It is especially annoying when you are using an Ubuntu system and you run out of disk space. Maintaining optimal disk space management is essential to preserving your system’s functionality and performance.
Any operating system may get congested with the addition and removal of apps over time. You may decide not to bother cleaning up Ubuntu to free up disk space if you have a TB or more of storage available. But making room on your hard drive is necessary if it’s restricted, as mine is (128 GB SSD laptop).
We’ll walk you through simple 7 ways to Increase Disk Space in Ubuntu Command Lineto expand disk space in this in-depth guide.
First, what is Disk Space?
Disk space is the amount of storage on your SSD or hard drive that is set aside for storing programs, data, and the operating system. You may find that this space quickly fills up as you install more software and gather files.
Disk space refers to the total amount of data that a storage device, like a hard drive or solid-state drive (SSD), can hold. It’s essentially your computer’s storage room, where all your files, programs, documents, pictures, videos, and the operating system itself are stashed.
Disk space is usually measured in gigabytes (GB) or terabytes (TB). One GB is equal to 1024 megabytes (MB), and one TB is equal to 1024 GB.
Here are some key points about disk space:
- Another term for disk space: Disk space is also sometimes called disk storage, storage capacity, or disk capacity.
- Importance: Having enough free disk space is important for your device to run smoothly. If your disk gets too full, it can slow things down.
- Different from memory: Disk space is different from memory (RAM) on your computer. RAM is used to store programs that are currently running, while disk space is used to store files more permanently.
Having enough free disk space is important for your computer’s health. If your disk gets too full, it can slow down your computer and even prevent you from installing new programs or saving files. That’s why it’s a good idea to keep an eye on your disk space and free some up if it starts to get low.
How Disk Space is Allocated in Ubuntu?
In Ubuntu, disk space is divided into different partitions and directories. The most common partitions include the root (/), home (/home), and swap partitions. Proper management of these partitions is essential to ensure optimal performance.
Ubuntu utilizes a two-step procedure for allocating disk space: partitioning and logical volume management (LVM).
- Partitioning: The physical storage drive is divided into sections known as partitions during installation. Each partition functions as a distinct unit and houses a specific filesystem, like ext4 for the main Ubuntu system. You can employ a tool like GParted to view and manage partitions.
- Logical Volume Management (LVM): Ubuntu by default leverages LVM on top of traditional partitioning. LVM offers greater flexibility by introducing an abstraction layer between physical disks and logical volumes. Physical volumes (PVs) are the actual hard drive partitions, and you can group numerous PVs into a volume group (VG). The VG acts as a pool of storage space that can be carved into logical volumes (LVs). This grants you the ability to dynamically expand or shrink LVs on the fly, providing more granular control over disk space allocation.
For checking disk space usage, Ubuntu provides various tools like Disk Usage Analyzer, System Monitor, and Usage that offer detailed breakdowns of how storage space is consumed across your system.
5 Simple Ways to Increase Disk Space in Ubuntu Command Line
Effective disk space management is essential for any system to run well, but it’s especially important for Ubuntu because resources could run out rapidly.
What would you do, for example, if you needed to make room on Ubuntu?
Ubuntu doesn’t immediately make it clear how to free up space, in contrast to Windows, which has built-in defrag and disk clean-up tools.
Once you have removed those sizable items from the trash and cleaned them out. What happens after ISO downloads? How can you make additional room?
Here are five incredibly easy procedures to recover those GBs, materialize additional MBs, and clear out the KB cruft—some of which are blindingly apparent, yet easy to forget!
Here are 5 simple command-line techniques for disk space optimization.
1: Clear the APT Cache (And Remember to Do It Often)
The Advanced Package Tool (APT) cache stores copies of all the packages you’ve downloaded. While this is useful for reinstallation, it can accumulate over time and take up significant space.
Even if it seems apparent, there’s a good possibility you haven’t done this in a while.
Ubuntu automatically stores all of the updates it downloads and installs on your computer in a cache, in case you ever need them again.
This cache will come in handy if you frequently add and delete programs, frequently need to tweak or reinstall a certain package, or just have a bad connection.
If not, however, the apt package cache has the potential to rapidly grow to several hundred megabytes.
Clearing the APT cache is simple:
Command to Clear APT Cache
- sudo apt-get clean
This command removes all cached packages from /var/cache/apt/archives, freeing up space. It’s a good practice to run this command periodically to keep the cache from growing too large.
