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Forum Discussion
Exceeding Dropbox Basic storage and need to delete any duplicate files
Hi
I have exceeded the 2 gb of free Dropbox Basic storage (in UK) - only by a small amount but it has stopped syncing. I do not want to upgrade, so am hoping to delete or find duplicated docume...
Hannah
Dropbox Staff
Dropbox StaffHey Skell, thanks for reaching out to us.
Before you delete anything, you'll need to make sure that your backups are correct, to avoid losing any files you need.
So, I can understand that you currently have files in two places in your Dropbox; one is your backups and one is your normal Dropbox directory.
Your normal Dropbox files, like Mark suggested, can be found here.
And your backed up files can be found here.
Do you see that you have stored the same files in both places?
Hi Hannah
Just to stress my knowledge of Dropbox is so limited, so bear with me.
All I wanted to do with Dropbox was to back up my documents. So I have all my original documents on my laptop as normal, hopefully backing up/syncing to Dropbox regularly.
I would then never normally access Dropbox at all unless my laptop ‘broke’ it or was stolen.
I wasn’t aware I had a Dropbox directory, I thought I just had Dropbox backups. My files/documents are all just on my laptop.
I’m happy to delete all documents in my Dropbox backups and start again as I have all the correct versions on my laptop so can re-save over to Dropbox.
Can I just delete all documents from my Dropbox account OR do I need to delete my Dropbox account totally and re-start with a new account?
Many thanks
Skell
Just to stress my knowledge of Dropbox is so limited, so bear with me.
All I wanted to do with Dropbox was to back up my documents. So I have all my original documents on my laptop as normal, hopefully backing up/syncing to Dropbox regularly.
I would then never normally access Dropbox at all unless my laptop ‘broke’ it or was stolen.
I wasn’t aware I had a Dropbox directory, I thought I just had Dropbox backups. My files/documents are all just on my laptop.
I’m happy to delete all documents in my Dropbox backups and start again as I have all the correct versions on my laptop so can re-save over to Dropbox.
Can I just delete all documents from my Dropbox account OR do I need to delete my Dropbox account totally and re-start with a new account?
Many thanks
Skell
- Nancy
Hi from me as well, Skell! You could delete your Dropbox backups without deleting your Dropbox account altogether. However, that’s not necessary.
Did you compare the files you see at your Home page here with your backups? Do you see any duplicate files that you can delete from your Home page and free up space?
Hi Nancy
Thank you for your reply.
Forgive me but I don't understand why I need to spend time searching for duplications or even versions of saved documents on Backup that aren't actually the latest version as my syncing stopped a while back.
Surely it is much quicker for me to just delete everything saved in Backup and set Dropbox to start backing up afresh the one folder that I need backed up, as of today. This folder, on my laptop, has everything I want saved. Can I do that? I just feel that somewhere along the line a lot of duplication has happened in my backups, which is why I have run out of space.
Thank you.
Skell
Thank you
Skell
Hi
I have now deleted my Backup and started again, so I now have under 2 gb of backup.
Thank you for your help.
Skell
