Lightroom Classic 11.5 export using up so much space

[Kybe]

Hello, 

I recently updated to version 11.5 and the export process has been a real pain. When exporting images (long edge 1600pixels) hard drive space will be filled up in a way that I can't understand and the export will fail as I do not have enough hard drive space. The hard drive with about 100GB free will fill up in a matter of seconds. I am yet to identify where these ghost files are. Once I close Lightroom, the 100GB is available once again like nothing happened. This is both for exports off the original raw files as well as smart previews. 

Before updating to 11.5 this was never an issue.

Machine specs

MacBook Pro11,5

Quad-Core Intel Core i7 2.8GHz 

16Gb RAM 

AMD Radeon R9 M370X 2GB 

[GoldingD]

Please post your System Information as Lightroom Classic (LrC) reports it. In LrC click on Help, then System Info, then Copy. Paste that information into a reply. Please present all information from first line down to and including Plug-in Info. Info after Plug-in info can be cut as that is just so much dead space to us non-Techs.

[Kybe]

Lightroom Classic version: 11.5 [ 202208080927-8a575c91 ]
License: Creative Cloud
Language setting: en-KE
Operating system: Mac OS 11
Version: 11.6.5 [20G527]
Application architecture: x64
Logical processor count: 8
Processor speed: 2.8GHz
SqLite Version: 3.36.0
Built-in memory: 16,384.0 MB
Real memory available to Lightroom: 16,384.0 MB
Real memory used by Lightroom: 2,279.3 MB (13.9%)
Virtual memory used by Lightroom: 13,365.2 MB
Memory cache size: 329.8MB
Internal Camera Raw version: 14.5 [ 1177 ]
Maximum thread count used by Camera Raw: 5
Camera Raw SIMD optimization: SSE2,AVX,AVX2
Camera Raw virtual memory: 359MB / 8191MB (4%)
Camera Raw real memory: 363MB / 16384MB (2%)
Displays: 1) 3840x2400

Graphics Processor Info:
Metal: AMD Radeon R9 M370X

Init State: 4
User Preference: 1

Application folder: /Applications/Adobe Lightroom Classic
Library Path: /Users/Kybe/Documents/00 WORK/Lightroom/KYBE 2022/KYBE 2022.lrcat
Settings Folder: /Users/Kybe/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Lightroom

Installed Plugins:
1) AdobeStock
2) Aperture/iPhoto Importer Plug-in
3) Facebook
4) Flickr
5) Nikon Tether Plugin

Config.lua flags: None

[GoldingD]

• Where do you keep your photos? What hard drive? (assuming a hard drive)
• How much free space in Gb, Tb, whatever on that hard drive?
• Where do you keep your catalog? (SYS Info reply will answer this)
• On the hard drive the catalog is on, how much free space in %
• On the hard drive the catalog is on how much free space in Gb, Tb, whatever it is.

[Kybe]

• Where do you keep your photos? What hard drive? (assuming a hard drive) - photos are on external drive (Sandisk  Extreme pro 1TB)
• How much free space in Gb, Tb, whatever on that hard drive? Local hard drive 60GB 
• Where do you keep your catalog? (SYS Info reply will answer this) 
• On the hard drive the catalog is on, how much free space in % currently 12%
• On the hard drive the catalog is on how much free space in Gb, Tb, whatever it is. Local hard drive 60GB

[GoldingD]

On the hard drive the catalog is on, how much free space in % currently 12%

That is a major problem, LrC needs at least 25% free, some say 20% free.

The following link states 20%

https://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom-classic/kb/optimize-performance-lightroom.html

[GoldingD]

So, I see MACOS, and from your SYS Info, it appears that your catalog is on your main hard Drive. And that hard drive is getting full even before any actions in Lrc. Looks like the hard drive needs cleaning out or the catalog moved to another drive.

Note that LrC can take advantage of hard drive speed for the catalog, for the Camera RAW CACHE, but the Photos can be on a slow hard drive, heck they can be on a NAS, or the cloud (can be tricky) . The catalog will still work on slower external hard drives. DO NOT PUT THE CATALOG ON A NAS, CLOUD, etc.

First thing to consider, where do you keep your backup of the catalog? Many MACOS users seem to keep it on the main hard drive, I suspect this is a practice due to Time Machine. At the same time, their catalog is on the very same drive. BAD BAD BAD. That drive goes down, both the catalog and the backup goes down. If your catalog backup is on the same drive as the catalog, consider relocating it (or visa versa)

Old Trash not yet permanently deleted?

Old Apps no longer needed?

Old catalogs no longer needed? Like previous LrC version catalogs.

etc.

some links:

Why Does Lightroom Classic Take Up So Much Space? (Part 1)

Why Does Lightroom Classic Take Up So Much Space? (Part 2) 

PETA PIXEL; PSA: Deleting Old Lightroom Data Can Clear Up a TON of Space

ADOBE Lightroom Classic: Create and manage catalogs