Sparse Image - out of space

[rgrahame]

I have read many posts about sparse images. Usually, the problem seems to be the sparse image gets bigger. My problems is SD running out of space doing a Smart Update. Here is a small chunk of the log:

| 10:43:43 AM | Info | WARNING: Caught I/O exception(28): No space left on device
| 10:43:43 AM | Info | WARNING: Source: /Volumes/EdgeFiles/GrahameServ/ Bob/ Photography/Originals/Ash Day/Bob/DSC_6130.JPG, lstat(): 0
| 10:43:43 AM | Info | WARNING: Target: /Volumes/EdgeFiles Backup/GrahameServ/ Bob/ Photography/Originals/Ash Day/Bob/DSC_6130.JPG, lstat(): 0
| 10:43:43 AM | Info | Attempting to copy file using ditto.
| 10:43:43 AM | Error | ditto: /Volumes/EdgeFiles Backup/GrahameServ/ Bob/ Photography/Originals/Ash Day/Bob/DSC_6130.JPG: No space left on device

I am using OS X 10.3.9 and SD 2.1.4. The sparse image was created by SD on a USB external drive and is the same size as the source disk.

Source:
Capacity 123.85 GB
Available 20.23 GB
Used 103.61 GB

Backup Image:
Capacity 123.85 GB
Available 356 K
Used 123.85 GB

I read in the FAQs that one should use Disk Utility to create the original sparse image, but, the post was from 2001 and I am unclear if this requirement is still necessary. I also read that, because SD goes file by file and does not parse the source drive and the image during a Smart Update to determine what needs to be deleted first, that sometimes a problem can occur with a large file. The file SD is failing on is about 1.5 MBs.

Yesterday, I did the Startup volume and I just noticed that the sparse image is slightly smaller than the original. Could something have been missed?


Many thanks