How to isolate the Dropbx and my local harddisk from eacher other?

[neknek]

I Bought the two Terrabyte plan for Dropbox as I wanted to use it as a passive container for files, that I did not want on my harddisk. But no matter what I do I cannot get rid of the dependencies dropbox/my harddisk and vice versa. That means that sometimes when loading something to Dropbox it also takes space on my harddisk!

What I wanted was a possibility to decide whether I  a certain file should be saved both on my dropbox and on my computer or just on one of the devices and that It should not be updated on both devices unless I told it to.  In other words - I will do all the thinking and execute all the orders. I have written the support upon the subject - they are very nice and patient - but do not seem to understand that I do not want any connection between dropbox and my harddisk, except when I actively want to.

What I hope is that there is some magic bottom that I could press. The situation is so frustrating that I consider cancelling my account even though I then will lose some money.  But that is better than having daily frustrations. But I of course hope for some suggestions. Best wishes Niels

[Jay]

Hi @neknek, thanks for joining the Community!

Regarding your query, I'll need a little more detail on what you're specifically trying to accomplish.

Are you trying to find a way to only sync files when you want to, and not automatically? Do you want files on both the site and machine, but also sometimes just on the site or the computer?

Are you using Smart Sync to save space on your local machine?

Any other info or screenshots would be helpful!

[neknek]

Thanks for trying to help me.

I just want to cut any connection between my dropbox files and the files on my local harddisk

Example:

I save a picture of my grandchilderen on both devices - first I write save as to my harddisk and then I write save as to my dropbox

After some days I want to add a small text to the file on my harddisk - i write save as and the file on my harddisk is appended with the text - but the file in drop box is not affected. It stays the same. After a while I want to delete the file on dropbox - and when it is done the file on my harddisk is not affected.

I of course also want to disconnect the existing connection between Dropbox and my harddisk - naturally without any file deleted undlless I have given a specific order to delete.

Anyway thanks for the good will. - Niels

[Jay]

It sounds like the Dropbox desktop application isn't syncing the files to and from the Dropbox site. 

If you hover over the Dropbox icon in the system tray/menu bar, what message do you see?

[neknek]

Thanks one more time. I really appreciate your effort, as it really is a problem, Of course it is a disappointment finding out that the solution that should solve my harddisk problem makes it even worse.

You are quite right when you ask me "Are you trying to find a way to only sync files when you want to, and not automatically? Do you want files on both the site and machine, but also sometimes just on the site or the computer?"

Regarding the "hover" I only have one dropbox  icon on my process line - a white on to the right on the line. When I hover it just says  that my version is up to date and its number is 119.4.1772

Best wishes also for the public holydays coming up

Niels

[Jay]

I'm afraid I don't understand what you want to do in this instance. Could you please clarify exactly how you want to use Dropbox?

My previous question, to which you said 'you are quite right', doesn't help me understand, since I provided four different scenarios, and some of them are simply not possible.

Are you looking to not use Dropbox on your computer at all, and only on the website?

Any details on what you plan to do would be great.

[neknek]

Thanks still for patience and good will.

When I bought my way to Dropbox my idea was to use it exactly the same way that I use all my other harddisk - that is I decide to put something here and something there . And when I wanted for instance to take a look at some rarely used photos I just took them down from Dropbox in the sky, manipulated them on my computer and when finished decided whether I would send the manipulated file back in the sky, or maybe save it to my harddisk or maybe save it the trwo places  or maybe not saving anything. The essence is that no matter what I do it should only influence my source for this particular file and absolutely nothing else. Consequently I have two memory containers that I should use as I choose - one is a 2 terrabyte memory on dropbox and the other is a 650 Gb local SSD harddisk. Maybe it is better to put it more bluntly: I have af 2 TB harddisk that I call Dropbox and I have a local 540 Gb drive. And no matter what I do on one of the disks it does not have consequences for the other.

I might have done something wrong even though I have been to the preferences several times and have cancelled everything about for instance backup or synchronize. But I still experience that the dropbox file on the computer suddenly swollens and eat all my capacity on the harddisk. And when I try to delete all the files I am told that if I delete on dropbox it also deletes on the local harddisk. 

Best wishes

Niels

[Jay]

Okay, I understand now. The primary function for Dropbox is a syncing service, so that files between the computer, other devices, and the site remain identical.

It isn't a backup service, which is what yo're trying to use it as, since deleting a file from the computer will also delete it from the site. Any changes you make to the file would also be changed on the site.

If you want to use Dropbox in this fashion, then it might be best to have the Dropbox desktop application uninstalled, and to only use the website to upload and download files. This is because, as you've discovered, the desktop app downloads all files from the site to your computer, in order to be able to sync the changes.

Since you don't want this, it's best to keep the app uninstalled, and only use the site directly, without having any other device linked via an app.

Let me know if this makes sense, and if I have the situation correct!

[neknek]

Thank you. You understood it correctly. I of course will take your advice - but when I delete the desktop app will all the files on my desktop be deleted too so that I lose the data that originally was on my desktop only? I am asking because the Dropbox always tells me that if I delete the dropbox files then they are deleted on my local harddisk as well. Best wishes Niels.

[Jay · Accepted solution]

If you unlink the account and then uninstall the app, then whatever happens in the Dropbox folder won't sync to the site and vice versa. 

If you need any more info, please let me know!