no space in home folder

loganvillager · January 20, 2020, 5:35am

For the last few months I have been getting the following notification:
low disc space
Your Home folder is running out of disk space, you have 0 MiB remaining (0%.
when I check using dolphin it shows 20Kb free, and the computer slows to a crawl.
If I log out/log in dolphin shows 760 Gib free, and all is good for a few days after which the process repeats.
I have tried deleting files in the directory which shows as xfs mounted on /home from /dev/sdb5, but the problem re-occurs.
I have two drives mounted on home. Do I need to mount them elsewhere or is there some other problem / solution.
Thanks Laurie.

mrmazda · January 20, 2020, 7:11am

Where on /home/ are these drives mounted? By what method are they mounted? What is output from

cat /etc/fstab
df

Please wrap this output with code tags.

loganvillager · January 20, 2020, 9:42am

Thanks for the reply. not sure how to paste files, but here goes.
laurie@linux-ntsv:~> su

linux-ntsv:/home/laurie # cat /etc/fstab
UUID=85d84850-12c6-474c-8586-d0838751eb7c / ext4 acl,user_xattr 0 1
UUID=8D99-A8EE /boot/efi vfat defaults 0 0
UUID=80e7b27d-35a0-493c-9f0f-135e7dd91bbe swap swap defaults 0 0
UUID=e114ef60-ce1e-48dc-abd3-a3a55d602b8f /home xfs defaults 0 0
UUID=601fd66f-7f06-4afd-8a6d-255b2de02710 /home/storage/files ext4 user,data=ordered 0 2
UUID=d4de72b1-17b4-4b0d-81d4-ad8ef3beb5c4 /drives/media ext4 data=ordered 0 2

linux-ntsv:~ # cat /etc/fstab
UUID=85d84850-12c6-474c-8586-d0838751eb7c / ext4 acl,user_xattr 0 1
UUID=8D99-A8EE /boot/efi vfat defaults 0 0
UUID=80e7b27d-35a0-493c-9f0f-135e7dd91bbe swap swap defaults 0 0
UUID=e114ef60-ce1e-48dc-abd3-a3a55d602b8f /home xfs defaults 0 0
UUID=601fd66f-7f06-4afd-8a6d-255b2de02710 /home/storage/files ext4 user,data=ordered 0 2
UUID=d4de72b1-17b4-4b0d-81d4-ad8ef3beb5c4 /drives/media ext4 data=ordered 0 2
linux-ntsv:~ # cat /etc/fstab
UUID=85d84850-12c6-474c-8586-d0838751eb7c / ext4 acl,user_xattr 0 1
UUID=8D99-A8EE /boot/efi vfat defaults 0 0
UUID=80e7b27d-35a0-493c-9f0f-135e7dd91bbe swap swap defaults 0 0
UUID=e114ef60-ce1e-48dc-abd3-a3a55d602b8f /home xfs defaults 0 0
UUID=601fd66f-7f06-4afd-8a6d-255b2de02710 /home/storage/files ext4 user,data=ordered 0 2
UUID=d4de72b1-17b4-4b0d-81d4-ad8ef3beb5c4 /drives/media ext4 data=ordered 0 2
linux-ntsv:~ # df
Filesystem 1K-blocks Used Available Use% Mounted on
devtmpfs 16387104 4 16387100 1% /dev
tmpfs 16401524 43720 16357804 1% /dev/shm
tmpfs 16401524 59332 16342192 1% /run
tmpfs 16401524 0 16401524 0% /sys/fs/cgroup
/dev/sdb3 20511312 15163708 4282644 78% /
/dev/sdb1 511720 5320 506400 2% /boot/efi
/dev/sdb5 879974596 89573756 790400840 11% /home
/dev/sdc1 1921811248 1010827992 813291200 56% /drives/media
/dev/sda1 1921811248 92472780 1731646412 6% /home/storage/files
tmpfs 3280304 28 3280276 1% /run/user/1000
/dev/sr0 4265886 4265886 0 100% /run/media/laurie/OVERBOARD

I hope this will help.
Laurie.

loganvillager · January 20, 2020, 9:48am

sorry it appears Uneed to wrap with code tags.

