size of the Trash folder

[MikeFromMesa]

It does not seem like it ought to be difficult. Open the Trash, click Cmd-i and get the size of the Trash, or so I thought. However it has been acting very strangely lately.

The other day doing the above gave me a size of about 135GB (I have been removing processed digital images, so there is a lot in the trash). I added some additional folders this morning and repeated the size check and got 35+GB, or about 100GB less than yesterday. Surprised, I navigated to one of the larger folders in the Trash and checked its size and was told it was 51GB, so how can the Trash show 35GB when one of its contents shows 51GB?

Clearly there is something I am misunderstanding, but I do not know what that might be. Can anyone point me in the direction of my mistake?

High Sierra 10.13.6 on a 2018 MacBook Pro.

 

[toMACsh]

I've seen many threads here reporting similar scenarios regarding the size Finder gives for folders, etc. It might just be a bug they've never exterminated.

 

[ferrarr]

35+GB, isn’t neccessarily incorrect. How long ago did you restart, compared to each “Get Info” on the Trash? How long ago did you add items to the Trash, before each “Get Info” on the Trash?

I’ve seen Finder report xx+GB on folders and drives before.

 

[MikeFromMesa]

35+GB, isn’t neccessarily incorrect. How long ago did you restart, compared to each “Get Info” on the Trash? How long ago did you add items to the Trash, before each “Get Info” on the Trash?

I’ve seen Finder report xx+GB on folders and drives before.

I guess I do not understand how the Trash can display 35GB while it holds a folder that contains 51GB along with at least another 50GB in other folders and files, and not be considered incorrect. What am I missing here?

 

[toMACsh]

That would be considered incorrect, thus my suspicion of a bug.

 

[MikeFromMesa]

That would be considered incorrect, thus my suspicion of a bug.

Yes. My reply was meant for @ferrarr.

I shut my machine down at night and this morning, after booting back up, the size of the Trash still showed as 36GB even though I know that there is well over 100GB in it.

 

[ferrarr]

Don't shut down the machine, and see what it says in the morning? Just for testing purposes?

 

[MikeFromMesa]

Don't shut down the machine, and see what it says in the morning? Just for testing purposes?

I boot the computer at about 6am and don't shut it down for about 12 hours, so if the OS is going to get the right value it should have plenty of time, especially since the computer is idle much of the day, but I will let it sleep through tonight and check in the morning.

 

[Csmac]

I have seen that behavior also. The fix for me was to close the cmd+i and do another cmd+i. I saw that all the time on El Capitan and I think some earlier ones as well. The sizing process just isn't finished by the time the Info screen appears.

 

[MikeFromMesa]

I have seen that behavior also. The fix for me was to close the cmd+i and do another cmd+i. I saw that all the time on El Capitan and I think some earlier ones as well. The sizing process just isn't finished by the time the Info screen appears.

Thanks for the suggestion.

I opened the Trash, checked the size and then waited more than an hour before I checked it again. Both times I got the same 36GB so while the problem may be time on El Capitan I assume this is a different issue.

 

[Csmac]

What I meant is close and reopen in a matter of 5 seconds or so. I'm only guessing, but maybe the long wait causes it to start sizing again. At least see if the number changes at all.

 

[MikeFromMesa]

What I meant is close and reopen in a matter of 5 seconds or so. I'm only guessing, but maybe the long wait causes it to start sizing again. At least see if the number changes at all.

Well, that is interesting.

The Trash window has now been open for something like 7 or 8 hours now. It still told me 36GB an hour ago, but now it says 231GB which I assume is correct. I have no idea why it said 36GB after 6 hours and now says 231GB, but there it is. I guess I should empty it and consider myself fortunate to get the space back.

Thanks to everyone for all of the input.

 

[chscag]

If that happens again Mike, run OnyX, reboot, and then check the size once more. I suspect something may have been going on with caches.