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Re: Remove Link to Local Downloads - Mac
Hi: I am a new dropbox user and after downloading the software app I mistakenly started syncing all files in my "Documents" folder. Now in Finder is see that dropbox has begun syncing my files in my "Documents" folder. Now I cannot see them in my computer. I have the Basic dropbox storage. I do NOT want all my files in dropbox. I cannot find a way to stop the syncing process. I can no longer see in my computer all those files that the syncing process is still trying to work on as they appear in my Documents folder as "my files in dropbox". Basically all those files have been sort of "held hostage" by the syncing process and I am afraid I will lose them in cyberspace or something if I do something wrong. Can someone please provide instructions on how to stop the initial syncing process (which hasn't completed the initial backup to dropbox) and put back all my files into my "Documents" folder as they were originally before I downloaded dropbox? Appreciate your help!
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Hi Lori, Thanks for the quick response! I turned off backup per the instructions in link you referred to. The reply I get is "Syncing is paused". So I have 2 questions: 1) Is backup really off? (doesn't appear to be. Remember, I don't want DB to backup files.) 2) In Finder, all the files that use to show up in my Documents folder are now in a folder named "My Files in Dropbox". (See screenshot) I want those files to appear on my mac and not in DB. How can I get the files that were transferred to DB back on my mac?????
Thanks! ....Paul
- Megan
Dropbox Community Moderator
Hi pszorro, thanks for writing back!
Can I ask for a screenshot of what you see when you open your app's Preferences, under Backup?
That way, I'll be able to check if the feature is indeed off.
When disabling the feature, you should then be able to see two options:
"Keep content in folders on this Mac/PC," then your files and folders will be available in their respective locations on your Mac.
"Leave content in Dropbox," your files will remain in your Dropbox account. Hi Lori, I'm enclosing 3 screenshots from my preferences on DB under "backups-->manage backups". First one is with "Documents" unselected by me. (It shows Documents selected when I enter this page)
T
The second one is of me selecting files to be on my mac.
The Last shot is showing what happens next after selecting "Stop Backup". It shows that sync has been paused. It has not been STOPPED! That is my problem! I can't get DB to STOP syncing!!!!
Why can't I STOP DB from syncing????
Hi Lori, Why should I resume syncing? My fear is I'll reach the "free" limit for storage therefore, DB will want to continue syncing, but I'll have no storage. Then I don't know what would happen if I can't stop syncing. It appears to me that DB syncing can't be stopped until all the files I've in my Documents folder have been copied into DB. Correct?
....Paul
Thanks for the response Lori. So what happens if I run out of space for my "free" DB account? Will I have to upgrade? Will syncing pause until I upgrade, etc, etc. Thanks! ....Paul
Thanks Lori! One last question - I only want 1 or 2 files in DB. How do I get all the files that got synced to DB off of DB? I dragged and dropped them onto my Mac Finder, but all the same files are still on DB! Thanks! ....Paul
- JayHi pszorro, did you move or copy the files from the Dropbox folder?
If you're certain you have a copy of the files elsewhere on your machine in Finder, you can delete the originals from your Dropbox folder, which will then be deleted from the Dropbox site assuming the app is syncing. Thanks Jay! ...Paul
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