Almost out of storage space

[ChipM 2]

I don't have a clue what this message is telling me. According to my plan, I have Evernote Personal and it appears that I have plenty of space left. 

Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.

Chip

[PinkElephant 6,733]

It’s about the local storage, not the cloud.

[ChipM 2]

So what does that mean? I don't understand. What do I need to do? My Macbook is about 45GB of space left.

[agsteele 2,570]

It is just a warning that your storage is running low.  There are other threads where wiser users than me explain when you could be running short of space. Coming soon will be a means to locate your Evernote data on an alternative drive. In the meantime you can continue as before but now aware of the shortage of space. You could also manually change the place where your data is stored - search for symlink.

[PinkElephant 6,733]

2 hours ago, ChipM said:

So what does that mean? I don't understand. What do I need to do? My Macbook is about 45GB of space left.

45GB is not much. The system may start swapping between RAM and SSD. An update of MacOS easily takes up 30GB, temporarily. System resources need to breathe, in the GB-range. Etc.

EN has meanwhile confirmed that the calculation of space on Macs may be a little too conservative.

So I wouldn’t bother too much. The only problem is that up to now you can’t turn the message off …

[ChipM 2]

@PinkElephant You're absolutely right. I don't know why that didn't hit me when I saw it. I've gone through and deleted a bunch of stuff and cleaned it up.

Thanks.

[PinkElephant 6,733]

No idea if you want this:There is an option in system settings to have MacOS manage your storage, via iCloud. One is the Fotos library, the other is iCloud Drive for the Documents folder. When active, MacOS will see which content looks unused, and will move it to iCloud. On the Mac you only have a link left, for each folder and each file. If you need it, you click to open, and it will then take a little, because it downloads the content from iCloud Drive.

You need sufficient iCloud space to use it - but it takes away a lot of storage management hazzle.

[ChipM 2]

Thanks. That's one of the things I did already. I always kept the Photo library untouched, mostly because I had the space. But looking at it today . . . 

 

Chip

[affectski 7]

Started getting this message last week and it's kinda unhelpful for two reasons:

1. It doesn't really tell me any details beyond "nearly full". How much storage is Evernote using right now? How much space is left on the hard drive it's using? Which hard drive is it even using?

2. What do I do about it? I couldn't find a setting that allows me to change this. "Open settings to change" directs me to Settings > Preferences, and there's nothing I could find that has anything to do with storage. I also couldn't find anything in any other Settings areas (that direct me to my profile). Am I missing something?

The idea itself is good, but the implementation is meh. I mean obviously I can just clean up C:/ because that's where I have my EN and I know that, but I'd be confused as a less tech-savvy user.

[agsteele 2,570]

There are a number of threads discussing this issue. The check is looking at whether you have 5% disk space available. For a small SSD drive that may even be too small. For a large 1Tb drive you may feel that 5% is too big an amount of space 

However, the amount of space required by modern OSs is actually quite large too.

We're told that a setting to allow Evernote data to be stored on an alternative drive is coming. In the meantime search for symlink and you will find discussions of how to manage this yourself in the meantime.

[PinkElephant 6,733]

EN uses the system drive for the database - currently there is no option to place it elsewhere. It can however be moved by using a smylink.

EN staff has commented they are working on an option to move the database. The message came first, because (it seems) in recent cases of data loss a full drive played a role. So take the hint as a chance to do what you always wanted to do: Clean up the system drive.

[*Heath* 0]

I am getting this error and I have a 500GB drive and 182GB available

[jchurchi 3]

This appears to be a bug + poor UX. I have 60.5 / 1tb which is over 6%. Further, it's not the job of Evernote to be checking my disk space, and definitely not appropriate to be jumping to the front to tell me that, interrupting other work or presentations. Photoshop will warn me of low scratch disk space while I am using it, because it works with large amounts of data. Evernote just works with a few MB of text.

At least provide a way to turn this off the first time it happens - big button "don't warn me again"

[PinkElephant 6,733]

Yes, it is the job of EN to check - because they sync the cloud database to a local copy on your system drive. And this is not a few MB (unless you just started using EN).

In this respect 60GB can be a lot, or little, depending on the size of your EN data hoard,

Since you don’t tell which OS, hard to tell anything further about it

[Snkscore 4]

I'm getting this same problem on my new macbook. I have almost 400GB free on my drive.

What's the deal?

