Why After Deleting .thumbnails My Space Isn't Freed Up

When you delete the .thumbnails directory, you might expect the disk space to be freed up. However, if the disk space doesn't seem to be released, there are several potential reasons. This article will guide you through troubleshooting steps and identify possible issues.

The .thumbnails Directory and Its Role

The .thumbnails directory contains cached thumbnail images used by your file manager and application for quick preview displays. Typically, deleting this directory should free up space. However, several factors might prevent the space from being released, including:

File System Caching

The operating system might still be caching file system metadata, which may delay the release of disk space. This caching process can sometimes take a moment for the system to update the available disk space after a deletion.

Hidden Files and Directories

Check if there are other hidden files or directories in your home directory that could be consuming space. You can use the command du -sh . to determine the size of hidden files and folders.

Temporary Files

Other applications might be generating temporary files that are consuming disk space. Check directories like /tmp or application-specific cache directories for these temporary files.

Unmounted Drives

If you have external drives or partitions that are not currently mounted, they may still be consuming space. Ensure all drives are properly mounted to see if they are still taking up space.

File System Issues

There could be file system errors causing discrepancies in reported disk space. Running a file system check like fsck can help identify and fix any issues.

Snapshots or Backups

If you are using a file system that supports snapshots like Btrfs or ZFS, deleting files may not immediately free up space if snapshots are still retaining old versions of those files.

Further Troubleshooting Steps

To troubleshoot further, you can use the following commands:

df -h - Check disk space usage du -sh ~ - Verify the size of the .thumbnails directory

If the space still doesn't seem freed up after these checks, consider restarting your system. This can help clear up discrepancies in reported disk space.

Removing the .thumbnails Directory

Here is a more specific solution if the above steps do not work:

Go to: The directory containing the .thumbnails directory. Delete that thumbdata file: Identify and delete the thumbdata file, as it might be the culprit. Create a folder not a file with the same name: Instead of leaving the directory empty, create an empty folder with the same name. Clear data of camera and gallery: Clear the data of your camera and gallery applications, as they might be holding onto the old directory. Restart the phone: Restart your device to ensure all settings and cached data are refreshed.

By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the issue and free up the necessary disk space.