Disk Space Reclamation

Discussions focus on challenges and techniques for freeing up disk space on filesystems after deletions, especially when disks are nearly full, including issues like needing temporary space to reclaim space, TRIM, zeroing free space, and compression effects.

📉 Falling 0.5x DevOps & Infrastructure
3,195
Comments
20
Years Active
5
Top Authors
#8531
Topic ID

Activity Over Time

2007
4
2008
4
2009
51
2010
64
2011
86
2012
115
2013
137
2014
83
2015
127
2016
165
2017
180
2018
179
2019
179
2020
251
2021
417
2022
249
2023
308
2024
331
2025
256
2026
9

Keywords

SSD OH SysInternals NILFS FAT XP VM OTOH ZFS OS disk space disk space filesystem file files sectors unused blocks volume

Sample Comments

op00to Feb 24, 2022 View on HN

What use case regularly shrinks file systems? Not doubting, curious!

foobarqux Jun 7, 2023 View on HN

I don't understand the details but I know one case it can fix problems is after deleting files to free up space on a nearly full disk.

toolz Sep 3, 2017 View on HN

So now I should zero out my unused space to prevent indefinite jail time? Seems like a flawed system.

seanw444 Mar 17, 2022 View on HN

It's helped me clear up a filled-to-the-brim disk, many a time.

jhallenworld May 2, 2021 View on HN

The disk space issue could fixed other ways. Have the filesystem automatically find and shared common blocks.

Doesn't this leave you with a bunch of junk data taking up space?

Apocryphon Jul 7, 2019 View on HN

That could be physical degradation from age, not necessarily the "running out of disk space".

yaks_hairbrush May 26, 2011 View on HN

People need to free up hard disk space these days?

mort96 Apr 1, 2023 View on HN

It's not a disk space thing.

colejohnson66 Dec 8, 2019 View on HN

Less disk space being used maybe?