Smart Sync - Online Only No Longer Clearing Space With MacOS Big Sur

[Photoman55]

You may need to rest permissions in your Dropbox profile, they showed me how to do that but I don't remember. If you call Dropbox support, I'm sure they can do that for you!

[Photoman55]

After you've done that, have you restarted your computer? You also need to fix permissions, but I can't remember how to do that. I'd call Dropbox support, ask them to show you how to fix permissions, delete the cache again, and restart your computer. Not sure if this would do it, but its worth a shot. 

[n r.]

It does not work.

[AnAccountant]

This is definitely not solved.  I've had this issue for over two years with my Macbook Pro 2017.  I've been through all of the scenarios suggested on the over 100 pages of posts here, and I'm at the end of my rope.  I've already spent waaaay too much time on this.  I've begun looking for alternative storage solutions for my business.  These subscriptions are very expensive (I have 20 employees), and if this is not enough of a concern to Dropbox toappropriately address, then I will move to another provider.  It's pretty simple.

[Christian E.9]

@Emma, can you please take another look at this issue as something things to be broken for people with Big Sur. I'm on Big Sur 11.1 on a Macbook Air M1 with Dropbox v112.4.321 and I am having the issue as described in some of the most recent posts, where the .dropbox.cache folder is taking up harddrive storage.

Thanks!

[Phill C.]

I find it incredibly disrespectful that they don't even follow up on this issue anymore

Today I just deleted a 60GB 'old_files' folder after deleting a 30GB one yesterday

This is not acceptable for paying customers

[Christian E.9]

I couldn't wait so yesterday, I contacted Dropbox Support via their chat. The very kind Dropbox Support Person tried to help me but was not able to so a support case was created. While waiting for feedback on the case, I continued setting up my new Macbook Air M1 256GB with Dropbox. I have 1.2 TB filled in my Dropbox so quite a lot of Selective Sync and 'Online Only' files needed to be picked and chosen. During so, downloading, uploading, deleting, etc. files in my Dropbox folder, I continuously kept an eye on the old_files folder to see how it behaved and to delete it when absolutely necessary. At one point, I had Dropbox syncing +100,000 files and it was going to take a good number of hours so I left the Macbook to sit alone and after a few hours, I checked back. Dropbox was still syncing and I went in and did a couple of more changes in Selective Sync and picked some more files to 'Online Only' sync. After a while, I noticed that my SSD drive was not only decreasing in gigs available but it was also increasing. I looked at the old_files folder and it was not just increasing in size but also, after every 5-10 seconds went to < 1 MB in size. It seemed the problem was solved so I replied to my support case that Dropbox can close it if they want.

Since then, the .dropbox.cache folder sits around 150-200 MB at any given time, and I'm still in the progress of "setting up" my Dropbox files to the new Mac. So, I believe that this is a temporary issue that can resolve itself. Maybe it only occurs on people with the new M1 Macbooks?

My setup is Macbook Air M1 256 GB with Big Sur 11.1 and Dropbox 113.4.507

[Christian E.9]

During today, this issue has now reappeared and the old_files is once again increasing when syncing files to 'online only'.

I'm waiting for Dropbox Support to reply to the ticket I submitted yesterday.

[psychocomic]

I've tried exactly what you suggest, and it doesn't work. What should I do?