cancel
Showing results for 
Show  only  | Search instead for 
Did you mean: 
Announcements
Want to learn some quick and useful tips to make your day easier? Check out how Calvin uses Replay to get feedback from other teams at Dropbox here.

Delete, edit, and organize

Solve issues with deleting, editing, and organizing files and folders in your Dropbox account with support from the Dropbox Community.

cancel
Showing results for 
Show  only  | Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Re: Random Files and Folders Deleted

Randomly deleted files and folders

currentcapital
Helpful | Level 6
Go to solution

Anyone else experiencing files and folders being deleted from Dropbox without human intervention?

 

I know that I'm going to get the stock Dropbox answer here that it can't happen, but I can explicitly tell you it does.

 

What I saw was random deletions of over 10,000 files/folders in the space of less than 33 seconds. Even with the best will in the world - not to mention the fastest fingers - this just isn't possible. Especially considering that some complete folders, and in some cases just files within folders, disappeared at 13:30 BST yesterday, all within 33 seconds (according to the event log). 

 

The kicker is that the only person who has access to these files/folders is me - and I know for sure that I didn't delete them.

 

I guess there may be 2 explanations:

 

1) I entered a fugue state and decided to delete all my work on a number of cases

2) Something is happening with the Dropbox software that either Dropbox don't know about or can't fix

 

Been trying to get Dropbox support to assist, but got the usual default customer service answer of "it's not us it's you". Well, I know it's not me - so by extension it must be the software!

 

Next step is to request a refund of my yearly plan as I cannot have something that intervenes in my workflow like this and then wastes half a day (and counting) trying to figure out what's missing. I guess the only silver lining is that I have a Dropbox business account, so files are kept forever. Small benefit, but a good one at this stage.

 

So, after my long winded moan above, anyone have a resolution to stop Dropbox from deleting things from my folders? Or is it just time to move on to another provider?

 

Finally, don't let anyone from Dropbox tell you differently (especially the "Super Users") as I can categorically say it happens. They'll tell you it can't, but I know for a fact that it can.

 

Best of luck and hoping you don't fall foul of the same problems I've had.

60 Replies 60

Watts H.
Helpful | Level 6
Go to solution

currentcapital,

 

Did @Mark post something?  

 

 

Watts H.
Helpful | Level 6
Go to solution

Further to your comment to @Mark -- my "buggy system" magically moved the files/folders while all my devices were powered down and offline at the same moment at 3:43 am one morning (and I was asleep...) -- that is one hell of a bug, practically supernatural.

 

Ask @Mark if he receives compensation from DB for his "contributions".  

 

 

currentcapital
Helpful | Level 6
Go to solution
@Watts H

No he didn't post anything new (lack of a cut and paste answer I'm guessing) but was just reading through the thread and thinking how helpful he's been throughout.

Not that the Support team are much better, just maybe more polite?

Watts H.
Helpful | Level 6
Go to solution

Thanks.

 

I'll check out sync.com

 

At this point, think I'm going to move away from a sync'ing approach entirely (at least for most secure form of backup) --  my concern is, per experience with dropbox, if the sync'ing service loses stuff, it also gets deleted off of your hard drive without any warning  (and with DB, no ability to trace or recover...).

 

I'm on MAC, and when get resettled (moving soon...), may try a double barrell approach that keeps a sync'ing service running (good for accessing all my current working files from anywhere), and use network assessible storage (a drive connected to network router) to run time machine (which keeps versions back through time).  In addition, maybe keep a bootable disk image in a 2nd partition on the same NAS device.  

 

Problem I'm finding is almost all remote discs I've researched appear to have in the range of 10% failure rates; SSDs appear better, but not perfect, lots of stories of them just dying too.

 

So, whatever my NAS device, will want to see if I can have that backed up to someone's cloud as well...

