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Forum Discussion
Desktop says out of space, even though I'm on Business trial
I signed up for the Business Trial account that is supposed to provide 9Tbs of space. I downloaded and installed the Desktop app and attempted to back up some folders containing photos from my 4Tb dr...
Rich
Super User II
Super User II
Daviator wrote:
However, I would get "not enough space" errors.
Can you provide a screenshot of the exact error that you're getting?
... Dropbox creates copies of my files locally before they can be copied to the cloud and that's why I get out of space errors. This doesn't make sense ...
It depends on how you're backing up your data. If you're copying or moving the files into your local Dropbox folder, then yes, those files will take up local disk space. If you don't have enough space, Dropbox would report that your local drive doesn't have enough space.
If you're using the Backup feature to backup the content of an external drive, then that content is synced directly to Dropbox, bypassing your local storage.
Thanks. I gave up and found another service that simply backs up my pc, including external drives, without having to copy anything anywhere, and for about 40% the cost of Dropbox.
The frustrating part was that the directions provide NO guidance to any alternative method, and no explanation, and no one at DropBox could or would answer my question about the reason for the need of a local folder.
- Rich
Daviator wrote:
... no one at DropBox could or would answer my question about the reason for the need of a local folder.
You're misunderstanding what Dropbox is, at its core, and how it works. It's not a cloud-based folder where the content only exists online. The local Dropbox folder is a regular folder like any other, and anything within it takes up space just like any other folder.
The entire point of Dropbox is that is synchronizes your local Dropbox folder with your account online, which then syncs with any other devices linked to your account so that the Dropbox folder is the same across all of your devices. Dropbox, at its core, is a synchronization service; not a backup service. Yes, it has some backup functionality, including the ability to backup external drives, but that's not the feature that you were using. Instead, you were just copying files to the local Dropbox folder, which takes up space.
The Backup feature that I linked to previously can back up an external drive directly to Dropbox, without the need to store it locally in your Dropbox folder.
Again, I understand that it syncs with my local PC, as that is what I wanted it to do.
But again, why do my files need to reside in a (local) Dropbox folder to be synchronized? Why can't Dropbox software sync them from their current location(s)? I (incorrectly) assumed that was the point of the Desktop software.
But no one has been able to answer that simple question, especially when other services do it that way (and do it for a much less cost.)- Mark
Daviator wrote:
But again, why do my files need to reside in a (local) Dropbox folder to be synchronized? Why can't Dropbox software sync them from their current location(s)? I (incorrectly) assumed that was the point of the Desktop software.
But no one has been able to answer that simple question, especially when other services do it that way (and do it for a much less cost.)Simply put because that is how Dropbox is designed and intended to work. The system has always worked that way and Dropbox have said they have no plans to change.
If you dont want things to work how Dropbox does it I suggest maybe looking elsewhere.