[agsteele 2,570]

6 minutes ago, Snkscore said:

What's the deal?

Did you manage to read the posts earlier in this thread?  I thought they were clear.  Please feel free to ask something more specific if it doesn't make sense...

[Rhymenoceros 0]

Hi folks

I am getting exactly the same persistent message about a lack of storage space on my mac... but I have over 300gb free, more than 3/4s of the entire SSD! I've had the same issue on my PC where I have over 100gb free... So what's going on? Any ideas? this seems like a bug to me.

[PinkElephant 6,733]

From the Mac we know they have difficulties calculating the correct size.

So they are probably working on improving it.

What we do know as well: Running out of local space seems to be one root cause of data loss. And that's why they released the space warning in first place.

So if you feel confident you have enough space, just ignore the message.

[Melanie N 0]

I have 669GB free on a 1TB drive. So sick of this app. Never works correctly since they overhauled the UI and they hiked prices. 

[Stormi 0]

I put symlink in the search and it only brings up the 2 posts where you say to search for symlink. Which is in this thread. Can you please provide the thread link or some other suggestions on how to find this symlink discussion you speak of. Thank you.

[Peter Iovan 0]

On 6/23/2023 at 10:33 AM, agsteele said:

It is just a warning that your storage is running low.  There are other threads where wiser users than me explain when you could be running short of space. Coming soon will be a means to locate your Evernote data on an alternative drive. In the meantime you can continue as before but now aware of the shortage of space. You could also manually change the place where your data is stored - search for symlink.

I searched for symlink, and I only found your two posts, but not more:

[johnstaveley 1]

I have an evernote database of size 2Gb and 24Gb left of disk space in C drive and it keeps warning me I am running out of disk space. Evernote should stop wasting people's time with this pointless alert.

[PinkElephant 6,733]

24GB isn't what it used to be. Updates, RAM swapping, temporary files - it can be consumed rather fast.

EN has identified low local storage as a root cause for data loss. So they decided to install the warning rapidly.

There is a second move in the making, to move the database to another drive. Until then the warning will reappear.

You can contact support to learn more about it.

[johnstaveley 1]

I look forward to being able to move the database off of the C drive.

[PinkElephant 6,733]

You can already do it - use a symlink.

[agsteele 2,570]

On 7/13/2023 at 6:51 PM, Peter Iovan said:

I searched for symlink, and I only found your two posts, but not more:

Things have moved on. V10.59.5 is now released and includes a native setting to change the data storage location.

[johnstaveley 1]

Yes, I couldn't find anything on this symlink approach. I will wait until 10.59.5 is released, it is not yet according to my evernote

[agsteele 2,570]

You can get ahead by downloading the current version from evernote.com and install over the top of the current version. The setting to change the data storage location seems too work well.

[bmcl26 338]

23 minutes ago, johnstaveley said:

Yes, I couldn't find anything on this symlink approach. I will wait until 10.59.5 is released, it is not yet according to my evernote

I downloaded it from the Evernote download page yesterday and successfully moved my EN Local storage to another drive.

[madtraveler 0]

I imagine that the "24GB ain't what it used to be" type responses are relevant -- or should be only relevant -- to users who are using Evernote for something other than simple text? Images add up crazy fast, I know. But on my hard drive I have a particular folder of 991 Word files. It totals less than 36MB, like 4-5 phone jpegs pretty much. My Evernotes are much smaller in terms of word counts than any one of those longer documents. Can I safely ignore the storage space warnings? I think yes, but as with anything, what I don't know that I don't know is the problem.   Sure would be nice to have a shut off for that notification and a clear indication in settings where things are being saved and how space is there. 

[jchurchi 3]

On 7/8/2023 at 3:50 PM, PinkElephant said:

Yes, it is the job of EN to check - because they sync the cloud database to a local copy on your system drive. And this is not a few MB (unless you just started using EN).

In this respect 60GB can be a lot, or little, depending on the size of your EN data hoard,

Since you don’t tell which OS, hard to tell anything further about it

No, it's definitely not. All modern operating systems already take care of this with their own warnings.

And you seemed quite confident that it only checks "whether you have 5% disk space available" and yet I get it at 6-9% available. And others much more. Clearly Evernote is doing it wrong.

What's supremely annoying is that Evernote will jump to the front of other apps to give this completely useless alert.