 

 

SKBJ
Explorer | Level 4
Go to solution

Just an update on the situation to give what is fair. They did a rollback of the account and the 1066 files that were in there, are back as they were or at least those I checked so far. Helpdesk assisted promptly and for that I am grateful.  

 

I was also informed ( I pass the info as I was given them), that the problem came from the Samsung synch with the Dropbox API.  

 

Apparently, Samsung has released a "deep integration process that doesn't agree well with Dropbox" and Db advises against the auto-synch. 

 

This is a bummer since I have been using the sync for the past 6 years on various Samsung phones without any issues, at the contrary it's proven very useful, besides to backing up pictures that I wouldn't be otherwise bothered to do, when my phone was stolen 3 years back, the auto-synch allowed me and ultimately the police to identify the thief and retrieve my phone. 

 

I'm not a tech, so I have to take the information at face-value, I have deactivated the synch for Dropbox but will install it to another cloud that's not Dropbox. 

Jane
Dropbox Staff
Go to solution
Hey  Watts H.
 
As per your request, I‘ve went ahead and re-opened the case, sending that over to a team specialist, since this seems to be still unresolved. Please check your inbox for the latest email and let me know if you have any issues locating it.  If you feel that you’d rather leave the case as it is, please feel free to ignore the message and let the support request expire. 
 
Other than that, I’d just like to mention that Super Users on the Community are not support team members, though if you have any feedback on Support, please reply to the surveys that are sent to users after their support requests are closed, since these are closely monitored by senior members and evaluated accordingly. 
 
If you need further assistance, please let me know!
 
Kind regards, 
JaneA

 


Jane
Community Moderator @ Dropbox
dropbox.com/support

 

Heart Did this post help you? If so please give it a Like below. 
:white_check_mark: Did this post fix your issue/answer your question? If so please press the 'Accept as Best Answer' button to help others find it.
:arrows_counterclockwise: Still stuck? Ask me a question! (
Questions asked in the community will likely receive an answer within 4 hours!)

currentcapital
Helpful | Level 6
Go to solution
I've gone with a similar strategy.

1 - Sync.com for working files
2- NAS backup for local back-up
3- Amazon Glacier for Archiving

Make sure in your NAS set-up you use RAID5 or something similar to ensure that a failed HDD doesn't ruin the array or cause you any other hassle.

Best of luck!

currentcapital
Helpful | Level 6
Go to solution
@ JaneA

Thanks for that but there is no need - the "help" I got last time was such a waste of my time that we are now migrated across to another system (which doesn't delete our files) and are just waiting for our subscription to expire.

For your reference, at no stage have Dropbox Support been any help at all. I can't comment on your assistance as you have come into this very late, but by now all confidence in Dropbox and their software has been totally eroded.

With reference to the "Super Users" on the boards, why would Dropbox continue to allow these people to post with authority if they are frankly just rude and condescending? To an outsider looking in, they proport to be representing the company. I know that if I ever found out one of my staff spoke/typed like they consistently seem to, they wouldn't be working for me for very long.

Regards.

Watts H.
Helpful | Level 6
Go to solution

Thanks for that.

 

Like the sound of your approach:  belt + suspenders + duct tape.

 

I'm with you on the RAID5 or equivalent approach -- has occured to me as the only way to hedge against HDD failures (I setup timemachine on my MAC some years ago and external HDD failed within 3 months, poof!)

 

I'm going to be in Asia/China, so will need to find some cloud service for achiving that I can reliably access...

 

Thanks for your feedback (and maintaining informed, polite, helpfulness in your posts here).

currentcapital
Helpful | Level 6
Go to solution

@Watts H

 

Absolutely no problem, hopefully my negative experiences can help someone else avoid them!

 

If you have the skills (and I don't by the way!), the QNAP NAS that I use has the ability to be logged into over a secure VPN while travelling. I had to get someone to set it up for me, but it works a treat on the rare occassion when I'm away from the office (and my dog...) for extended times.

 

Enjoy the trip as well.

 

Cheers.

Need more support?