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Forum Discussion
Randomly deleted files and folders
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 expl...
I see there are similar posts about this, and in some of them it's being put down to user error or the files being deleted by someone who shares a folder.
I just wanted to say that I've been using Dropbox for years, know how it works, and important work files that I would most CERTAINLY never have deleted recently disappeared from my Dropbox folder.
Also, I don't share my folders with anyone, so it's not that someone else is deleting them either.
Thankfully I was able to visit Dropbox via the website and undelete them. If not, I would have been in really serious trouble.
I just wanted to post this to show other people who are losing data that they are not alone.
I have to say that my confidence in Dropbox has taken a BIG knock. I've now started backing up my Dropbox folder to DVD on a regular basis - which, in a way, defeats the whole point of Dropbox for me.
I am having the same issue, have had dropbox for years and in the last 45 days my files start being randomly deleted. I don't have other users accessing the folders, so that is not the issue.
I keep opening tickets, but just keep getting sent links to the info I have already tried. Dropbox shows no deletion event, but the files are definitely missing. Anyone have an idea on how I can get my files back?
- Mark
Super User II
You can restore yourself via https://help.dropbox.com/delete-restore/recover-deleted-files-folders
In terms of the deletions have you noticed a pattern? File types? Location? Times? Days of week etc.?Hi.
I had similar occurrence and I have loads of questions... I am accessing Drobbox thru few Linux, android and one windows 10 machine. I had thousands files deleted from random locations including some client files which is really serious. It is unfortunate if I lose my own work files as it will set us back to the latest backup... which is few days old... but if I delete files belonging to clients that is a catastrophe as I could loose the customer. I only caught this because the number of deletions was so large 5000+ files maybe about 50GB and I got notification from DB. I have experienced lost files in DB before. At the time I taught maybe they were accidentally removed by someone or my kid got hold of the the keyboard and played with the delete key... we did not see them missing within the 30 day grace period so we lost some pics and documents... now I am not sure that was the case.
This time the files were deleted at the same moment from various different locations. they were also different types pics, PDFs, office files, text, code, binary simulation data, cad drawings etc. So most likely this was done by software (operating system, file browser (I use nautilus and file explorer) or malvare). Human could not have done it manually in the time given.
What is curious that I was not able to recover some of the data from deleted files which are supposed to remain there for 30 days but I did find that data from the backup few days ago... so not all missing data remained in the recovery folder. My concern is... did I recover all the lost data or is some of it still missing or is some of the data clients shared with me missing. Also according to DB deleted files page the oldest deletion happened week ago although I use DB folder for work about every day so there should be deletions for almost every day for the last 30 days. Do I see the deletion in recovery page if shared folder is deleted by someone else than me?
Can something delete the file permanently without logging in to DB web site with my credentials and click “delete permanently” button
Is there known reason for this type of behavior? Some bug, malvare, virus, sync problem or OS update????
Yours Hannes
Update my earlier post...
DB answered to me... seems DB does support external drive. just keep it plugged at all times... dont move the usb cable with your mouse or anything like that??? othervise it is possible that the client sees the files missing and starts deleting them.
This seems like a bug to me... Even amateur programmer like me could see multible ways around this.
like check if the DB folder exists before syncing or if DB folder disapears in middle of sync recover the deleted data or give error warning. Since we paid for the space why not keep the deleted data there on the free space as long as the paid 1TB is full not just 30 days. I and many others use external drives because they can be unblugged, My laptop has SSD that has only limited amount of space so external drive is the most convenient. place to keep most of my data.
Anyways I learned my lesson and we are moving to other servise provider
