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robbsalzmann's avatar
robbsalzmann
New member | Level 2
7 years ago

Selective Sync is syncing files that are not selected.

I installed Dropbox on a laptop.  Dropbox is configured to Selective Sync, two fairly specific folders.  However it is downloading everything around that folder starting 2 folders up.  The sync should have downloaded the 12 files in the folders I selected, but instead it downloaded 6237 files!

 

What is happening is the sync is downloading everything under the Aviation folder.  Any files in the Aviation folder are there on my local dropbox folder now as well as all the files and folders in the folders pointed to by the red arrows.

 

What do I have to do to only sync the folders I selected? 

  • My query was just to see if they had the gray icon, that’s all.

    Could you check if you’re running a beta version of the Dropbox desktop application. You can do this by hovering your mouse over the Dropbox icon in the system tray or menu bar.

    It should say something like 41.4. If it says 42.3, then you’re running the beta. Please follow the next steps to downgrade to the stable build:


    1. Visit https://www.dropbox.com/account
    2. Scroll down to the section titled "Preferences" and uncheck the box next to "Early releases" if it is checked.

    Then, use the following link to install the latest stable version of the Dropbox desktop application:

    https://www.dropbox.com/download

    Let us know how it goes!
  • Mark's avatar
    Mark
    Icon for Super User II rankSuper User II
    It shouldnt be an issue, but, I'm wondering if the fact it has a period ( . ) in it is causing an issue.

    Windows doesnt play well with them!

    Maybe try renaming 3.125 to 3-125 to test it out first?
    • gwilson1120's avatar
      gwilson1120
      Explorer | Level 3
      I have loaded several folders into my laptop DROPBOX folder, let them sync and then unchecked them to free up space on my laptop. But Dropbox continues to sync them. Should I use a different approach or should I restart my PC?
  • Jay's avatar
    Jay
    Icon for Dropbox Staff rankDropbox Staff
    Just so you know, but when you want the folders with the arrows to sync, then you need to check them, and then uncheck the other two folders, 144 and 177.

    Let us know if we’re misunderstanding something here!
    • gwilson1120's avatar
      gwilson1120
      Explorer | Level 3

      It is interesting in that some of the folders have the small green arrow and some have the brown? arrow.  And for some folders when I inchecked them they were removed from my computer.  I have checked and some of the "unchecked" folders are still syncing.  Should I just delete the folders on my dropbox folder in the PC and let Dropbox resync?  I can place them on a flash drive to be safe.  I own a software company so I understand some of this can be daunting.  Thank you for your help.  George

      • Jay's avatar
        Jay
        Icon for Dropbox Staff rankDropbox Staff
        There shouldn’t be any brown arrows… The only icons we have on files and folders are as follows:
         

         

        Synced (and in terms of Smart Sync, locally stored)         Sync in progress         A file or folder isn't syncing due to Selective Sync         Sync not happening         Smart Sync - Online-only content         Smart Sync - Folders with both online-only and local files in it

         

        Which ones are you seeing on the files/folders?
    • robbsalzmann's avatar
      robbsalzmann
      New member | Level 2

      AgentJay,  That's the point of my post.  The unchecked folders are syncing.  They should not. and I do not want them to.  Thats the problem

      • Jay's avatar
        Jay
        Icon for Dropbox Staff rankDropbox Staff
        What icon is showing on those folders in Explorer? You can use the previous post to check which one it is.

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