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AmandaNT's avatar
AmandaNT
New member | Level 2
8 years ago
Solved

Move some files from Dropbox to external drive, and then delete those files from my account

I have 140GB of files which I need to pass on to another designer via an external hard drive. How do I take everything off my Dropbox (I won't need them anymore) and put them onto an external drive f...
Delete
sync
  • Elixir's avatar
    Elixir
    8 years ago

    Hello Amanda,

     

    I imagine you are syncing the files to your computer hard disc. You can copy the files/folders from your computer hard drive to the external hard drive. Dropbox folder is just like any other folder in your computer, whatever you save inside the Dropbox folder, it is replicated in the Dropbox cloud and any other connected devices. If you no longer required those files, you may delete those files from your computer, and it will be deleted from Dropbox cloud, so would not take up space anymore.

     

    However, note that if it is a shared folder with others, the files will also be removed from their Dropbox account/devices. If you do not want that way, please get back to us. There are ways to unshare a folder, and remove the files only from your Dropbox account, but not from other members. 

Lusil's avatar
Lusil
Icon for Dropbox Staff rankDropbox Staff
7 years ago
Hey goldenlightmeg, since, as mentioned previously, the Dropbox folder is just like any other folder on your computer, copy-pasting or cut-pasting can be carried out as you would in any other folder. 
 
Having said that, could you please elaborate on what’s not working for you? Are you getting any errors? If so, any screenshots (omitting personal info) would be very helpful. Thanks in advance! :slight_smile:
axmk2000's avatar
axmk2000
Explorer | Level 4
7 years ago

Getting back to the original question, I also want to put the files on an external harddrive in a way that makes them completely local and disassociates the files from Dropbox so they are no longer synced, and a person can use them locally without using Dropbox.  However, I do NOT want to delete them from my Dropbox account, as I want a backup of the originals.

When I copy (not move) the files to my external hard drive as mentioned above (just using drag-and-drop in MS File Explorer) it still shows as linked to Dropbox.  Does this mean they won't actually be available without Dropbox?  Will the files be deleted in Dropbox, even though I copied them & did not move them from my Dropbox account?

  • Lusil's avatar
    Lusil
    Icon for Dropbox Staff rankDropbox Staff
    7 years ago
    Hey there axmk2000, 
     
    Your Dropbox folder is just like any other folder on your hard drive, where files move instead of copy when they are dragged and dropped. For this reason, if you:
    • Dragged and dropped the file: It should be removed from the Dropbox folder and exist only in the new location. 
    • Copied and pasted the file: Then it would exist in both locations (the Dropbox folder and wherever you pasted the file into). 
    In any case though, if you see that the file exists in both the Dropbox folder and the new location, please note that these would be considered to be two separate files. 
     
    In other words, if you delete the file in your Dropbox folder, the file that’s in the other location will not be deleted, and vice versa. 
     
    Let me know if you have any other questions or if you’d like me to further elaborate!
    • Здравко's avatar
      Здравко
      Legendary | Level 20
      7 years ago
      Lusil wrote:
      ...
      For this reason, if you:
      • Dragged and dropped the file: It should be removed from the Dropbox folder and exist only in the new location. 
      • Copied and pasted the file: Then it would exist in both locations (the Dropbox folder and wherever you pasted the file into). 
      ...

      Hi Lusil,

      I want to put here one note. Your statement is not not absolutely correct. Drag and drop operation is location context sensitive! So, the common qualification "in the new location" is incorrect. Your statement would be correct if restricted to "in new place on the same drive", for example. When You drag and drop something inside some drive then the default operation (without using additional modifier key - ctrl) is move (like cut and paste). When drag and drop is between different drives (without using additional modifier key - shift), the default operation is copy (like copy and paste). Current discution context is for move between different drives!

      • Lusil's avatar
        Lusil
        Icon for Dropbox Staff rankDropbox Staff
        7 years ago
        Thanks for the looping me back and apologies for missing that core point in the query, Здравко! 
         
        axmk2000, since you do mention in your original post that:

        it still shows as linked to Dropbox

        Could you please elaborate a bit on this and possible send me a screenshot (without any personal info) so as to have a better understanding of what you’re seeing? 
         
        Thanks in advance!

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