linux-ntsv:~ # cat /etc/fstab
UUID=85d84850-12c6-474c-8586-d0838751eb7c  /                    ext4  acl,user_xattr     0  1
UUID=8D99-A8EE                             /boot/efi            vfat  defaults           0  0
UUID=80e7b27d-35a0-493c-9f0f-135e7dd91bbe  swap                 swap  defaults           0  0
UUID=e114ef60-ce1e-48dc-abd3-a3a55d602b8f  /home                xfs   defaults           0  0
UUID=601fd66f-7f06-4afd-8a6d-255b2de02710  /home/storage/files  ext4  user,data=ordered  0  2
UUID=d4de72b1-17b4-4b0d-81d4-ad8ef3beb5c4  /drives/media        ext4  data=ordered       0  2

linux-ntsv:~ # df
Filesystem      1K-blocks       Used  Available Use% Mounted on
devtmpfs         16387104          4   16387100   1% /dev
tmpfs            16401524      43720   16357804   1% /dev/shm
tmpfs            16401524      59332   16342192   1% /run
tmpfs            16401524          0   16401524   0% /sys/fs/cgroup
/dev/sdb3        20511312   15163708    4282644  78% /
/dev/sdb1          511720       5320     506400   2% /boot/efi
/dev/sdb5       879974596   89573756  790400840  11% /home
/dev/sdc1      1921811248 1010827992  813291200  56% /drives/media
/dev/sda1      1921811248   92472780 1731646412   6% /home/storage/files
tmpfs             3280304         28    3280276   1% /run/user/1000
/dev/sr0          4265886    4265886          0 100% /run/media/laurie/OVERBOARD

I hope this is better.
laurie.

mrmazda · January 20, 2020, 10:16am

loganvillager:

linux-ntsv:~ # cat /etc/fstab
UUID=85d84850-12c6-474c-8586-d0838751eb7c  /                    ext4  acl,user_xattr     0  1
UUID=8D99-A8EE                             /boot/efi            vfat  defaults           0  0
UUID=80e7b27d-35a0-493c-9f0f-135e7dd91bbe  swap                 swap  defaults           0  0
UUID=e114ef60-ce1e-48dc-abd3-a3a55d602b8f  /home                xfs   defaults           0  0
UUID=601fd66f-7f06-4afd-8a6d-255b2de02710  /home/storage/files  ext4  user,data=ordered  0  2
UUID=d4de72b1-17b4-4b0d-81d4-ad8ef3beb5c4  /drives/media        ext4  data=ordered       0  2

linux-ntsv:~ # df
Filesystem      1K-blocks       Used  Available Use% Mounted on
devtmpfs         16387104          4   16387100   1% /dev
tmpfs            16401524      43720   16357804   1% /dev/shm
tmpfs            16401524      59332   16342192   1% /run
tmpfs            16401524          0   16401524   0% /sys/fs/cgroup
/dev/sdb3        20511312   15163708    4282644  78% /
/dev/sdb1          511720       5320     506400   2% /boot/efi
/dev/sdb5       879974596   89573756  790400840  11% /home
/dev/sdc1      1921811248 1010827992  813291200  56% /drives/media
/dev/sda1      1921811248   92472780 1731646412   6% /home/storage/files
tmpfs             3280304         28    3280276   1% /run/user/1000
/dev/sr0          4265886    4265886          0 100% /run/media/laurie/OVERBOARD

Did you look at the instruction link provided? Typing is not required. Just paste, select, click.

I see nothing that would explain an out of space condition in your homedir.

hcvv · January 20, 2020, 10:24am

I will movbe this ti Install/Boot/login, because thi is NOT about a hrdawrae problem.

I have send you a PM on how to use CODE tags. In the mean tine I tried to read what you posted.

All is ext4 or xfs (thus no btrfs problems with to many snapshots, etc.).

As you see , all % are much lower then 100% (except for the CD/DVD).

To be specific, /home is 11% (with 790 Gb free!).

