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WilliamLow's avatar
WilliamLow
Helpful | Level 5
8 years ago
Solved

Selective Sync Conflict mess!

Hello,  I just did a fresh OS install on my Mac, with my Dropbox folder on an external drive (my startup disk is too small to hold this data). I thought that I setup my Dropbox correctly, pointing t...
desktop
sync
  • Jay's avatar
    Jay
    8 years ago
    Hi William, unfortunately there’s no way of merging the folders into one using Dropbox, since there isn’t a way of knowing which folder/file has the most up-to-date information in it, or instead older files that do have important data.
     
    This can only be checked manually by yourself since only you know which files need to be kept or discarded.
     
    The reason for these extra folders is that previous you had folders which were selectively ‘unsynced’ already according to the desktop app. This should delete the local copy of the folders on that drive.
     
    However, it seems that the folders were either recreated by some app, or the folders weren’t deleted in the first place. They would’ve had a gray minus symbol showing that they weren’t syncing to the site.
     
    When connecting the Dropbox account to the external drive after the reinstall, either these folders were then allowed to sync to the drive (i.e. all folders had a check next to them), and then this would create the selective sync conflicts. 
     
    This is done avoid data loss, since as I mentioned, only you know which files should remain or not.
     
     
    Hope this helps to clarify matters!
     
Dean P.3's avatar
Dean P.3
New member | Level 2
7 years ago

Same here, updated the dropbox app, 50,000 files on conflict. What have you done dropbox is cause me a morning of wasting time. Instead i might invoice you for my time to try and sort it. What a **bleep** up

Michael L.96's avatar
Michael L.96
Helpful | Level 7
7 years ago
I wish Dropbox would unmarked This Thread as solved because it's not! This morning I had to delete a conflicted folder full of my Android apps for which I only have backup on Dropbox! I sure hope my work is not gone! Dropbox if you are reading this please go into my account and fix things if possible. The folder name is 1 Android Apps.
  • Jane's avatar
    Jane
    Icon for Dropbox Staff rankDropbox Staff
    7 years ago
    Hey Michael L.96, taking it from where Jay has left off, it would be worth noting that Selective Sync conflicts are generated to avoid duplication or accidental overwriting. In other words, we detect that there’s already a folder with the same name at the same position on your file structure thus creating the conflict, in order to prompt you to make a decision as to which one you’d like to keep. 
     
    That said, I’m wondering whether you’re referring to conflicted copies, which are created when someone changes files in the Dropbox folder, the web interface, or other linked devices while the folder is "off-line", as you’ve mentioned that you experienced that when you reformatted your pc/Mac. If you didn’t set up the application anew & you used the last version of your Dropbox folder that you had stored elsewhere, then it looks as if this has been the case. Can you check if this applies by any chance? 
     
    Now, when it come to the folder you deleted accidentally Michael, please note that you can restore it on your account from your Deleted Files & your Events pages, where you can monitor any file additions/ deletions/ edits in shared folders following the steps outlined here. If you face any issues with that, please let me know here & I’ll reach out to you directly, so as to ask a specialized technician to proceed with a Restoration on your behalf. 
     
    I hope that this is helpful to you & please let me know how you’d like us to proceed & I’ll do my best to follow-up with you soon!
    Following Dean P.3, please let me know here if you need further assistance in any way & I’ll make sure to further advise if needed. Thanks!
    • Michael L.96's avatar
      Michael L.96
      Helpful | Level 7
      7 years ago

      My reply keeps getting deleted!!!  Another bug???  Now I can't even post to your forum.

      • Michael L.96's avatar
        Michael L.96
        Helpful | Level 7
        7 years ago

        Correct the highlighted errors and try again.

        • There was an error while attempting to post your message. Try again in a few minutes.

        And of course there are no highlights in my post.

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