# Need to find large files

**URL:** <https://community.unix.com/t/need-to-find-large-files/180421>\
**Category:** UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers\
**Created:** [January 3, 2008, 7:24am UTC](https://community.unix.com/t/need-to-find-large-files/180421 "2008-01-03T07:24:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jadionne](https://community.unix.com/letter_avatar/jadionne/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@jadionne](https://community.unix.com/u/jadionne)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 7:24am UTC](https://community.unix.com/t/need-to-find-large-files/180421/1 "2008-01-03T07:24:23Z")

</div>

I have found the following code on this forum

```nohighlight
ls -lh | awk '{print $5,$9}' | sort -n

```

Its purpose is to show a list of files in a dir sorted by file size. I need to make it recursive

```nohighlight
ls -lhR | awk '{print $5,$9}' | sort -n

```

The problem is that there are lots of files on the system. My comand window cant handle the scrolling...  
Is there a way to modify this so that it only produces files above 10 Mb?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jadionne](https://community.unix.com/letter_avatar/jadionne/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@jadionne](https://community.unix.com/u/jadionne)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 7:26am UTC](https://community.unix.com/t/need-to-find-large-files/180421/2 "2008-01-03T07:26:02Z")

</div>

Would the find comand be a better fit for this?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![RTM](https://community.unix.com/user_avatar/community.unix.com/rtm/32/58_2.png) [@RTM](https://community.unix.com/u/RTM)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 9:14am UTC](https://community.unix.com/t/need-to-find-large-files/180421/3 "2008-01-03T09:14:44Z")

</div>

See [this thread](http://www.unix.com/unix-dummies-questions-answers/22432-c0d0t0s0-shows-100-solaris-9-need-help.html) - note the find command (and fix to that command) in the 2nd to last post by Perderabo.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ghostdog74](https://community.unix.com/letter_avatar/ghostdog74/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@ghostdog74](https://community.unix.com/u/ghostdog74)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 9:32am UTC](https://community.unix.com/t/need-to-find-large-files/180421/4 "2008-01-03T09:32:31Z")

</div>

> [@jadionne](#):
>
> The problem is that there are lots of files on the system. My comand window cant handle the scrolling...

pipe to more command, or just output to a file and view the file later

> [@](#):
>
> Is there a way to modify this so that it only produces files above 10 Mb?

using the find command would be a better choice. however if you don't want to use find, then use du might be a better choice than ls.

```plaintext
# du -ah * | sort -rn | head -1

```