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Serious problem with Hard Drive space

Serious problem with Hard Drive space

kaywert
Explorer | Level 4
Go to solution

Hi

 

I have a major problem with disk space, and I just can't seem to find an answer to the problem.

 

I have a little macbook with minimal HD space, hence why dropbox is very handy for me.

 

I am using shared dropbox within a company. That is, we are all connected to the same account but only sync our one personal folder.

 

With 16GB of space available, I download and install dropbox, then proceed to sync the one and only folder I wish to sync, which is 2.5GB large.

 

Having done this, I now have 13.5GB available. Which is spot on.

 

However, over the course of a few days I suddenly begin to get messages warning me that my HD space is running low, until eventually the messages turn to "your hard drive is full".

 

If I uninstall dropbox, I get my 16GB back. I start again, and it just keeps happening.

 

If I leave it and get on with something else, I find that my HD space begins to gradually and erratically creep back up again.

 

I have tried and checked and tried and checked, and I am only syncing the folder I require. So why does dropbox keep stealing my available space? Note: this situation doesn't happen if dropbox is not installed.

 

This is incredibly unproductive as I seem to be spending most of my time at work configuring dropbox. Not only that, but when my computer HD goes down to 0bytes of space, I can't get anything done at all.

14 Replies 14

ChinKim71
New member | Level 2
Go to solution

I'm dealing with the same thing.  I chatted with dropbox and they said I have to take my computer to a specialist.

 

I have 2 same computers with both 500GB Hard Drive space. 

 

Comuter 1 says  302GB free of 444GB

Computer 2 says 6.35 GB free of 987 GB

 

Computer 2 doesn't have that big of a hard drive.  It's definitely caused by Dropbox and the support was awful.

 

I don't know how to free up my hard drive space so any advice would be great.

 

I did the selective sync but it only freed up 3 GB.  Doesn't help when my computer thinks it has 1 tB hard drive when it only has 500 GB.

Jay
Dropbox Staff
Go to solution
Hi there, it’s not possible for the Dropbox app to actively increase the reported space on your internal hard drive.

Are these Windows or Mac devices? If this is reported by the OS, then it’s unrelated to Dropbox, since the app cannot amend any system settings, or worse, falsify the actual hard disk space.

Jay
Community Moderator @ Dropbox
dropbox.com/support


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Rap5
New member | Level 2
Go to solution

Hi Guys, I have exactly the same problem.

I have a seperate drive (D) which has only my dropbox files. I'm selectively syncing 135GB of files however my local disk (D) is showing 368GB of used space - (of 500GB)

This will be problematic very shortly.

Has there been any resolution to this?

 

Jan8211
New member | Level 2
Go to solution

I am experiencing the exact same problem and it has been bothering multiple users in my company for quite some time.

 

On my computer I have 235 GB Harddrive and it just reported only 235 MB free and dropbox giving the "disk is full"-notification. However after a reboot (and nothing else!) it reports 4.53 GB free. The latter is correct.

 

I am also using both smart sync and selctive sync on a large 1,1 TB folder on the Business advanced plan.

Walter
Dropbox Staff
Go to solution

Hi @Jan8211; apologies for the late response and thanks for joining our Community!

 

If you're still having issues with this, could you please send us a screenshot of where you spotted the discrepancy so we can have a look?

 

Also, can you let us know what the desktop app is reporting exactly within your system tray/menu bar? 

 

Thanks!


Walter
Community Moderator @ Dropbox
dropbox.com/support


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    Walter Dropbox Staff
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    Jan8211 New member | Level 2
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    Jay Dropbox Staff
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    ChinKim71 New member | Level 2
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