Automate Clearing the Cache
To automate this process, you can create a cron job. Open the cron table with:
- crontab -e
Add the following line to clear the cache every week:
- 0 0 * * 0 sudo apt-get clean
Any package stored in the apt cache, regardless of age or necessity, is removed using the apt clean command. You may want to consider omitting this step if your connection is unpredictable, limited, or slow.
2: Eliminate Old Kernels (If Needed No More)
Ubuntu retains old kernels after updates, which can take up a lot of space. You can remove these safely if you’re sure they’re no longer needed.
You should proceed carefully when doing this step.
It’s useful to have many kernels available for booting, particularly if you find issues with a newer kernel.
However, hoarding kernels isn’t necessary unless you’re experiencing constant hardware problems.
Use the following command to get rid of outdated kernels in Ubuntu:
List Installed Kernels
First, list all installed kernels:
- dpkg –list | grep linux-image
Remove Old Kernels
To remove a specific old kernel, use:
- sudo apt-get remove –purge linux-image-<kernel-version>
Replace <kernel-version> with the version you want to remove. Be cautious not to remove the current running kernel. To check the current kernel, use:
- uname -r
Automatic Removal of Old Kernels
You can also use the following command to automatically remove old kernels:
- sudo apt-get autoremove –purge
This command only removes kernels that were installed through system updates from the Ubuntu archive and that a) are no longer required. You will have to put on a little muscle and manually uninstall any updated Linux kernels that you may have loaded from a third-party PPA.
3: Remove Any Apps or Games You Never Use (And Tell the Truth!)
Unused applications and games can take up a surprising amount of space. Identify and remove them to reclaim space.
You most likely have several installed apps that you never use. Perhaps you installed them to take on a task you’ve since finished, out of curiosity, or in response to an amazing review.
Whatever your reason, don’t be scared to delete apps that are taking up space if you don’t need them.
Web browsers (would you ever use Opera, Midori, et al.?), music players (there are plenty of them), and games that looked interesting in the Steam Store description but ended up being less entertaining than a Windows 10 combination update are common apps that you might want to remove!
Additionally, LibreOffice Draw is sitting there unutilized for everyone! 😅
Additionally, don’t deceive yourself about could-dos or might-needs. The best thing about most software is that it’s here to stay. On Linux, where apps are just a simple apt install command away, this is never truer.
On Ubuntu, you can remove programs using the command line in the following manner:
List Installed Packages
List all installed packages:
- dpkg –list
Remove Unused Applications
To remove a specific package, use:
- sudo apt-get remove –purge <package-name>
Example
To remove the Thunderbird email client:
- sudo apt-get remove –purge thunderbird
List Large Packages
To find large packages, you can use:
- dpkg-query -Wf ‘${Installed-Size} \t${Package}\n’ | sort -n
Use the following command to remove unnecessary dependencies and excess packages that have been removed because they have been replaced by newer versions or you have uninstalled other packages.
4: Make Use of BleachBit or Another System Cleaner
BleachBit is a powerful system cleaner that can free up disk space by removing unnecessary files. While it has a graphical interface, it can also be run from the command line.
Including every program, cache, log, and system process that lurks in every crevice of your operating system would make a “to-do” list for system cleaning ten times longer.
BleachBit helps us avoid having to do that.
It’s a byte-scouring beast, similar to CCleaner for Linux if you recall. Use caution when using the software as it searches for and removes as much cruft, fluff, and caches as it can.
More than 70 well-known desktop programs, such as Firefox and Google Chrome, have their caches cleaned by BleachBut, which can also quickly go through crash logs you’ll always need more time to read and wipe up old files and shell history.
It should come as no surprise that this app is frequently included in our lists of things to do once Ubuntu is installed.
BleachBit is installable directly from Ubuntu Software on Ubuntu 16.04 LTS and higher. Use sudo apt install bleachbit or do a name-based search for it.
Install BleachBit
First, install BleachBit:
- sudo apt-get install bleachbit
Clean Using BleachBit
Run BleachBit as root for system-wide cleanup:
- sudo bleachbit –clean system. Cache system. Localizations
You can specify various options for cleaning. For a complete list, use:
- bleachbit -l
Automate BleachBit
To automate BleachBit, you can create a script with your preferred cleaning options and set it up as a cron job.
