Old File Versions are cluttering my diskspace

Insight & Feedback
1

I have about 12TB which are almost completely used up by old file versions from Backup tasks.

After deleting the subdirectories linked to the backups. the diskspace still remains relatively unchanged.

How can I delete the hidden old file versions to free up space?

Thank you for your help.

Best regards

Christian

2

You deleted the folders, but not the actual stored backup versions, they’re usually kept in hidden directories or Docker volumes.

Start by checking where the space really is:

du -h --max-depth=2 /DATA | sort -hr | head -20

Then check Docker usage:

docker system df

Most likely causes:

  • /DATA/AppData backup folders
  • hidden .trash / .snapshots
  • Docker volumes still holding data

If the backups were created by an app, they often need to be deleted from inside the app itself, not manually.

If you want, paste the output and I’ll pinpoint exactly what’s eating the 12TB.

3

I’m having the same problem as original poster. I created a Backup with ZimaOS Backup function. The backup task is:

From: /media/Backup/All_Backups

To: /media/Backup2/All_Backups

(Both drives are 4 TB)

When creating the backup task, I left the “Retain multiple backup versions of the file” checked. Thus, historical versions are eating up my storage space.

I ran your suggested ssh commands first on the Backup destination Drive (Backup2):

root@ZimaOS:/root ➜ # du -h --max-depth=2 /media/Backup2 | sort -hr | head -20
780G /media/Backup2/All_Backups
780G /media/Backup2
531G /media/Backup2/All_Backups/Gamer
131G /media/Backup2/All_Backups/Laptop
119G /media/Backup2/All_Backups/HP-Mini
21M /media/Backup2/.zima_encrypted_folders
0 /media/Backup2/.trash/smb
0 /media/Backup2/.trash

Then on the Backup source Drive (Backup):

root@ZimaOS:/root ➜ # du -h --max-depth=2 /media/Backup | sort -hr | head -20
1.2T /media/Backup
780G /media/Backup/All_Backups
531G /media/Backup/All_Backups/Gamer
429G /media/Backup/Media_Backup/Movies
429G /media/Backup/Media_Backup
131G /media/Backup/All_Backups/Laptop
119G /media/Backup/All_Backups/HP-Mini
21M /media/Backup/.zima_encrypted_folders
0 /media/Backup/.trash/smb
0 /media/Backup/.trash

Then the docker command:

root@ZimaOS:/root ➜ # docker system df
TYPE TOTAL ACTIVE SIZE RECLAIMABLE
Images 4 4 1.703GB 0B (0%)
Containers 4 4 476.1kB 0B (0%)
Local Volumes 0 0 0B 0B
Build Cache 0 0 0B 0B

I’m new to ZimaOS and fairly new to Linux in general but it looks to me like the diskspace usage culprit might be the hidden .trash / .snapshots.

Thoughts……

Suggestions on how to free up space….

4

You’re on the right track, and your output already tells the story.

Nothing in your docker system df is using space.
Your actual data + versioning is.

What’s happening (simple)

  • Source: 780G (actual data)
  • Destination: 780G (same data copied)
  • But your source disk is 1.2T total

That extra ~400G is coming from:

  • previous versions (snapshots / versioning)
  • not Docker
  • not .trash (that’s basically empty in your output)

Key point

ZimaOS “Retain multiple versions” does not overwrite files
It keeps historical copies > which stack up over time

So your backup drive is slowly growing beyond just the live data.

Where the space actually is

From your output:

/media/Backup = 1.2T
/media/Backup/All_Backups = 780G

That missing ~400G is outside your visible folders, very likely hidden snapshot/version data created by the backup system

What to do (safe direction)

First thing, don’t delete random hidden folders blindly.

Do this instead:

  1. Go into ZimaOS Backup UI
  • Find your backup task
  • Disable “Retain multiple backup versions”
  1. Look for:
  • “Version cleanup”
  • “Retention policy”
  • Or delete/recreate the task cleanly
  1. If no cleanup option exists (common on current builds):
  • Remove the backup task
  • Manually delete old backup folders (NOT system folders)
  • Recreate backup without versioning

Important note

Those .trash folders:

0 size > not your issue

Snapshots/versioning:

THIS is your issue

Bottom line

You didn’t do anything wrong, it’s just how versioned backups behave.

  • You enabled versioning
  • ZimaOS kept everything
  • Disk filled up
5

Thanks for the reply.

I had already deleted the Backup task so, I can’t:

Disable “Retain multiple backup versions”

So, since I deleted the task looks like my only option is to:

  • Manually delete old backup folders (NOT system folders)
    • i.e. delete all folders on the destination drive (Backup2)
    • the folders on the source drive (Backup) should be ok (i.e. leave them alone)??
  • Would another option be to just format the Backup2 drive again. As I can always just “manually copy” the folders from Backup to Backup2 once Backup2 is reformatted.

Thoughts…

6

Yeah, keep it simple.

Do NOT touch /media/Backup (your real data)
Wipe /media/Backup2 completely

Best option: just format Backup2 > fastest + cleanest

Then copy again or recreate backup without versioning

That’s it.