Total folder count, file count and file size are WAY off!

[Jeff D.]

I have 3 computers that all fully sync and are all in front of me. All three are current on updates and have plenty of resources (HD space, RAM, etc.) Their Windows indexing is unchanged and all computers are set to show system and hidden files.

All 3 have Dropbox installed at C:\Users\JeffD\Dropbox.

The number of files with long names and paths haven't significantly changed.

The error existed before and after clearning the Dropbox cache.

Here's the problem - I have 3 computers:

A) Windows 8.1 Pro

B) Windows 10 Home

C) Windows 10 Pro

Dropbox/Explorer properties REPORTS:

A) 338 GB - 82,845 Files - 8,311 Folders

B)  114 GB - 37,778 Files - 2,002 Folders

C)  114 GB - 37,778 Files - 2,002 Folders

My goal was to identify if I have files that are not syncing or indexing, and to know how many files I have in Dropbox. To test and verify there is a problem, I randomly narrowed down a set of files and folders until I found a small folder that I could test with clear results. I would right-click a folder and select Properties and record the results. Here's what I get...

(The actual folder name isn't important as this is only a VERY small example of the inaccuracy.)

When I view the properties for \Dropbox\FolderNum1\  (that is the properties of the folder itself)

A) 6.73 MB - 5864 Files - 299 Folders

B) 47.1 MB - 550 Files - 67 Folders

C) 47.1 MB - 550 Files - 67 Folders

Next, when I CLICK INTO that folder and select the entire contents, the properties read:

A) 6.73 GB - 5864 Files - 299 Folders

B) 6.73 GB - 5788 Files - 296 Folders  <--- CHANGED

C) 6.73 GB - 5788 Files - 296 Folders  <---

Anybody have any idea what's going on?

[Jane]

Hey Jeff D., I’d happily check back on that with you, though I’d really need to point out that I do admire your thorough description! 

I’d just like to ask you whether you can replicate outside the Dropbox folder Jeff. If not, please do let me know here & I’ll make sure to look into that with you in more depth. 

Thanks in advance for your cooperation & I’ll be awaiting your next update on that discussion. Wishing you a wonderful weekend ahead! 

[Jeff D.]

Hi Jane - I don't have any folders outside of DB that are at all similar but I think it was able verify where the problem is, but I still have no clue of the cause.

(I'm overusing 'Vehicles' in hopes this is more clear.

I used a different DB folder for testing (\Dropbox\Home\Vehicles\...). On Win 8.1 Pro and Win 10 Home,

I compared the folder stats and the stats of the folder contents on each computer.

I copied the Vehicles folder from \Dropbox\Home\Vehicles to C:\Vehicles on both computers

I copied the Vehicles folder from Win 10 to Win81::C:\Vehicles.

From the Win 10 computer, I copied from Win81::C:\Users\JeffD\Dropbox\Home\Vehicles to Win81::C:\Vehicles2.

I copied the Vehicles folder on Win 10 computer to a second location within Dropbox.

Here's what appears to be the true stats:

~270-290 files (considering hidden files)

24 folders

1.31 Gb data

Except for as noted below, these stats are consistent on all of Win 8.1 and anywhere outside of Dropbox.

What appears to be wrong:

Within Dropbox, Windows 10 Home (and Pro) the folder stats are under reporting files, folders and total size.

I have to leave but I can post the Properties screen shots tomorrow. If you can give me a way to send you a private link, I can provide more file details.

Thanks,

Jeff

[Ross_S]

I'd also suggest ensuring you have no folders selectivley synced out, as that could account for the discrepency.

As an advanced suggestion:

It may be worth using the command prompt to check the size/contents ofthe folder too, rather than the traditional Properties view.

maybe doing something like:

dir /s "C:\my_dropbox_location"

 You could then compare the outputs?

[Jeff D.]

Thanks Ross - I've done that and much more which is what's in the files that I wanted to send privately. What's in the Properties dialog boxes is just to provide an easy view. I don't use selective sync except in limited paths.

I've looked at the same folder ontwo computers from many different perspectives including using WinDirStat and checking what other metadata that I can without breaking out Powershell. No matter what I did, I found no difference between the computers folders and files except for a reasonable number of hidden files. My final test was to run:

@echo off & for /f "tokens=*" %a in ('dir /s /b /a:-d') do echo %~za %~aa %~ta %~fa >>Dropbox_Win10Hm.txt

(credited to Martin Wilson) where z, a, t, f is size, attributes, timestamp, path with filename.ext. I then captured 24 folders and ~270 files into a text file for each computer and compared them in WinMerge. They came up EXACTLY the same.

I then took the two text files and imported them into Excel, parsed the columns and compared all the cells. The result was again EXACTLY the same.

I then, for the second time, copied this folder directly to my drive root and compared the size of the folder that is in Dropbox to the size of the folder that is not in Dropbox. The only folder that does not match is the one(s) in Dropbox on Windows 10. 

[Ross_S · Accepted solution]

Issue with long filepaths or counting the contents of a container file maybe?

Doesn't sound like it's being caused by a reparse point, I don't think.

Are there any filenames over 260 char?

something like: 

dir /s /b | sort /r /+261 > out.txt

 would probably check for that. There may be better command lines available to check that.

For a container file....

Windows 8 would have to read them differently than 10, which seems unlikley.

Is there any patern to the omited files, on the machine that recognises then? (same file type, all in the same folder etc)

This should recursivley list all contents of that directory and you can compair what's missing (inc hidden files and systems attributes):

dir /s /a:sh

Just run them on the required directory, where you can see all the extra files via properties

[Christophe M.2]

On the microsoft store you can find an app called treesize. It gives much better stats on the number of files and folders than file.explorer.

incredible!