To maximize cleaning power, run BleachBit as root (the application launcher will have an icon for this). Next, check the boxes next to the items you want to clean, click Preview to see how much space they take up, and finally click Clean to remove them.
5: Keep Yourself Updated (Really, Do It!)
Regularly updating your system not only provides security benefits but can also help manage disk space better by removing obsolete packages.
The first thing that comes to mind when reading this list is also the most obvious. See, package updates on Linux frequently free up space rather than requiring more, in contrast to Windows, where each new update adds more overhead and bloat.
So, the next time you put off updating to lib random-package102 (156MB) because you’re running out of space, you should reconsider!
Update and Upgrade
Update the package lists and upgrade installed packages:
- sudo apt-get update
- sudo apt-get upgrade
Autoremove Obsolete Packages
After an upgrade, remove obsolete packages:
- sudo apt-get autoremove
Full Upgrade
For a more thorough upgrade, including kernel updates:
- sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
Automate Updates
You can automate updates by enabling unattended upgrades:
- sudo apt-get install unattended-upgrades
- sudo dpkg-reconfigure –priority=low unattended-upgrades
By following these five simple steps, you can efficiently manage disk space on your Ubuntu system, ensuring it runs smoothly and efficiently.
Regular maintenance and cleanup are key to preventing disk space issues from affecting your system’s performance.
How Can I Combine Command Lines for Disk Space Checking?
Effective disk space management is essential in IT and system administration. Monitoring available storage is part of checking disk space, which helps to verify that systems function properly and avoid problems based on a lack of space.
One effective method to automate and expedite this process is to use command lines to check disk space. To efficiently monitor disk space on Linux, macOS, and Windows, this part explains how to combine multiple command lines.
Disk Space Checking in Linux and macOS
Linux and macOS share many similarities in their command-line utilities due to their Unix-based foundations. Here are some common commands used to check disk space:
1: df (Disk Free) Command:
The df command is widely used to report file system disk space usage. The basic syntax is:
- df -h
The -h flag stands for “human-readable,” displaying sizes in KB, MB, or GB.
2: du (Disk Usage) Command:
The du command estimates file space usage. For a summary of the disk usage of a directory and its subdirectories, use:
- du -sh /path/to/directory
Here, -s provides a summary, and -h makes the output human-readable.
3: Combining df and du:
To get a comprehensive overview, you can combine the df and du commands using a simple shell script or a one-liner:
- df -h && du -sh /path/to/directory
4: Advanced Combination Using find:
For a more detailed analysis, you can combine find with du to identify large files:
- find / -type f -exec du -sh {} + | sort -rh | head -n 10
This command lists the top 10 largest files in the file system.
5: Using ncdu (NCurses Disk Usage):
The ncdu utility provides an interactive interface to analyze disk usage. Install it using:
- sudo apt-get install ncdu # Debian-based systems
- brew install ncdu # macOS
Then run:
- ncdu /
Disk Space Checking in Windows
Windows offers various tools and commands to check disk space. Here are some useful ones:
1: wmic (Windows Management Instrumentation Command-line):
The wmic command provides disk space details:
- wmic logicaldisk get size, free space, caption
This command displays the total size and free space of each logical disk.
2: PowerShell Cmdlets:
PowerShell provides powerful cmdlets for disk space management:
- Get-PSDrive -PSProvider FileSystem
This cmdlet shows all drives with their used and free space.
3: Combining Commands in PowerShell:
You can combine several PowerShell commands to get a detailed report:
- Get-Volume | Select-Object Drive Letter, @ {Name=”Used (GB)”; Expression={[math]: round ($_. Size Remaining/1GB,2)}}, @ {Name=”Free (GB)”; Expression= {[math]: round ($_. Size Remaining/1GB,2)}}
4: Using Disk Management Utility:
For a GUI-based approach, use the Disk Management utility. Open it by running diskmgmt.msc in the Run dialog (Win+R).
Automating Disk Space Checks
For regular monitoring, automating disk space checks can save time and ensure timely notifications.
1: Cron Jobs (Linux/macOS):
Schedule regular disk space checks using cron jobs. Edit the crontab with:
- crontab -e
Add a job to run a disk space check script:
- 0 0 * * * /path/to/check_disk_space.sh
2: Task Scheduler (Windows):
Use Task Scheduler to automate disk space checks. Create a new task and set it to run a PowerShell script at specified intervals.
