How to keep Dropbox from adding back deleted files while syncing
June 24, 2017 9:42 AM Subscribe
I'm cleaning out my Dropbox folder. When I tried to batch-delete files from the Dropbox website, I got an error message saying "too many files--use desktop application." So I re-downloaded the application, then deleted all the files from the desktop folder, then hit "sync." I hoped that when I synched the desktop folder and the online folder, the deleted folders would disappear from the online folder. But of course what happened instead is that Dropbox re-added all the folders I had already deleted back to the desktop folder. I'm currently deleting these all manually from the online folder--is there a better/faster way?
Response by poster: Ok, thanks, that's helpful. In this case, I ran out of space on my hard drive and couldn't finish the sync, but it helps to know that may have been the issue.
posted by lotf629 at 10:05 AM on June 24, 2017
posted by lotf629 at 10:05 AM on June 24, 2017
I ran into a similar challenge. I use dropbox across a bunch of devices including both ios and windows tablets.
It's worth noting that the web client is less likely to complain about deleting a small number of folders even if they contain a huge number of files.
Also worth checking out - using another account. If the total size of the files is relatively small (lots and lots of smallish files) then a free account might be 'large' enough to hold them. If so you (and they reside in a reasonable number of folders) you can
create a new account
share said folders with new account
give ownership of shared folders to new account
stop sharing folders with 'your' account
delete new account
Also alternatively, again helpful if you have content in reasonably small number of folders, selective sync. If you could sync some of the folders (even if you can't sync all of them) you could
install the client
use it's preferences to avoid syncing most of the folders
sync some of the folders in managemable uantities
in turn sync a folder, delete the folder
rinse and repeat
Not ideal if bandwidth is going to be a concern. The last time I was in a similar position it was easier (for me, at the time) to rent a 'virtual machine in the cloud', install the linux command line daemon, wait an hour for the data centers mind bogglingly fast connection to sync my dropbox folder (which just barely fit), log back into the VM and delete huge chunks of the folder. In the end this option cost me less than $10, an afternoon, and a couple decades of experience with terminals.
I really wish the dropbox website had better tools for managing this kind of thing.
posted by mce at 10:18 AM on June 24, 2017
It's worth noting that the web client is less likely to complain about deleting a small number of folders even if they contain a huge number of files.
Also worth checking out - using another account. If the total size of the files is relatively small (lots and lots of smallish files) then a free account might be 'large' enough to hold them. If so you (and they reside in a reasonable number of folders) you can
Also alternatively, again helpful if you have content in reasonably small number of folders, selective sync. If you could sync some of the folders (even if you can't sync all of them) you could
Not ideal if bandwidth is going to be a concern. The last time I was in a similar position it was easier (for me, at the time) to rent a 'virtual machine in the cloud', install the linux command line daemon, wait an hour for the data centers mind bogglingly fast connection to sync my dropbox folder (which just barely fit), log back into the VM and delete huge chunks of the folder. In the end this option cost me less than $10, an afternoon, and a couple decades of experience with terminals.
I really wish the dropbox website had better tools for managing this kind of thing.
posted by mce at 10:18 AM on June 24, 2017
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by mce at 10:04 AM on June 24, 2017