What are you doing when that message is given?

loganvillager · January 20, 2020, 1:21pm

Thanks Henk,
I now understand about wrapping with code.
In all occasions when the notification shows I am doing the folowing:

listening to podcasts with VLC, gpodder open.
firefox with 4-5 tabs open on news sites.
dolphin 1 to 3 instances with split panes open & occasionally moving/altering files.
thunderbird open.
5.games cards, mines etc while waiting for file manipulation and/or setting up new podcast.
thanks again, laurie.

hcvv · January 20, 2020, 2:14pm

That does not show an obvious culprit.

When it shows the message, you coulld repeat the df to see if it is realy up to 90+% at that moment and at the same time try to find out what extra files are littering around. Not easy. Alternative you could kill applications one by one and check with df when it goes down.

Just a few suggestions.

malcolmlewis · January 20, 2020, 4:35pm

Hi
It could be /tmp being consumed at runtime. Can you check the usage;


du -sh /tmp

mrmazda · January 20, 2020, 6:31pm

In addition to the other suggestions, ncdu makes it easy to navigate and identify locations consuming the most space.

loganvillager · January 21, 2020, 8:43am

I never realized that disc space in this context could also refer to memory.
The fact that logout & login solves the problem each time,
also that it was sometimes solved by deleting all temp and tmp files with dolphin as su seems to indicate
memory and not actual files on the drives.
I forgot other items running (forgotten because they are no my second screen and usually setup then left running),
They were Windows 7 running in virtualbox rendering cad files using Microstation V8, also transferring my DVD’s
to my NAS box using handbrake.
I have remounted the drives with media & files to /drives/ instead of /home/storage/ and now the notice has not come up since.
du -sh /temp with virtualbox

linux-ntsv:~ # du -sh /tmp
78M     /tmp
linux-ntsv:~ #

and without

linux-ntsv:~ # du -sh /tmp
136K    /tmp
linux-ntsv:~ #

in case it helps explain anything.

If the notification re-appears I will post again.
Thanks Laurie.

dcurtisfra · January 21, 2020, 1:07pm

@loganvillager:

You are using Dolphin and, therefore, possibly, KDE Plasma as the GUI.

Start Konqueror → type “/” in the Location Toolbar and then select “View” → “View Mode” → “File Size View”.

The view is graphically sorted by disk usage – beware: it’ll auto-mount any NFS partitions – such as NAS devices …
Simply click on “/home” in the graphical display and then, the details of that area will be graphically displayed.

loganvillager · January 22, 2020, 2:56am

Thanks for that little gem. I used it back when Konqueror was the default browser in suse, but had forgotten about it.
I needed to install the plugins to make it show in tumbleweed.
There is a file shown “xorg-session.log” which is 132.17 GB, To me this seems excessive & if it grows over time may be causing no space in home directory.
Can this file be safely deleted or moderated to stop any possible growth.
I appreciate all the help & tips, Laurie.

malcolmlewis · January 22, 2020, 3:00am

Hi
Wow, you must be having lots of errors… Is this logs in ~/.local/share/xorg or /var/log/Xorg.0.log?

nrickert · January 22, 2020, 5:05am

I did a google search for that file. It appears to be in “.local/share/sddm”.

I rarely use sddm. On my main desktop, that file has a date of July 18, and is 80K. That is probably when I last experimented with “sddm”. Experimenting in a virtual machine, that file is truncated (emptied) at each login with sddm.

The google search did turn up reports of huge files. It probably depends on what applications you are running.

In any case, logout followed by login will empty the file.

Some if what I see in that July 18th file looks similar to what I currently see in “.xsession-errors” (while running “lightdm”).

I would guess that removing the file does not help. The running session probably keeps writing to the file, which still takes up disk space even if the directory entry for the file has been removed. I saw one suggestion, of making that file a symlink to “/dev/null” – which would probably avoid the problem of it getting too large.

hcvv · January 22, 2020, 9:18am

Can you post (the last) part of it so we may see what is wrong that makes so many errors?

dcurtisfra · January 22, 2020, 11:44am

Meaning that, you’ve never logged out of your Desktop session …

If you, simply, logout and then, login again, a new ‘xorg-session.log’ file will be created in the “~/.local/share/” directory your X.Org Display Manager is using.