AT LEAST GIVE USERS A WAY TO TURN IT OFF.

 

[PinkElephant 6,733]

Download 10.59, and you can turn it off.

And stop screaming in the forum (large type).

[PolloRosado 0]

I had the same problem, and since I was not able to solve it, I came to this forum to read.

As advised, I downloaded Evernote again and overwrote the previous version. After opening, the message of the storage being full disappeared (finally! as I have 350 Gbps available, so it wasn't very pleasant to have this warning every time I opened the app).

 

 

[Ciberpine 0]

Evernote used to manage the data on local storage better, I think.  Is there no way to age out notes not referenced in a certain time frame and have them stored on the cloud only?

[agsteele 2,570]

No.

[PinkElephant 6,733]

Such a function never existed.

You can export older notes.

[Ciberpine 0]

There was a time when there was a setting.  I've been using Evernote for 11+ years.  At one time, there was a setting for managing local storage.  This seems like an obvious function.  In the era of the "Cloud" why doesn't the app manage local storage usage?

[agsteele 2,570]

You can manage location of the data storage in settings. You asked if it was possible to "age-out" older notes. That doesn't and didn't previously exist.

[hudson2001 8]

On 7/20/2023 at 2:26 AM, bmcl26 said:

I downloaded it from the Evernote download page yesterday and successfully moved my EN Local storage to another drive.

I have 10.60.4 and don't see how to do that within the program. Do you have to do it at the original download and install?

[VincentC 95]

In the settings menu, choose "application," scroll to the bottom.

 

Vinnie

[agsteele 2,570]

Note: If you get your Evernote app from MacOS or Microsoft Stores the option to relocate your data isn't available.

[bmcl26 338]

7 hours ago, hudson2001 said:

I have 10.60.4 and don't see how to do that within the program. Do you have to do it at the original download and install?

In the Settings Select the first Tab (Preferences) scroll down to the bottom (see Arrow) and click on the circle

[hudson2001 8]

9 hours ago, agsteele said:

Note: If you get your Evernote app from MacOS or Microsoft Stores the option to relocate your data isn't available.

Ahhhh, this is it. I was wondering why the version said win-winstore-public. DOH! Thank you! I am getting ready to get a new computer so when I do, I will download the regular version.

[agsteele 2,570]

That's a good idea. The store versions have a number of limitations.

[dmccaustland 0]

On 8/2/2023 at 8:25 AM, agsteele said:

You can manage location of the data storage in settings. You asked if it was possible to "age-out" older notes. That doesn't and didn't previously exist.

Where is this I cannot find this in settings?  I am on 10.65.3      Thanks!

[Dave-in-Decatur 2,885]

9 minutes ago, dmccaustland said:

Where is this I cannot find this in settings?  I am on 10.65.3      Thanks!

In Settings, the Application tab, then scroll down to the bottom.

[dmccaustland 0]

1 hour ago, Dave-in-Decatur said:

In Settings, the Application tab, then scroll down to the bottom.

See the attachment it is not there?  

[Boot17 1,038]

I'm guessing you installed the app through the Microsoft Store and not a download from evernote.com? The app stores sandbox the app so the storage location cannot be changed and the setting for it won't appear in the Settings dialog box (as noted above). You'd have to uninstall the app store version and download directly from evernote.com to be able to change the storage location of the local data.

[dmccaustland 0]

Thanks for the tip! Will all my current notes stay where they are on the C drive?  Will they all go to the new location I point it to?  Thanks again!

[PinkElephant 6,733]

I never tried, but I doubt EN can handle two locations for one database. I would expect them to erase one install, and create a new one from the server at the other.

But I could be wrong,

Maybe you try, and post your experience here, for others to read.

[dmccaustland 0]

I am nervous about losing my old notes.  Are you saying that EN has a copy of my notes on their servers? Thanks. 

[Boot17 1,038]

Yes - they most certainly have a copy of your notes on their servers with version 10. (Legacy versions allowed for some notebooks to be "local only" -- meaning they were only ever saved on your computer. With version 10, all notes are sent to the server DB.)

You could also export all your notes (one notebook at a time) though to the ENEX format to have a backup copy on your computer as well (and could be doing this periodically as well to have your own external copy).

[agsteele 2,570]

@Boot17 is correct. You could also lose notes created or amended whilst off line for any reason so be sure to go online and allow all notes to sync before uninstalling the store version of the app.