Sample Scripts
Linux/macOS Script (check_disk_space.sh):
- #!/bin/bash
- df -h
- echo “Disk usage for /home directory:”
- du -sh /home
Windows PowerShell Script (Check-DiskSpace.ps1):
powershells
$drives = Get-PSDrive -PSProvider FileSystem
foreach ($drive in $drives) {
$used = [math]: round (($drive. Used/1GB), 2)
$free = [math]: round (($drive. Free/1GB), 2)
Write-Output “Drive $($drive. Name): Used: $used GB, Free: $free GB”
}
Combining command lines for disk space checking provides a flexible and powerful way to manage storage across various operating systems.
By utilizing commands like df, du, wmic, and PowerShell cmdlets, system administrators can efficiently monitor and manage disk space, ensuring optimal system performance.
Automating these checks further enhances reliability, helping to pre-empt potential issues related to disk space shortages.
Conclusion
In this post, we went over a few different Linux commands for monitoring disk space consumption. The program du allows you to inspect the space used by individual files and directories, while df and pdf give you a summary of storage utilization.
We also talked about combining programs for more in-depth analysis, like grep and du to eliminate files based on size.
You may effectively manage your space, maintain the stability of your Linux system, and avoid storage-related problems by familiarizing yourself with these commands.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
1: How can I identify which files or directories are taking up the most space on my Ubuntu system?
To identify which files or directories are consuming the most disk space, you can use the du (disk usage) command. This command provides a detailed breakdown of disk usage by directory.
For example, running du -sh * in a directory will give you a summary of the space used by each subdirectory and file within it. The -s flag summarizes the space, while the -h flag makes the output human-readable by displaying sizes in KB, MB, or GB.
Additionally, for a comprehensive view of disk usage across the entire file system, the ncdu (NCurses Disk Usage) tool can be very effective. It provides an interactive interface that allows you to navigate through directories and easily identify the largest space consumers.
2: What are some common commands to clean up disk space on Ubuntu?
There are several commands you can use to clean up disk space on Ubuntu. The apt-get clean command removes downloaded package files that are no longer needed, which can free up significant space in /var/cache/apt/archives.
The apt-get autoremove command removes packages that were automatically installed to satisfy dependencies for other packages and are no longer needed. For log files, you can use sudo journalctl –vacuum-time=2weeks to delete system logs older than two weeks.
Additionally, sudo apt-get auto clean removes older versions of packages that cannot be downloaded anymore, providing another way to free up space.
3: How can I remove old kernels to free up space on my Ubuntu system?
Old kernels can accumulate over time, taking up valuable disk space. To remove them, you can use the sudo apt-get autoremove –purge command, which removes all old kernels except for the current one and the most recent previous version. It is important to keep at least one old kernel version in case you encounter issues with the current one.
You can also manually remove specific old kernels using sudo apt-get remove –purge linux-image-X.X.X-X-generic, replacing X.X.X-X with the version number of the kernel you want to remove. Before performing these operations, you can list all installed kernels using the dpkg –list ‘linux-image*’ command.
4: How can I extend a partition to increase available disk space in Ubuntu?
Extending a partition in Ubuntu typically involves a few steps, often starting with resizing the physical volume if you’re using Logical Volume Management (LVM). First, use fdisk or parted to resize the physical partition. Then, if using LVM, extend the volume group with vgextend and the logical volume with lvextend.
Finally, resize the filesystem with resize2fs for ext4 filesystems. For example, the commands might look like this:
- sudo fdisk /dev/sda
- sudo pvresize /dev/sda1
- sudo lvextend -l +100%FREE /dev/mapper/ubuntu–vg-root
- sudo resize2fs /dev/mapper/ubuntu–vg-root
These commands will extend the root partition to use all available free space.
5: What is the best way to manage temporary files to prevent them from using too much disk space on Ubuntu?
Managing temporary files is crucial to maintaining disk space. Ubuntu uses the /tmp directory for temporary files, which can be cleaned regularly. You can manually delete files in /tmp using rm commands, but be cautious not to remove files currently in use by applications.
Automating this process can be more efficient. Tools like tmpreaper or systemd-tmpfiles-clean can be configured to clean up files older than a certain number of days.
Additionally, configuring the system to clear /tmp on reboot can be done by editing the /etc/systemd/system.conf file and setting RemoveIPC=yes. This ensures that temporary files do not accumulate over long periods.
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