then I might invest $s in the drive and the part, provided I could change it out...
Thanks,
Bob

Andrew Stephens · Mar 30, 2009, 05:36 AM

Originally Posted by synvolk

Yes, there is a small noise there in the back of the keyboard...
Is that a pricy fix?
If not then I might invest $s in the drive and the part, provided I could change it out...
Thanks,
Bob

inverter

fitting

DCJ001 · Apr 2, 2009, 05:36 PM

If you haven't done so yet, you can remove all of the languages that you don't speak and outdated architectures with Monolingual:

I freed up over three gigabytes of space with it.

http://monolingual.sourceforge.net/

lpkmckenna · Apr 2, 2009, 10:34 PM

printer drivers can eat tons of space, so delete any you don't need.

MacMurphy · Apr 2, 2009, 10:57 PM

Look for

MacMurphy · Apr 2, 2009, 11:03 PM

If you are using Mail and tend to keep all your incoming mail, check the size of your Mail folder inside your user space>library>mail. It is very possible that if you get email with a lot of attachments it is is eating up your hard drive space. I have seen users with 17 GB of old mail on their machines.

Prune out the old messages after saving the attachments you may want to keep and burning them off to CDs or such.