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Smart Sync and removing local files
Hello,
I'm attempting to convert my dropbox folder on my desktop to smart sync, so that I'm not storing any local files on my harddrive in order to save space. Currently, my folder has some local ...
Hi Grant W.1
So first and foremost, Dropbox is a sync solution, not a backup. When sync is turned on, it sync the local file to the cloud. If you delete the local file, it will also destroy the cloud copy. You can directly upload your files for storage using the web client https://www.dropbox.com/home and then that will be stored independently of your local files.
As for the status, if you click on the little dropbox logo in the system tray, it should give you the current sync status of your files.
I agree, smart sync is dumb. The answer is not an answer. I expected it to work like this:
1) turn smart sync on for a folder
2) delete the local folder to save space on your local system
Instead you turn on smart sync and it seems like nothing changed. You try and delete your local folder and it wants to delete your online folder - dumb.
Also, dropbox isn't a backup solution?? It's a sync solution?
THAT makes me nervous as hell - so really we shouldn't count on our files being safe in dropbox because it's not really a backup solution.
Hmmmm, I guess I should start hunting for an alternative service. :-(
Rich
Super User II
Super User II
MikeTyrrell wrote:
Instead you turn on smart sync and it seems like nothing changed. You try and delete your local folder and it wants to delete your online folder - dumb.
You set a file or folder as Online-only, and you're done. There's no need to delete the local files because the files are already removed from your local drive by Dropbox, and a marker is left behind. It APPEARS as though the files are there, so you can easily open them, but they are online-only and not taking up disk space (aside from a few bytes for the marker).
Also, dropbox isn't a backup solution?? It's a sync solution?
Correct. It is a file synchronization server that has some backup-like functionality. If all your after is a file backup service, use Backblaze, Carbonite, etc., as they're designed for backups. Dropbox is not.
so really we shouldn't count on our files being safe in dropbox because it's not really a backup solution.
Your files are perfectly safe in Dropbox. Just because Dropbox isn't a service dedicated to file backups, that does not mean your files aren't safe.
This is a more helpful answer than the previous one. Thanks for the clarification on the fact that it takes some time for the local files to be removed and this is done automtically. It's not clear in the explanation users receive or the answer provided in this post (until now).
Thanks!
I would assume turning on 'online only' would remove the files, but it doesn't. I can clearly see them and have used a size explorer utility which says all my data is there and my disk is almost full. I may have to uninstall Dropbox, delete all the files (as they're stored in the cloud), then install dropbox fresh with online only selected right off the bat. Sheesh.
- Lusil
Dropbox Staff
Hello GAKloncz, thanks for joining us on this thread.
When you make files online-only, they will still appear on your computer, but they should take as little space as possible. If you don't want whole folders to appear at all locally, you can selectively sync them.
However, since you mention that online-only files still take up space on your hard drive, could you send us a screenshot (without any personal info) of the storage discrepancy so that we can have a better visual of what you're seeing?
Looking forward to hearing back from you!
