Startup Disk full error message, complicated

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ceceliagm

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I keep getting the "Startup Disk is almost full" error message even though I know I had plenty of available memory. After searching the forums here, I downloaded Cocktail and cleared the caches, logs, and temporary files. I made hidden files visible, and I found in /private/var/tmp tons of files have been written taking up every bit of available space, even after running Cocktail's chron. A sample filename is 476deede776c8. I deleted these files, rebooted my computer, and I had the space back. BUT, this morning, when I started up, the memory disappeared again and these type of files were again gobbling up my disk space.

I booted from the system install disk to run disk utility. It says my hard disk is fine, but I can't repair permissions. Something about no packets or invalid packets.

I just went through the motions again with Cocktail and deleted the over 5Gb of temporary files, and so far, so good, but what can I do to stop this from continuing to happen?

These problems started after trying to download some printer drivers from HP's website, which was so slow I halted the downloads and cancelled them. I tried installing the one driver that downloaded, and onto a different user than the root system, as per HP's recommendation. This meant I had to use the system install disk to reset my passwords because my password wasn't working. I don't know if any of these actions caused the problem, are part of the problem, or are a separate problem. I can't afford to spend an hour a day, 2 or 3 times a day, erasing these pesky files so I can use my boot drive. Any advice, specific directions, and/or explanations are desperately needed.

I am running Mac OS 10.3.9 on a PowerMac G4 450Mhz, 800Mb RAM. I was using Firefox when the problems started.
 
You're confusing memory or RAM with hard drive disk space. The first is a measure of how many things you can do at once, the latter how much stuff can you can save on your computer. You seem to be describing a situation of running out of hard drive space (not memory). When you choose properties for your hard drive icon, what is it's total capacity and how much of that is actually used? If you are over, say, 95% full to capacity, you'll get system slowdowns and errors.

If you are running out of space, you can do what you're doing...hunting down and deleting unnecessary data. Try the freeware WhatSize which can show you what's taking up all that space. If you can't delete any more data, how about offloading some of it to an external drive or burning some DVDs.

If you you're finding that you're freeing up space on your drive (say, you have 20% free space) and the next day, you find you're back to only 5% free space...that's strange. If that's the case, re-post and we can see if some application(s) are creating huge log files or or temp/cache files throughout the day. Again, WhatSize should help identify those huge files for you.
 
I've been using Activity Monitor to see if there was an obvious culprit. It's happening again this morning, again in the same locations.

root/private/var/tmp folder gets files written to it until my computer runs out of hard disk space. The processes showing up on Activity Monitor's Active processes window are all the time are

pmTool
Finder
WindowServer
kernel_task

Processes that show up intermittently are

locum (pops up frequently)
ntpd
coreservices
systemUIserver
distnoted
cupsd

I don't know if part of the problem is that there's something wrong with disk permissions. I just can't repair them, it says there's no valid packet (or something similar).

I can't keep going through the 1 hour process every time I startup my computer. Does anyone know how I can stop this process?
 
Hmm...

locum is suspect: http://tinyurl.com/2fkh7x

so is distnoted. Googling it led to someone asking if Google Desktop is installed. That software will need to build a large cache file. First time it does it can take a long time, and if interrupted it starts up again.

Hard to troubleshoot remotely obviously. Are you running any Norton or other system enhancements (popular and problematic on windows)? Otherwise, I have three suggestions:

1. Applejack: http://tinyurl.com/36eyo9 -- it's a great, free utility though it may not fix what's ailing your system

2. Archive and (re-) install the OS - keeps user data, programs and most program settings.

3. Clean install

I again recommend WhatSize to see the name of the log or other file that's eating up room, then google that name to see what software it's associated with.
 
There are numerous files being written, all with names similar to "476deede778c8," all roughly the same size, which has been a little different each time (1.5Mb to 3.5Mb), and all going to the same location. I delete them (which takes forever, because there's almost 5Gb of them), and I'm OK until I restart the computer again.

I am going to do a clean install, just because I can't repair permissions, which means even if I solve this problem, I may be setting myself up for more later. Is there something I should keep in mind so I don't lose all my customization and registrations? Or am I doomed to reenter all that personal information?

Would I be better off, do you think, just upgrading the OS? I've kept with Panther just because I'm in publishing services, and there hasn't been a really good font management software yet, and because I'm still using older versions of my core software. (Plus, I'm not rich enough to upgrade all my Adobe and Microsoft software at one time.)

Thanks for your advice and help.
 
First, no matter what option you choose, back up all your important data.

Then try an archive and install. You'll get a new OS but your customizations should mostly remain in place. Note I migrated from windows to Tiger, so I don't even know if archive and install is an option for Panther. Tiger I believe is well regarded and considered considerably superior to Panther (some still prefer Tiger to the young Leopard). You could of course migrate straight to Leopard though, assuming your hardware is recent enough. I can't say for sure, but I would think most software that works on Panther would work on Tiger/Leopard.

If you upgrade from Panther to Tiger/Leopard you can choose to do an upgrade as opposed to a clean install and, like an archive and install, most of your preferences and customizations and the like should remain intact. I'd try that, and hopefully save yourself a day or two of reinstalling all your apps. If that doesn't work for you, then you can always do a clean install.
 
ceceliagm,

I'm probably too late but have you tried logging into a new User Account to see if this very strange occurrence is User specific or System wide?
 
Bumping an old problem. I've been having the same problems, apparently.
My disk space is consumed overnight without me doing downloads or creating big files.
I used OmniDiskSweeper but wasn't able to find any large log files or other irregular activities.
 
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