The previous version should simply disappear – be discarded/removed/thrown away …
AFAIK, this is the default behaviour assuming that, some switch, somewhere, never found the thing, hasn’t been set to keep previous copies of this per-user log file – in contrast to the behaviour of the system-wide X.Org log files located in “/var/log/”.

dcurtisfra · January 22, 2020, 11:57am

The per user X.Org session log file normally contains only message from the user’s GUI environment.

In the case of KDE Plasma, it begins with “kconf_update” messages for updated configuration settings updates the KDE applications want to apply.
Then, Akonadi chimes in – if Akonadi is starting …
Then some OpenGL and Mesa information is output and, anything which the user’s login scripts output …
Then the fun starts – for example Mozilla Firefox:

[INDENT=2]Lots of: “[Child][MessageChannel] Error” …
Lots of: “Gecko_IOThread” and “Chrome_ChildThread” – “pipe error” …[/INDENT]
Despite all the application verbosity, the X.Org session file size for this morning’s login is only 15K …

nrickert · January 22, 2020, 2:11pm

Yes, so the user has a problem that is causing the file to get so large.

Yes, that would be helpful.

Perhaps run this command in a terminal:


tail -20 $HOME/.local/share/sddm/xorg-session.log

and post the output. That will give the last 20 lines of the file. If that doesn’t give us a hint, we can ask for more.

loganvillager · January 23, 2020, 9:45am

Sorry for the delay.
results for log tail below.

laurie@linux-ntsv:~/.local/share/sddm> tail -20 xorg-session.log                       
0028:fixme:wtsapi:WTSWaitSystemEvent Stub 0000000000000000 0x00000028 000000000087FAF0
0028:fixme:wtsapi:WTSWaitSystemEvent Stub 0000000000000000 0x00000028 000000000087FAF0
0028:fixme:wtsapi:WTSWaitSystemEvent Stub 0000000000000000 0x00000028 000000000087FAF0
0028:fixme:wtsapi:WTSWaitSystemEvent Stub 0000000000000000 0x00000028 000000000087FAF0
0028:fixme:wtsapi:WTSWaitSystemEvent Stub 0000000000000000 0x00000028 000000000087FAF0
0028:fixme:wtsapi:WTSWaitSystemEvent Stub 0000000000000000 0x00000028 000000000087FAF0
0028:fixme:wtsapi:WTSWaitSystemEvent Stub 0000000000000000 0x00000028 000000000087FAF0
0028:fixme:wtsapi:WTSWaitSystemEvent Stub 0000000000000000 0x00000028 000000000087FAF0
0028:fixme:wtsapi:WTSWaitSystemEvent Stub 0000000000000000 0x00000028 000000000087FAF0
0028:fixme:wtsapi:WTSWaitSystemEvent Stub 0000000000000000 0x00000028 000000000087FAF0
0028:fixme:wtsapi:WTSWaitSystemEvent Stub 0000000000000000 0x00000028 000000000087FAF0
0028:fixme:wtsapi:WTSWaitSystemEvent Stub 0000000000000000 0x00000028 000000000087FAF0
0028:fixme:wtsapi:WTSWaitSystemEvent Stub 0000000000000000 0x00000028 000000000087FAF0
0028:fixme:wtsapi:WTSWaitSystemEvent Stub 0000000000000000 0x00000028 000000000087FAF0
0028:fixme:wtsapi:WTSWaitSystemEvent Stub 0000000000000000 0x00000028 000000000087FAF0
0028:fixme:wtsapi:WTSWaitSystemEvent Stub 0000000000000000 0x00000028 000000000087FAF0
0028:fixme:wtsapi:WTSWaitSystemEvent Stub 0000000000000000 0x00000028 000000000087FAF0
0028:fixme:wtsapi:WTSWaitSystemEvent Stub 0000000000000000 0x00000028 000000000087FAF0
0028:fixme:wtsapi:WTSWaitSystemEvent Stub 0000000000000000 0x00000028 000000000087FAF0
0028:fixme:wtsapi:WTSWaitSystemEvent Stub 0000000000000000 0x00000028 000000000087FAF0
laurie@linux-ntsv:

I will logout & login then check the xorg-session.log again with next post.
Laurie.