I use my laptop to DJ. I have an 256GB internal drive, however my library of audio files is over 1TB. I currently have my audio library stored on an external hard drive and have a 2nd one as a backup. I would like to copy my entire library to a folder on Dropbox and use Smart Sync to store them online only - copying files to my local drive when I want to "spin" them. I constantly add more files to the library, but would only back up to Drop Box monthly. I have read some other articles and I understand that DropBox is not intended to be a backup solution. In my daily working on my radio show and live sets, I find it cumbersome to constantly be hooking up my hard drive to run through songs and think accessing it through DropBox would be a good solution (In the past, I could fit my entire library on a second internal hard drive - but as my library has grown, and my new computer's internal storage has shrunk, I am unable to work like this now) Thanks in advance G

@Hannah, I'm talking about an automated way of doing the "batch adding and waiting til sync" technique. I've checked the computer backup feature, but it works only for predefined folders, not for any folders, which makes it useless for the purpose of backing up external hard drives.

@Mark, that's unfortunate. Especially considering statements such as:- "Easily access and share your work from any computer, mobile device, or web browser"- "Back up any file or folder: No matter the file or folder you’re trying to back up — from photos and videos to large CAD files... "- "Back up any file—anywhere, anytime"- "Secure and simple cloud file backup"and others right on the Dropbox front page or one click away from it. I think that's false advertising as so far I have spent in total 4-5 hours trying to back up my files. Solutions I have explored:- Symbolic links: would be the easiest, but don't work since Dropbox disabled them recently.- API: limited to 25000 calls a month (I have more files than that) and is cumbersome and slow.- Website: Takes hours just to get the list of all the files, then takes 10+ seconds to upload each file, regardless of its size. Browser is unusable during that time.- Moving the Dropbox folder onto the external drive and moving all the files I need into the Dropbox folder: Sort-of works, but leaves the original folder and the rest of Dropbox features unusable since I don't want to have the drive connected all the time. The last one seems promising, but I'll have to see how I can make the rest of Dropbox useful again, which means more of my time spent on this "simple cloud file backup" task. I really don't believe that Dropbox software engineers cannot find a way to add an "upload files/folders" feature. If it's really so, then just give us optional SFTP access for uploading files.

In terms of moving Dropbox to an external drive I cannot recommend you dont do this enough... there is a huge risk of data loss. If the drive disconnects or doesnt connect quick enough Dropbox can delete data - once the drive does connect it doesnt 'readd the files' it does delete them. There are safeguards in place but these are not infallible as posts here show.

Hi g_mateus, thanks for posting! To store your files in Dropbox and use them the way you described, I'd suggest you manually add them to your Dropbox folder, perhaps in batches, allow each batch to sync and then use Smart sync to make the files online-only. Let me know if you have any questions about the process!

@Hannah, is there an automated way to do it, like many other cloud storage providers have?

Backing Up External Hard Drive | The Dropbox Community

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Megan
Dropbox Community Moderator
4 years ago
Hi cranerr, let's jump into this!

Which size do you see on the downloaded content, versus on the website? Can you send me a few screenshots, so I can have a visual on this?

Keep me posted!
cranerr
Explorer | Level 3
4 years ago
It contains confidential information or I would upload screenshots.
All of the files are the same in these folders. As an example, one folder on the Dropbox website has 1.69 MB, the Dropbox Desktop (the icon in the toolbar of my browser) has 4.9 MB and my external hard drive has 1.8 (close to the website). The Desktop size is way off.
Megan
Dropbox Community Moderator
4 years ago
Hey cranerr, do you use the Backup feature by any chance?

What is your app's syncing status while we speak?

If there's a way that you can blur or hide any personal info, and send me the screenshots, I would be most grateful!
cranerr
Explorer | Level 3
4 years ago
Megan Here are the screenshots. No, I am not using backup and yes, it is syncing.
Megan
Dropbox Community Moderator
4 years ago
Hi cranerr, thank you so much!

Can you also check and let me know for the app's syncing status, please?

Also, in the right folder (the one you download to your external hard drive) do you simply download the folder from the website?
cranerr
Explorer | Level 3
4 years ago
Megan Yes the app is syncing. I download the folder from the website. It goes into a folder on my desktop and I copy and paste the files from the desktop folder to the external hard drive.
Hannah
Dropbox Community Moderator
4 years ago
Sorry to jump in here, cranerr, but what is the Dropbox application's exact sync status? You can see that if you hover your mouse over the Dropbox icon in your menu bar.

Do you see any sync issues, if you click on the Dropbox icon, then on your initials/profile pic and then "view sync issues"?

And also, do you perhaps have any files in the local folder in your Dropbox folder that you have set to not sync maybe?

Or are all folders empty (in all locations)?
cranerr
Explorer | Level 3
4 years ago
Hannah There are no sync issues. Also, I don't know how to turn off sync for my files in my local folder, so that is probably not the case. All the folders aren't empty. If all the files were empty then there would be a bigger problem.
cranerr
Explorer | Level 3
4 years ago
Hannah See my other post. There are two subfolders in this folder. One is empty and the other is not.
Nancy
Dropbox Community Moderator
4 years ago
Hey cranerr, sorry for jumping in.

Can you let me know what’s the exact syncing status of the Dropbox app (up to date/syncing etc)?

Also, what is the app version that you see when hovering over the Dropbox icon?

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Backing Up External Hard Drive

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