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Rich
Super User II
Super User IIRe: Dropbox backup deleting the original files on my backed up PC.
revik345 wrote:
Dropbox didn't just make a backup copy, it removed the files from my PC so that there is not a local copy.
While the "backup" feature does move your key folders, they're still local. They've just been moved into the Dropbox folder which is still local to your computer and a regular folder like any other.
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Got it, Rich. I see that now. I was misled by the fact that several apps stopped working (temporarily) because they did not find files in their normal location. Thanks for the quick reply.
But Rich, when you try to replace them into your personal files it still keeps them in a dropbox sync and most of us don't want all of our personal files in dropbox, That should not have been a dropbox decision!
- Rich
tess e wrote:
... most of us don't want all of our personal files in dropbox, That should not have been a dropbox decision!
It wasn't a Dropbox decision. It was your decision when you activated the backup feature.
This feature doesn't get enabled automatically. You either need to go into Dropbox preferences and enable it yourself, or you agreed to it during the installation of the Dropbox application. As Mark mentions above, if you're just blindly clicking Next or Ok during the install, it's easy to miss if you're not reading the information presented to you.
And again for anyone else that comes to this thread later, the backup option is not taking files off of your computer. It's moving them into the local Dropbox folder so it can sync them to your account. If you don't wish this to happen, don't enable the computer backup features.
I didn't activate anything or agree to anything. I reinstalled DB because it was acting up and immediately things got weird!
Basically, They are Highjacking your files and holding them for Ransome - while getting you to upgrade. How is this not illegal !!!!
The same thing happened to me. Then they make it more than difficult enough to get some help to the solution - one that doesn't exist, except purchasing a higher plan! !!!!
Brian
totally agree!
Did you manage to restore files after purchasing a higher plan?
I am sorry to say but you are totally wrong when you say that the folders just get moved. Delete one of the files on either the PC or dropbox and you will see it is GONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Rich
Demoerin Delux wrote:
I am sorry to say but you are totally wrong when you say that the folders just get moved. Delete one of the files on either the PC or dropbox and you will see it is GONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's not wrong. The key folders are MOVED into your local Dropbox folder. This causes those folders to sync with your account online, so anything you do in the folder, such as deleting a file, will be synced to your account online as well, and vice versa. Delete a file in your account, and it will be deleted from your local folder on your computer. That is the entire point of an application that syncs your files. Changes made to one side are automatically made on the other.
If you do not want your key folders (Desktop, Documents, Downloads, etc.) to sync to Dropbox, do not enable the backup feature. Those saying that they didn't enable it, and that they only re/installed Dropbox, have likely enabled it during the install by not following the prompts that appear. It's not possible for the backup feature to be enabled on it's own, or by a single click.
If you need to restore any files from your backups, refer to this help article.
totally 😞
Please be aware there is a difference between sync and backup. Backup is when the files STAY on the backup drive (what ever you choose it to be). You described sync not backup. See the difference (you will see that there are one for storage, one for backup and one for sync):
Cloud Storage
Cloud Backup
Cloud Sync
What is its purpose?
File Storage
File Recovery
File Mirroring
How does it work?
Makes the same files accessible from multiple locations, via the internet.
Makes a snapshot of files from one device recoverable from multiple locations, via the internet.
Makes your files in cloud storage accessible on your local device.
What does it enable?
- Access to files from multiple devices
- Easy file sharing
- Collaboration in real time
- Recovery of accidentally-deleted files
- Device recovery after a malware attack
- Protection for all the files and data on your device
- Store files in the cloud, but work on them locally in applications on your device
- Save space on your local storage by making files online-only
- Rich
Demoerin Delux wrote:
Please be aware there is a difference between sync and backup. ... You described sync not backup.
No, I described how the backup feature in Dropbox works, in relation to your key folders (Desktop, Documents, Downloads, etc.). They're moved to the local Dropbox folder so they can sync with your account online. Changes you make in your key folders are synced, like any of your other files or folders. It's not a true backup; never has been. Delete a file from your Desktop and it's deleted from your Desktop folder online. The main differences between sync and backup is that online, your key folders are stored in a special folder for your computer and there are different options for restoring those files.
Dropbox did the same for my files...deleted the original. How do I get them back?
