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Re: File Size Difference

Backing Up External Hard Drive

g_mateus
Explorer | Level 3

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

25 Replies 25

cranerr
Explorer | Level 3

When I downloaded my files from the Dropbox website to my external hard drive, the file sizes are different. I opened each folder on Dropbox and they are empty, which is true.  I opened up the EHD folders and they are empty also. I'm just wondering why such a size difference in empty folders.  Are there hidden files?

Megan
Dropbox Staff

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!


Megan
Community Moderator @ Dropbox
dropbox.com/support


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cranerr
Explorer | Level 3

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 Staff

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!


Megan
Community Moderator @ Dropbox
dropbox.com/support


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cranerr
Explorer | Level 3

@Megan Here are the screenshots. No, I am not using backup and yes, it is syncing.

Screen Shot 2022-08-03 at 10.02.50 PM.png

Megan
Dropbox Staff

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? 


Megan
Community Moderator @ Dropbox
dropbox.com/support


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cranerr
Explorer | Level 3
@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 Staff

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)?


Hannah
Community Moderator @ Dropbox
dropbox.com/support


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cranerr
Explorer | Level 3

@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

@Hannah See my other post. There are two subfolders in this folder.  One is empty and the other is not.

 

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