Dropbox with an external SSD

[timahall]

Hi!

I have my Dropbox folder synced with an external SSD because, quite simply, there is no room on my internal SSD for it. I manage this by only opening the Dropbox app when I have the SSD connected.

I do have a question though. If I accidentally open the Dropbox app when the external SSD isn't connected, will my files be completely removed online or will they be moved to the 'deleted files' folder?

Thanks a lot! Keep up the good work.

[Rich]

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@timahall wrote:

I do have a question though. If I accidentally open the Dropbox app when the external SSD isn't connected, will my files be completely removed online or will they be moved to the 'deleted files' folder?

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It's highly advised that you not store the Dropbox folder on an external drive, just for such a scenario. In most cases, Dropbox would see the entire folder missing and prompt you to reconnect it, but should Dropbox try to sync before it detects that the entire folder is gone, it could result in files being deleted from your account. It's rare, but it can happen under certain circumstances.

[timahall]

I have to store them on an external drive. It's either that or not use Dropbox at all. There is no space for so many files on my internal drive.

This doesn't answer my question. If my files happened to be removed online due to the folder not syncing (due to, in my given example, the local drive containing the Dropbox folder being disconnected), would they be completely removed from the online storage or moved to 'Deleted files'?

[Rich · Accepted solution]

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@timahall wrote:

This doesn't answer my question.

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Sorry, I missed that part. Was focused on the external drive bit. Any files deleted from your account go to Deleted Files, regardless of what caused them to be deleted.

[timahall]

Oh, that's great. I feel safer in using Dropbox with my external drive if I can keep an eye on 'Deleted files' to make sure nothing being removed because of syncing problems.