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Is it safe to delete files in pictrs_data? (lemmy.lucitt.social)

submitted 1 year ago by Eddie@lemmy.lucitt.social to c/lemmy_support@lemmy.ml

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For some reason on my self hosted lemmy instance, I've managed to accumulate about 50GB worth of data inside my pictrs docker volume. I'm the only person on my instance and I've never uploaded any photos to my server other than my profile photo, profile banner, and site logo. Shouldn't all photos be hosted on other instances?

If it is not safe to simply delete the folders within the _data folder, how would I go about clearing out these files without it harming my server? Thanks in advance, as you can probably tell, I'm definitely new to self hosting my own social services. Thank you!

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[–] chickenf622@sh.itjust.works 6 points 1 year ago

Best bet to see if it would break stuff is to just rename the folder (and make a new one with the same name to be safe). Keep browsing regularly for a few days/weeks to see if anything breaks. My educated guess is it's probably caching data from other instances.

[–] palitu@lemmy.perthchat.org 4 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I thought that media wasn't sync'd, but i have seen reports that is is moved across. This sounds a lot like it is moved to your instance.

[–] nick@campfyre.nickwebster.dev 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

That was my understanding too but I just looked through the storage bucket I have backing pict-rs on my instance and there is loads of stuff that is not mine on there.

[–] palitu@lemmy.perthchat.org 1 points 1 year ago

Yeah, that sounds like it must sync all subscribed comms to your instance, media and all

[–] utopify_org@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

This is really weird! Why should something be moved to a one-man-instance? I wouldn't even expect getting 50GB of data if it would be a small public instance.

[–] palitu@lemmy.perthchat.org 2 points 1 year ago

I guess lemmy doesnt know iti s a one-man instance. and it allows for a consistent source for media (ie your home-lemmy).

I have always thought that it should be a time/size limited local cache, like you are happy to assign 50Gb to local cache of all assets from other instances, and it would keep it to size on a first in first out type of setting. Or, keep remote assets for up to 6 months.

When the cached asset expires, lemmy will then point to the original source.

but, i am not a dev.

[–] magnor@lemmy.magnor.ovh 4 points 1 year ago

It is completely safe. I did it a while back.

You could use a tool like Lemmy Post Purger to automate the process.