We’re Still Here to Help (Even Over the Holidays!) - find out more here.
Forum Discussion
Really old Dropbox account. How do I recover these photos?
I filled up my Dropbox account with pics and then totally moved on some years ago. How do I recover these photos? And i don't use the same email anymore (Hotmail)
Hello,
This is a bit tricky. I am pretty sure that I used to have a Dropbox account, with all my files, with an email address I cannot access anymore (like really). It was 1+ year ago. On my computer, I have a "Dropbox (Ancien)" (French for "old") file with a lot of my files on it, but none that are on my new DropBox account.
I am afraid about what happened to the files in my old account; in particular I worry that those are still shared with people that I dont want in my files. What can I do to know if they are accessing those files or if the files are still on my old Dropbox ?
To sum up:
1) I am writting from a new DropBox account but I used to have an old Dropbox account (I have not touched it in 1+ year)
2) On it were the files that are now in my "Dropbox (Ancien)" (French for "old") file in my computer
3) I cannot access the old Dropbox because my old mail was definitely closed (it was a pro email)
4) I want to know if the people I shared parts of my Dropbox with can still access the files (and I cannot contact them, because I am not sure who had access and that was linked to a pro situation)
5) I want to know if the Dropbox is still alive and accessible by others
Thank you very much I am very concerned and do not know who to ask.
Hannah
Dropbox Community Moderator
Dropbox Community ModeratorSorry to hear about this, Am761.
To be honest, if it's been more than 12 months since that account was accessed, it's now probably disabled due to inactivity.
Were the shared files in question owned by you? Meaning did you create the folders?
Hi Hannah,
Yes they were. I did some kind of back up of my own files on my dropbox at some point.
I have two questions:
- if the account was deleted, does it mean that the others are not able to access my files anymore?
- how can I know if the files were deleted? I can send copies of my ID and everything to prove it's me. I can also provide proof from my employer that it was indeed my email.
If others kept on accessing my files shouldnt that make the account and files still accessible? I did not access my account in the last year. I am windering if the fact that they access my files, from their account, would keep my account alive.
- Rich
Super User II
Am761 wrote:
If others kept on accessing my files shouldnt that make the account and files still accessible?
No. Accessing an account refers to signing in. Also, someone accessing files in a shared folder are accessing their own copy of the files in their account; they aren't accessing files in your account. When files are shared, each person has their own copy.
Unfortunately, if you haven't accessed the account in over a year, the account and the files within it are already deleted and cannot be recovered. If you're in contact with anyone with whom you shared files, they may still have a copy of those shared files.
