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cabbie37's avatar
cabbie37
Helpful | Level 5
2 years ago
Solved

Trying my best to recover files, outside of my recovery window.

Hello - Someone inadvertantly deleted a whole (2500) number of images across a multi-level folder. I discovered this 3 days outside the 30 day limit for recovery. I have found a laptop that has not been used since prior to the deletion and can see the file structure and contents in windows explorer. Trouble is, if I click on any of these files it appears they are not actually on the laptop and attempt to download from Dropbox. I have not connected this device to the internet expecting the files to be still available having prevented it from syncing. I assumed they would physically still exist on the laptop but apparently not? Can someone help please, I am somewhat confused as to what is going on..

 

All help gratefully received..

Delete
restore
  • cabbie37's avatar
    cabbie37
    2 years ago

    Hi Hannah, no problem..

     

    As Megan suggested, I contacted Support who have been incredibly helpful and have managed to resore my files for me. If you ever come across a chap named Jared, you can pat him on the back for me!!

     

    Thanks all, once again...

  • Megan's avatar
    Megan
    Icon for Dropbox Staff rankDropbox Staff
    2 years ago

    Hi cabbie37, let's jump right into this! 

     

    Based on what you described, the chances are that the Dropbox app hasn't been updated correctly there, hence the files aren't opening. 

     

    Are the files synced online-only, by any chance? Because if that's the case, then the actual data of the files would need to download from the website, which wouldn't be possible without an internet connection, which would inevitably sync the changes. 

     

    In any case, I'd suggest you contact our Support team about this. Just to see if there's anything they can do, and get their opinion on things. 

     

    I hope this clarifies! 

    • cabbie37's avatar
      cabbie37
      Helpful | Level 5
      2 years ago

      Thanks Megan. 

       

      Just to be clear, you are suggesting that the version of Dropbox on the Laptop is out of date or incompatible somehow? The last time this machine was switched on (and a file written to this folder) was 23/01/2023 - the files were deleted 8/8/2023. The last file written, I can see ok, it's just that many (probably most) of the other files I can't get to.. It is odd because I can see all the file types and sizes of each image as you would expect in Explorer..

       

      I'm not sure what you mean by synced online-only. I have it in my head that all files physically exist both remotely on Dropbox servers and physically on my device. Have I got that wrong? 

       

      I will contact support as you suggest

       

      Thanks for the help...

      • Megan's avatar
        Megan
        Icon for Dropbox Staff rankDropbox Staff
        2 years ago

        Hi cabbie37, I mean that the app on the device, should have synced the deletions there. 

         

        If you're able to see the deleted files inside your Dropbox folder, that'd be unexpected, and it would most likely suggest that the app isn't syncing properly. 

         

        Unless you're not looking inside your Dropbox folder, but some of the files locally on the device, outside of the folder. 

         

        As for online-only, if the files were synced that way then the only thing synced on the device would be the placeholder of these files. 

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