[solved]free hdd space dissapears and system stops working

[hthi]

Debian 8 64bit main mate
usb 16gb flash stick
full hdd encryption

On a 500gb hdd I had debian 64bit main mate installed. Quite fast something captured all 80gb of free space on the hdd. Resulting in it being impossible to start the debian gui. I can still log in command line. Because I do not know if or how you can the debian gui working again in command line, I cannot use the 500gb hdd.
I asked about above in this post http://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=131735

Now the same error occurred on an usb 16gb flash stick. It had a couple of gb free space. Within about an hour free space disappeared. Computer properties said 0gb free space. Most applications stopped working. Now if I start the system, I can only log in command line. The gui does not start. The free space turned zero, making the system unusable, that fast, that I was not able to search and find anything in folders. On the flash stick I had the portable gpg4usb, but it was not started. I think I had portable tor on the flash stick. Tor was not started. I cannot say if it was anything I did or installed on the flash stick, that captured all free space.
I consider it an error about debian 8 64bit. I have not noticed this error on any ubuntu version I have used. If no other has witnessed this error on their debian 8 64bit system, it cannot be an general error.
Any explanations?
Both about the 500gb hdd and the 16gb usb flash stick system, the error occurred on a desktop from about windows 7 got released. Long before these errors occurred, the desktop's cpu got damaged and I had to get another cpu, which got the desktop working again. Could that be the cause of the error?
I will return to ubuntu and test debian 9 when available.
Thanks.

[peter_irich]

Check your /var/log size, perhaps, some log-files are huge. kern.log, messages, syslog.
In this case it is need find the program, which writes many messages and understand, why.

Peter.

[dasein]

I asked about above in this post http://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=131735

The answers you got in that thread are the exact same answers you are going to get in this one. But if you aren't going take steps to implement fix(es) (you say the HDD from that other thread is unusable), then it's unclear why you're asking the question a second time.

And this sort of error is in no way unique to you--something you'd know if you'd bothered to search before posting. Not surprisingly, small-ish media (16GB) are particularly susceptible to space-related issues.

[hthi]

Thanks.

Check your /var/log size, perhaps, some log-files are huge. kern.log, messages, syslog.

I would want to. But I can only log in using command line. When logged in, I do not know how to start nautilus or any other file manager. In order to command line navigate to the files and folders in question and copy them to an usb flash stick, I would have to get command instructions.

[pylkko]

Thanks.

Check your /var/log size, perhaps, some log-files are huge. kern.log, messages, syslog.

I would want to. But I can only log in using command line. When logged in, I do not know how to start nautilus or any other file manager. In order to command line navigate to the files and folders in question and copy them to an usb flash stick, I would have to get command instructions.

Search for 'Linux delete file' or 'Linux basic commands'

[GarryRicketson]

I do not know how to start nautilus

At the command prompt, type 'nautilus'

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$ nautilus

or any editor, ..., IE: nano

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$ nano

To change directories,:
Example:

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garry@debian:~$ cd /var/log
 

Then

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garry@debian:/var/log$ ls -s -h
total 7.3M
   0 alternatives.log                    0 lpr.log
4.0K alternatives.log.1                  0 mail.err
4.0K apache2                             0 mail.info
4.0K apt                                 0 mail.log
   0 aptitude                            0 mail.warn
4.0K auth.log                         4.0K messages
160K auth.log.1                       632K messages.1
 12K auth.log.2.gz                    136K messages.2.gz
 16K auth.log.3.gz                    136K messages.3.gz
 12K auth.log.4.gz                    120K messages.4.gz
------snip-----
 16K lastlog                           36K Xorg.1.log.o 

If you want to delete the older logs, you must use sudo or su

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root@debian:/var/log# rm *.gz
root@debian:/var/log# exit
exit
garry@debian:/var/log$ ls -s -h
total 5.4M
   0 alternatives.log               0 lpr.log
----snip--
 16K lastlog

I gained 2 m , not much, ...but that should some idea as to how.
No need for a file manager, GUI to do these things,..
If you do want to edit any files, and they need root access, it is better
to use a editor like 'vi' or 'nano' , as sudo or root.

After over a year using Debian , it surprises me the OP has not read any manuals,
or tutorials on basic linux commands,..
Basic linux commands , fot file managemnt

First hit: https://www.digitalocean.com/community/ ... management

[peter_irich]

For example, remove all files from /var/log, that are more than 10MB:

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find /var/log -size +10M -print0 | xargs -0 /bin/rm -f

but I did't check this command.

Peter.

[sunrat]

Handy command to check where all the space has been used:

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du -sh * | sort -hr

[hthi]

Thanks. It worked.
I wrote

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su

Then

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find /var/log -size +10M -print0 | xargs -0 /bin/rm -f

After turning on the computer again, mate started.
I have tested a couple of programs and they run. Computer -> properties says device's total capacity is 14gb and free capacity is 2gb. I think the numbers are the same as before the desktop gui stopped.

I have a 500gb hdd debian 8 64bit, that I believe stopped because of the same error. I will test the above command on that hdd too.

Can I set a warning to display if a free space value set by me is reached?

[peter_irich]

1st, try to add to panel "Free Space Checker". I'm in Ubuntu with xfce now.
Or write the own script and run it by cron.

Peter.

[hthi]

Thanks.
About the debian 8 64bit 500gb hdd, after starting it again, login greeter and desktop gui started. The system works. Free space is 30gb. Could be the same number as before free hdd space was gone. I did not get to test

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find /var/log -size +10M -print0 | xargs -0 /bin/rm -f

I am uncertain why the system started to run again.

Free Space Checker

Where do I find it?
It is not a package in the synaptic package manager? I not able to write a cron script myself.

[peter_irich]

It depends of your DE. In xfce case, different xfce4-<...>-plugin must be installed and in panel properties its are in "Add to panel".

Peter.

[hthi]

Thanks. About the 500gb debian 8 64bit hdd, the free space went away again. I have made a new post.
http://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=133064