Disk full Boot Drive iBook
 

I recently purchased Super Duper and successfully backed up my iMac boot drive (500GB) to a LaCie d2 300GB external hard drive. Today I loaded the program on my G4 iBook (Tiger OS, 10.4.6, 27 GB drive). The installation went well, but, in an absence of consciousness, then did a Sparse Backup to my book drive which ended up filling up hard drive. I aborted, 'ejected' the image ( a mistake, yes?), and tried to undo the back up, to no avail. I now have a drive with 0 KB left, with hidden files I cannot find to delete. Where do I go from here?...

Thanks for your time.

So, you stored your sparse image on your startup volume, which filled it? (Weird, because as I recall it explicitly disallows that.)

Anyway, delete the image file (which should be where you left it) and empty your trash. If that doesn't work, use Finder's "Go To Folder" command to go to the /Volumes folder. Make sure you've got any external drives ejected. Are there folders there with the name of the sparse image or any ejected volumes?

No go...
 

Thanks for the quick response. Unfortunately, only the 'Macintosh HD' shows when I search for /Volumes. I suspect my aborting of the backup messed up the usual hooks that track files. I wonder if I should simply format the disk and reload all programs....

I can't see how you could have done that. Do you see the sparse image on your startup drive where you stored it? (I don't know where that was, but the log (Cmd-l inside SuperDuper) should tell you...

Wasn't paying attention....
 

Unfortunately, there is nothing other than the programs and files that were on the disk, with no indication of the disk image created by Super Duper. I initiated the back-up by clicking on what was offered (the sparse image) after I registered the cop to my laptop. I may have 'dismounted' the image at one point. In any case, I probably should just quit while I'm ahead and start over from scratch. Usually more careful than this, after dealing with computers on and off for forty years. Rather embarassing....
Thanks again.

Got it, thanks...
 

I double-checked the log entry, and found I had looked in the wrong location. Was able to find the sparse-image file, and delete it. All is well now, with 14 GB of freed up space.

Just for the record, though, Super Duper did present me with the option of creating the sparse image to my boot drive as my first option -- which is probably why I chose it. I don't know how to replicate the procedure, which occured right after registering the copy, nor do I think I want to ;>)...

Thanks for your help, David.

:o

Strange. I'll see if I can reproduce: thanks.