[tweezer13]

I just recently switched from PC to mac. I was wondering if, like on my old PC, I have to worry about lost disc space? Like after a bunch of BT downloading->deleting->downloading->deleting... and other processes, disc space seems to mysteriously disappear.

[Chuckit]

Free space will get a little lower as the computer stays on longer. When the computer runs out of physical RAM for programs, it will write swapfiles to the disk. These ordinarily will not take more than a couple of gigs, and usually don't even go that high. For instance, my PowerBook has been up a month and has 1 GB worth of swapfiles. Your system may take less or more depending on how you use your computer.

[ghporter]

Also you should use the Secure Empty Trash (in Finder use File|Secure Empty Trash) every now and then. This not only "securely" deletes what's in the trash, it really deletes the files AND it recovers the disk space used by those files (including files you'd already emptied from the trash).

[Detrius]

Originally Posted by ghporter

Also you should use the Secure Empty Trash (in Finder use File|Secure Empty Trash) every now and then. This not only "securely" deletes what's in the trash, it really deletes the files AND it recovers the disk space used by those files (including files you'd already emptied from the trash).

Huh??

[TETENAL]

Originally Posted by Detrius

Huh??

I noticed that "Secure Empty Trash" deletes files that are in use or locked or whatever causes the regular empty trash to fail. But if regular empty trash works all free disk space is recovered. There is no reason to run secure empty trash on a regular basis as maintenance or whatever.

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by Detrius

Huh??

There was a thread here a few weeks back on why disk space changes when you empty trash versus using Secure Empty Trash, and the explanation was as I stated. I tried it and seemed to get the same results; not all the space used by what's in the trash comes back when you just empty it, but if you secure empty it, you get it all back-plus what may have been taken up by stuff whose disk space wasn't completely recovered when it left the trash. I do not know about the details behind the process, but it makes sense from an OS management standpoint.

Of course, I am but an egg, so if I've managed to mangle a concept, I'm more than happy to learn better.

[tweezer13]

So how do you "Secure Empty Trash"? I tried finding it, but failed.

[Chuckit]

It's right underneath "Empty Trash" in the Finder menu.

[Sijmen]

Originally Posted by Chuckit

It's right underneath "Empty Trash" in the Finder menu.

There is no Secure Empty Trash here either...... don't know why though.

Uhm, it's not under 'File' it's under 'Finder'

[King Bob On The Cob]

Originally Posted by Sijmen

There is no Secure Empty Trash here either...... don't know why though.

Uhm, it's not under 'File' it's under 'Finder'

It's only in Tiger

[Chuckit]

I believe it was in Panther too.