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Forum Discussion
Backing up and syncing from external HD to the Dropbox folder issues
Hello,
I am getting mixed information from the Dropbox helpdesk and could use some help.
I’m a photographer. I have 6.5Tb of photos stored on my External Drobo hard drive. I work from that hardd...
Danman wrote:
Ok, so are you saying that I could sync my files from my external drive to dropbox and use smart sync to not let them be backed up on my computer. But they will remain on my external drive?
No. Unless you move the Dropbox folder to your external drive, which isn't suggested, there's no way to sync files with your external drive.
What I was saying is that if the Dropbox folder is on your laptop, and you use Selective Sync on a folder, it will be removed from the Dropbox folder and not your external drive. Dropbox can only interact with the Dropbox folder.
In this scenario with Dropbox on your laptop and your files on the external drive, any folders you want stored on Dropbox would need to be MANUALLY copied to the Dropbox folder, allowed to sync completely, and then you could remove them from the Dropbox folder using Selective Sync so they only remain online. Again, this is a MANUAL process where you will need to be vigilant about copying files to and from Dropbox as needed so everything is up to date.
Again, Dropbox will not do what you want it to do with your configuration. It's simply not designed for it. No cloud storage service that I know of will work the way you want it to.
Hi Rich,
Not in the way you're intending, because Dropbox is not a backup service. The entire point of Dropbox is to sync the local copy of your files (in the Dropbox folder on your comptuer) with your account online an any other comptuers linked to your account. Yes, Dropbox has some backup-like feature, but it is a file synchroniation service; not a backup service.
Yes, but I do want to synchronise. So that I have the same files on my external drive and on line, in dropbox.
But not on my laptop because it’s too much. And I want to be able to work on line when necessary.
If your Dropbox folder is on the external drive, then this can be a dangerous scenario. If the drive is disconnected while Dropbox is running, or Dropbox is started while the drive is disconnected, there's a remote chance, under the right circumstances, that Dropbox could see this as a deletion of your files and sync that deletion to your account online. For this reason, it's highly recommended that Dropbox not sync to an external drive.
My dropbox folder is not on my external drive. It’s on my laptop. That’s what I am explaining here. The external removable so I can’t put the dropbox folder there.
They'll be deleted from the Dropbox folder on your computer. If you keep the files separate (a copy on your external drive, the Dropbox folder on your computer using Selective Sync or Smart Sync), then you'll still have your files on the drive, they won't be on your computer (Dropbox folder) and will be in your account online. But, this isn't a scenario where files will sync. This would be a manual copy from your drive to the Dropbox folder, wait for them to sync, then remove them using Selective Sync or Smart Sync.
Ultimately, what you're asking for isn't something Dropbox can, or is intended to, provide. You could find worakarounds such as the example above where you're manually copying files back and forth so you can use it as a backup, but that's not how it's supposed to work and would be clunky at best.
The intent of Dropbox is that the Dropbox folder is on your local drive, syncing files in your account as you use them, with larges folders removed using Selective Sync or marking files or folders as Online-only using Smart Sync.
Ok, so are you saying that I could sync my files from my external drive to dropbox and use smart sync to not let them be backed up on my computer. But they will remain on my external drive? That is very important to know. I have gotten mixed information about this. The helpdesk said that they will disappear from my external drive.
You mention that I should first sync them and then use selective or smart sync to delete them from the dropbox folder on my computer. But it’s 6.5Tb. Can I set it to selective sync from the start so they don’t end up there?
Yes, it seems like a hassle to have to work this way (and an expensive option). But at least my files will be safe in case of fire or theft…. Tough decision.
Thanks for your reply!
Rich
Super User II
Super User II
Danman wrote:
Ok, so are you saying that I could sync my files from my external drive to dropbox and use smart sync to not let them be backed up on my computer. But they will remain on my external drive?
No. Unless you move the Dropbox folder to your external drive, which isn't suggested, there's no way to sync files with your external drive.
What I was saying is that if the Dropbox folder is on your laptop, and you use Selective Sync on a folder, it will be removed from the Dropbox folder and not your external drive. Dropbox can only interact with the Dropbox folder.
In this scenario with Dropbox on your laptop and your files on the external drive, any folders you want stored on Dropbox would need to be MANUALLY copied to the Dropbox folder, allowed to sync completely, and then you could remove them from the Dropbox folder using Selective Sync so they only remain online. Again, this is a MANUAL process where you will need to be vigilant about copying files to and from Dropbox as needed so everything is up to date.
Again, Dropbox will not do what you want it to do with your configuration. It's simply not designed for it. No cloud storage service that I know of will work the way you want it to.
You might want to look into Carbonite.
Hi Rich,
Ah yes, that is basically what I understood. I said it differently…. ;-)
Except that I had hoped that I could do the selective sync while I was uploading. But I guess that’s not possible.
This seems like a very long and slow process, to get 6.5Tb on to Dropbox this way.
I could live with manually backing up files after everything is stored on Dropbox. But getting them on there is going to take months this way. Because I’d have to do it in tiny batches and every time get rid of the files on my laptop.
Strange that there is no Cloud storage service that works that way.
Thanks for your help. I really appreciate it!
I wish someone from Dropbox had helped me this way from the beginning. I wasted a lot of time trying to communicate with them and in the mean time getting all kinds of mixed information. Cheers, Daniel
Hi, Daniel
Thanks for asking this question, as I have the exact situation. No, I can't imagine you're the only one!
What did you decide to do to get a 2nd backup of your external hard drive? I also use Lightroom, and my external hard drive is primary storage. But I need a backup.
Cheers
Kathy
Hi Kathy,
Thanks for reaching out. It’s pretty frustrating isn’t it?
In the end I decided not to use Dropbox. It’s too complicated and it looks like too many things could go wrong. I mean, what we are asking is basically very simple but no one seems to be making something simple, it seems.
I do have a back up at home because I have two Drobos, one for back up. But I want to back up my files off the premises in case of theft or fire and be able to reach my files when working from somewhere else.
So I decided to leave a back up of everything at my brother’s house, except the latest things I’m working on. I just bring an HD every few months…
And I got the 2Tb Apple storage plan and just back up the stuff from the two last years there. And also the stuff that I am working on. I don’t let the computer back things up automatically there because then it gets weird too.
Unfortunately I have to back it all up by hand and it’s very time consuming but I don’t think there is a beter solution at the moment. I decided to do this until I find something that works.
I gave up on the idea to find something that will back up automatically. I would be fine with a place that I can store all the 6.5 Tb and reach it from everywhere in the world.
So I am waiting for something better to come along but at least my files are safe now.
I hope this helps a bit…. ;-)
Let me know what you will do. I’m always interesting in hearing other people’s views and ideas!
Kind Regards, Daniel
- Hi I have exactly the same need and had exactly the same setup-up as @DANMAN, until you ruined it with your update to PROFESIONAL in May 2020. If what you say is true, about NOT being able to synchronise the ext HDD, I will have to give up Dropbox and find Another solution :( Besides a lot of Pictures, I also have my Companys file server on the Dropbox and it is WAY too slow via "smart sync" :( /magnusa
