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Forum Discussion
Free up disk space on C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox
Cleaning up my ssd I discovered that the folder C:\Users\MyUsername\AppData\Local\Dropbox takes up 4.90 GB (5,264,194,984 bytes). What are those files? Is it safe to delete (some of) them?
Thanks for your swift responses and cooperation so far Mr_and_Mrs_D - most appreciated!
I've just sent you a brief message (thus creating a ticket for you with ID: 8793980 ) so we can have a better look into this.
Check your inbox for my email and we'll take it from there.
Until we speak again, have a lovely day/night ahead!
- Walter
Dropbox Staff
Hey there Mr_and_Mrs_D - how are you today?
From what I understand you must be referring to your Dropbox cache folder on your computer.
Note that Dropbox keeps a cache of files hidden in your Dropbox for efficiency and for emergency purposes. You can use the steps mentioned in the Help Center article I linked to above, to clear the cache. This will not affect or remove the files in your Dropbox folder and will also free up space in your hard drive.
Let me know if you have any other questions!
Thanks for the reply - no, the cache is in C:\Dropbox\.dropbox.cache in my case. This is a folder in application data - its contents are:
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox>dir /s /b C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\avatar_cache C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\Crashpad C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\CrashReports C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\Dropbox.exe.log C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\events C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\filecache.dbx-journal C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\filecache.dbx-mj4BF1309EF C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\filecache.dbx-mj724D0191F C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\filecache.dbx-mj9A63B79D2 C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\filecache.dbx-mjD210029BA C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\filecache.dbx-mjF662719B9 C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\filecache.dbx-mjFB67EE90E C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\host.db C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\host.dbx C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\info.json C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1 C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance2 C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance3 C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance_db C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\l C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\machine_storage C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\QuitReports C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\unlink.db C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\avatar_cache\3dc82f716407ba58c9d7ffa60659af86-2 C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\avatar_cache\3e8b8f74cf6c8953b6cf3e8d52e5d72f C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\avatar_cache\a00fa422a98450eb232c076455d2ff8e-2 C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\avatar_cache\ae9948963db72788e48c1ca46a95d8fd-2 C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\avatar_cache\cd3293d4d3a1170c573f258da8e7caf2-2 C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\avatar_cache\ce332fef021e00bac79e1eb3992a9b39-2 C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\avatar_cache\f6eed4bbf12fc30f33f0ec6beb1585aa-2 C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\Crashpad\metadata C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\Crashpad\reports C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\Crashpad\settings.dat C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\aggregation.dbx C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\checker.dbx C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\config.db C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\config.dbx C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\contacts.db C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\deleted.dbx C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\filecache.dbx C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\filecache.dbx-mj0B6F8E92E C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\filecache.dbx-mj4EF35C998 C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\filecache.dbx-mjBFC1249C7 C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\filecache.dbx-mjE6AE1F9D3 C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\filecache.dbx-shm C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\filecache.dbx-wal C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\host.db C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\host.dbx C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\l C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\local_view_manager C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\notifications.dbx C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\photo.dbx C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\resync.dbx C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\s5464fd9d C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\s5483ad0e C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\s548d2d6e C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\s5496441d C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\s54a520ae C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\s54ac774e C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\s54adc805 C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\s54c80085 C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\s555cc720 C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\s55b50696 C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\s56fac197 C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\s5702ecbf C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\sigstore.dbx C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\unlink.db C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\local_view_manager\saved_session.db C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance2\config.dbx C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance2\local_view_manager C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance2\unlink.db C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance2\local_view_manager\saved_session.db C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance3\aggregation.dbx C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance3\checker.dbx C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance3\config.dbx C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance3\deleted.dbx C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance3\filecache.dbx C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance3\filecache.dbx-shm C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance3\filecache.dbx-wal C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance3\local_view_manager C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance3\photo.dbx C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance3\resync.dbx C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance3\sigstore.dbx C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance3\TO_HASH_13vavt6b C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance3\unlink.db C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance3\local_view_manager\saved_session.db C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance_db\instance.dbx C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\0 C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1 C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1-crash-reports C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1-faulthandler C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\2 C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\3 C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\None-crash-reports C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\None-faulthandler C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c4187e3 C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c418849 C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c4188bb C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c418934 C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c4189e5 C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c418a47 C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c418aa8 C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c418ad3 C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c418b55 C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c418bd7 C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c418c71 C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c418cf6 C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c418d67 C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c418de8 C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c418e13 C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c418ecb C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c418f4d C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c418ff2 C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c41907f C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c419124 C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c41919f C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c41922a C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c4192a2 C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c419309 C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c419387 C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1-faulthandler\crashlog.txt C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\2\1-59c26508 C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\2\1-59c2650a C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\2\1-5bd89f74 C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\2\1-5bd89f7b C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\2\1-5bd89f7e C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\3\1-5bd8a8b2 C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\3\1-5bd8a8b5 C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\3\1-5bd8a8b8 C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\None-faulthandler\crashlog.txt C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\machine_storage\file_icon C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\machine_storage\icon.db C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\machine_storage\local_view_manager C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\machine_storage\tray-thumbnails.db C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\machine_storage\file_icon\a8564bf4da2eebbc212ceef93d588891.png C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\machine_storage\local_view_manager\saved_session.db C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\QuitReports\d597210d-1d50-4ace-bb03-a17342907168.dbt C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox>
- Walter
I wouldn't touch those files as they include our client's (i.e. the desktop app's) settings and it could tamper with the app's functionality Mr_and_Mrs_D.
Is it possible that you've had multiple instances of the desktop app, a paired account running on this device or Junctions points (as outlined here on the 7th step)? That could account for the size of the files you see which should be hidden to begin with.
I hope this clarifies matters to you and please let me know if you have any further questions.
Since I activated the Smart Sync, the contents of the folder C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox grows until drive C is full. Everytime it happens, I free up some space from other folders in drive C, and the folder contents resumes to grow until drive C is full again.
I need a solution for this problem, otherwise it will not be feasible for me to keep on using Dropbox. Can someone give me a help?
- Daphne
Hey there Heraldo,
Just to keep all the relevant info in the same place, I've merged your post here to where you first commented.
As a first step, can you let me know if you've checked out Walter's reply here and let me know what you find?
Also, you mentioned that this occurred since you started using smart sync, can you let me know if your files in your Dropbox folder are local or online only? You can check this by looking at the sync icons next to your files/folders within the Dropbox folder on your computer.
Let me know what you find and we'll go from there - Thanks!
