"Smart" sync keeps downloading Online Only Files

Hi Walter,

It could be the antivirus program.

If so, I could change the settings so that the files I have in Dropbox aren't scanned -but I don't know the security implications.

I don't have the time or patience to keep trying to find the reason for the Dropbox malfunction. I've had Dropbox for quite a while and haven't had this problem until I started using Dropbox on my limited hard drive 256GB laptop.  It demonstrated that "smart sync" doesn't work in real world environments. Others on this blog have also had the problem.

I use One Drive for another thing that I do, and don't have this problem.

Dropbox has always been a bit clunky because it sometimes doesn't clearly tell you what it is doing, or to find the right place to click for a common action. It reminds me of when VHS recorders needed an expert professional to make it do what you wanted.

I'd like you to refer this to someone who can fix Dropbox so that if you select "off line" it means that the file or files stay off line. I know it can be done.

David

I'm running Windows 11 on a Dell laptop, and I have the same issue.

Every time I:

* run a virus scan via Trend Micro, OR

* open a microsoft office program, OR

* open a folder via Windows Explorer

Dropbox starts downloading ALL the files in the folder, and for virus scanning, all 3TB of data from my dropbox. DESPITE me selecting 'online only' MULTIPLE times before.

Surely this is a fundamental design flaw on dropbox's product, and should be fixed ASAP.

I await a solution please.

Thanks

Definitely seems like a fundamental design flaw.  After almost a decade of loving DropBox, I'm ready to move 2TB of data to Microsoft One Drive.  I can't take the instability of the Synch function.   I want all my data on-line and only a few folders local.  I'm technically proficient and searching for solutions to the constant issue of Dropbox trying to download all my files locally has become a waste of my time and is a drain to all my local storage.  Microsoft One Drive here I come ... !

Hi BCZE, I hope you're doing well! 

Have you checked your antivirus (on any other third-party app) to make sure it doesn't interfere with your Dropbox files? Because a third-party app scanning or indexing these files, could cause what you described. 

Keep me posted!

I find it unacceptable that an anti-virus is causing the issues with dropbox. 

My Google Drive, icloud and OneDrive does not have any issues working with my anti-virus.

Secondly, I can not and will not turn off an anti-virus because dropbox can't solve this issue.

Hey dries1, what about any other third-party apps?

You mentioned you're using other syncing apps too, therefore it'd be a nice test to close them temporarily, just to see if the issue will remain. Can you try it? 

Agreed, paying for this service and it defeating the purpose of cloud storage is crazy. The fact Dropbox has shown no signs of resolving this issue over the history of this thread tells me things aren't going to improve. I'm going to switch to someone else.

Agreed! I've tried all the suggestions. Google Drive for desktop doesn't do this. OneDrive for desktop doesn't do this... I really want to use Dropbox, but I also don't want to store all that data ON my computer, or have it re-download every few days and max out my internet service data cap.

Agreed. I've been having this problem as well.
"Turn off your antivirus" is no solution at all for the security minded.

Is there a way to disable this "Selective Sync" feature, or an attribute I can set via CLI to prevent Dropbox from messing with certain folders unless I explicitly make them available offline, or open the file?