Compact DB reports incorrect available disk space?

[david mantripp]

I'm trying to compact my thumbs DB.

The file is on internal SSD. It is 91.5GB.
Application reports that the required free space is 184.9 GB
and available disk space is 50.2GB

MacOS finder disagrees with PSU, and tells me free space is 232.23 GB

Actually I have observed that what Finder reports appears to lag reality, so, since I had freed up space specifically for this, I decided to let things settle down again and try again 20 mins later. That is when PSU told me there were only 50.2GB available. 15 mins ago, without me doing anything at all except drink coffee, it told me there were 90 GB available.

???

[Hert]

The reported free disk space by macOS Finder is not the "real" free diskspace. Finder doesn't include the diskspace that is occupied by the OS caches.

To check your real free diskspace, use Disk Utility, a macOS app.

[david mantripp]

Well that's all very well, but I just happily copied 200Gb into the space that PSU says is only 59GB.

DiskDrill agrees with PSU for what it's worth... it's all over my head

[Hert]

Search online how to empty the Caches folder in macOS.

[Larry56]

This may not be helpful but I just went through this yesterday. I don't know about emptying Caches but I did know that Time Machine will create snapshots of changes. I deleted all snapshots and picked up enough space to compact PSU. This may not have been the safest thing to do but I had no other choice in my circumstances.

Deleting (and viewing) snapshots can be done with a command line command in Terminal.