Keeping things in DropBox in the Cloud when deleted on Laptop.

[GregInLondon]

I have a directory in Explorer for Dropbox and in that are a load of folders with files. I have a couple of questions;

1) if the folder is called e.g. 'Documents' and has the exact same content as my 'Documents' folder in OneDrive, is the content duplicated in the Dropbox folder on my hard drive? Or does Drop Box 'look' for that content in One Drive/Documents? 

2) If the answer to 1) is No, it is not duplicated on the hard drive. If I delete my OneDrive/Documents Folder - will the contents remain in DropBox in the Cloud? (SO that I could retrieve that content for ever and a day provided I maintain my subscription DropBox subscription 

Or does DropBox synchronise with whatever I have or don't have on my hard drive - and therefore if it's deleted on the Hard Drive it will disappear in DB Cloud?? 

Thanks in anticipation... 

[Megan]

Hi @GregInLondon, welcome to our Community! 

It seems you're using our Backup feature.

Dropbox Backup Beta can back up files and folders that are also backed up with other providers, like iCloud, Google Drive, and OneDrive, so that might be the case here. 

Computer backup lets you back up certain key folders, such as “Documents” and the changes you make to those folders on your computer or in Dropbox will continuously sync to both.

If you wish to delete the folder, I would suggest that you make sure to either disable your Backup, or make sure that you keep a copy of your content.

I hope this clarifies! 

[GregInLondon]

Hi Megan - not really. I am not using DropBox Beta Backup. I simply use DropBox as a Cloud storage place and put folders there as and when I need. Sometimes to share with others. 

What I wanted to understand is if I have a folder stored in DropBox in the Cloud, having copied it there from Windows Explorer and I then delete the folder on my computer C: Drive - does the folder remain in DropBox in the Cloud? 

In other words can I use DropBox in the Cloud as additional storage space, regardless of what's held locally on my C: drive? 

Hope that's a bit clearer!  

Greg

[Hannah]

Hey @GregInLondon, sorry to jump in here.

If you're not using Dropbox backup and are just talking about a simple folder that you've placed in your Dropbox folder, which has synced to your account online, deleting a copy of this folder on a different location, won't affect the folder in Dropbox.

As long as the folder that's in your Dropbox folder (which syncs to the Dropbox cloud) remains there, it will remain in your Dropbox cloud as well.

[GregInLondon]

Hmm - OK. Then a last question (I hope)

So if I have a folder in my Documents folder on my hard drive, called e.g. 'Japan' of 50Mb and I add that folder 'Japan' to the Dropbox Directory - is the contents of 'Japan' duplicated on my hard drive, therefore taking up 50+50Mb or does Drop Box Just reference the original Japan folder and keep it updated in the Cloud?

Thanks again

[Hannah · Accepted solution]

Hey Greg!

Will you moving the 'Japan' folder from Documents to your Dropbox folder, or copying it?

If you move it, the folder will be removed from its original location and added to Dropbox, so it will only take up 50MB on your drive.

If you copy it, you'll have it both in the original location and in Dropbox, so it will take up 50+50MB.

I hope this helps!

[GregInLondon]

Thanks Hannah. That clarifies things - and explains why I have been losing disk space! 

Greg

[Hannah]

Happy to help, Greg!

If you need anything else, please don't hesitate to reach out again.

Have a great day!