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Forum Discussion
Dropbox full because of shared folder
Hi, i have a dropbox account and the free space that i have is full because of the files inside the shared folder that i have with some friends.
Is there a way to avoid that the shared folder that uses the free space of my account without cancelling those folder?
Because i have no more space and i haven't uploaded any files
Excuse me for my english but i found problem on trying to traduce this message from my language
Your English is very good Michele - well done!
And no, if you need read write access to that folder if will use your quota. If you just need read only access leave the share and ask the other person sends you a read only Shared link.
You can LEAVE and REJOIN a shared folder when ever you like.
So one method of getting space is to LEAVE the shared folder. And REJOIN it when you need it.
If you ONLY need some files from the shared folder and ONLY at some times, I would additionally ask the owner of the shared folder for a LINK to it, in that way you can use the link to it and download via web the files you need when you need them.
Although I don't agree with Dropbox, and this is the primary reason I won't spring for Pro, I understand why they did this.
It's simple, really. Say, someone creates 10 free accounts. 10 x 2GB = 20GB. Now, that person, from each account shares a folder with his main account. That person just got more, free, space.
Dave is an idiot and probably works for dropbox! 1 digital file is one digital file accessible by whomever is allowed from a single server. Moron and misinforming others! If you share, you share you don't copy. Bad work Dropbox and I am gone as well as are all my employees and other companies I work with.
JB
It really is shocking what rubbish this system is. There is no practical way to manage how the storage you have been allotted is used. There needs to be storage management tools that allow you to unshared stuff on a file by file basis and it won't effect others in the share community. Dropbox is designed to increase sales in jump drives because they are easier to manage and share files. Congratulations on ruining what could have been a good and credible product.
When you receive the “Your Dropbox is full” e-mail, you can unsubscribe from these notifications. And in the future share your files using other means.
the Web o.: In your controlled, simple scenario, you sound very smart and correct. You spend verbiage trying to sounded technically knowledgeable, looking down on actual users who don't care about indirect links, symbolic links, whatever.
But if you wipe that foolish smug smile off your face, and actually READ what people are complaining about, you may (or may not, I suppose) understand that the complaints are very different from your limited scenario. Users are not complaining being charged on what they themselves uploaded. Instead, they are ... well READ and try to keep up.
Edit 2016-09-05 4;13pm Hong Kong Time:
Wow the way that Richard P. "conveniently" shut off this thread was very fishy. I smell censorship.
I think we are all taking the minor "personal attacks" reasonably well. Using that as an excuse to halt discussion on some serious complaints is wrong.
A new thread is opened to continue the discussion: "Dropbox full because of shared folder, part 2". If users want to further describe their unique scenarios with this problem, please proceed there.
@Corstiaan S. LOL you calling me ignorant, just goes to show how ignorant you are.
The purpose of DB is to sync files between your computer and devices.
If you share a folder with someone then you share the files in the folder to be able to sync them between your devices.
So "why the hell would you want "A copy of" all the files in your dropbox (which is for syncing files between your devices)?
ANSWER: To sync those files between your devices (and additional between that persons devices).
If you dont want that then leave the shared folder and DONT retain a copy of the files.
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Its you who is stuck in the non digital world still thinking your getting your own physical storage space on some cloud platform, I would suspect you have no idea how Db manage yours, others, and shared files. NO ONE has any unique storage space AT ALL!
Its all one big storage zone, and each account is given rights to view/update the VOLUME of content the account can access within that storage zone. You dont have YOUR space and they THEIR space, so you cant have some of THEIR space in your account, its all DB's space, and you can access the volume of it that your account can access.
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Did you think if 30 people put up the same 4GB ISO file that DB keeps 30 copies of it?
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I would suggest (1) you read up on how DB store/update/retrieve content, and (2) where the costs for that lie.*Corstiaan S. : *again i would suggest you actually find out where costs lay before implying what they are.
100 people accessing a 1GB file, will mean that 100 people make reads access into the Amazon S3 storage backbone of Db, each and every one of these reads is charged to DB. Its is not all about the physical space used to store, but what and how often it is accessed and updated that costs.
This is the same reason DB do not offer 100GB accounts now, I would suspect the average account has under 50GB of changing content, changing content needs to be read and written, those acts cost, thus a 100GB account or a 1TB account costs relativly the same to run, hence why DB wont sell smaller accounts, they cost the same to run so why would they offer it any cheaper. The same can be applied to sharing, its the costs to run, not the space used that is in play.
DB charge once for space, but pay for traffic, if you connect 100 devices and download your 1TB of files to all 100, they dont charge you for the traffic, so its swings and roundabouts.
Dont like it? get off!
Ben L,
There Are None So Blind As Those...
Cheers, Derek
This seems like such an easy problem to solve such that sharing is more intuitive, quotas don't make sharing difficult, and free accounts are still difficult to abuse. Just make shared folders read-only until the recipient wants write access. Read-only access is already status quo because we can share via links so it only affects the presentation without affecting security or existing quota rules.
kevin f. : all is not lost my friend :-)
You DONT have to UNSHARE the folder, just DELETE it from your dropbox. Its the HAVING the folder in your dropbox that takes you over quota, not the being in the SHARE.
UNSHARING the folder means your not in the SHARE (so no quota use).
DELETING the folder means your not viewing the SHARE (so no quota use).
See this for an example.
1) Join the shared folder. (you go over quota)
2) I suggest you UNSYNC the folder from your devices. (you remain over quota)
3) Delete the folder via the cloud. (Your back under quota)
4) When needed click the SHARING tab, and rejoin the folder (you go over quota again)
5) When finished with the folder go to (3)
--
Users can even be real tricky by first joining the folder, not unsyncing it, then the WHOLE folder downloads to your computer, and THEN you stop syncing. Soyou drag and drop the folder out of the DROPBOX folder, which as far as DB sees this is a folder delete (like 3).
You can then via your file browser, drag that folder back in to the DROPBOX folder and it performs a rejoin (like 4), The only concern with this is if files have been removed you can accidentally cause them to be re added and changed files sometimes cause sync conflicts, as they were in your copy of the folder. This can be fixed by before you drag the folder back in, deleting ALL files in the folder except for the .DROPBOX file (which is the key to DB knowing its the shared folder your rejoining).
When a empty folder is dragged in (with the .DROPBOX file in it) the DB app sees a join and that you need all the files of the share, so downloads them all. Sure you go over quota, but then just drag the folder back out again :-)
I hope this at least helps some users find a compromise between what they hopped for and what they get.
Hello,
New user here; trying to test DB before signing up for paid service. Experiencing the same problem others have reported: DB marketing materials stated that I would have 2GB of "free" introductory storage, but now it is used up after one third party accessed our single shared folder - despite the fact that the folder size is only around 800MB. Have read through the DB help materials and the discussions posted here and still don't have a clear idea of how to make the remaining 1200MB available again (or, for that matter, the entire 2GB after the 800MB folder is deleted). Suggestions? Thanks!
KL
