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Unconfirmed files showing on the website

Hi, y'all, two of my biggest folders synced on dropbox were now labeled as unconfirmed and I can't view any of them even when downloaded for offline viewing. Why did this happen and what should I do? PS: Please help me because all of those files are significant.

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Rich

@Hplar wrote:
two of my biggest folders synced on dropbox were now labeled as unconfirmed and I can't view any of them even when downloaded for offline viewing.

How exactly are they labeled as Unconfirmed, and where are you seeing this? To my knowledge, Dropbox has no such labeling. Can you provide a screenshot showing the issue?

Hplar

Here's the screenshot. You know what, the thing is that I stop drop box for syncing my files for a while but then I notice that the files that are synched in are already missing. The next thing I did was visit dropbox.com and then that time I was able to access all those significant files from my PC and in the hope of getting them back for offline access I decided to hit download. But then I wasn't able to download it due to technical problems and I was devastated and depressed when I went back to dropbox.com only to see the label unconfirmed for the two significant files. Yes, I am certain that it was the files that I'm looking for because I was able to remember their exact size in GB. Plus, I decided to download them and use this application called all files viewer. I was able to view this hex thing which is a series of numbers and words then I was able to see the names of the files that I'm looking for. I don't know what happens here and what should I do and if this is not resolved who would be accountable. So, I'm really looking forward to your help. Edit: I just realize that it was a total of four files and I was freaking out right now like I don't know what to do. Screenshot 2022-07-26 013153.png

Rich

@Hplar wrote:
... in the hope of getting them back for offline access I decided to hit download. But then I wasn't able to download it due to technical problems ...

What you're seeing isn't from Dropbox. A .crdownload file is a file that has only been partially downloaded. These files are created when you start a download in Chrome (maybe Edge as well) and are used to store the file as it downloads. When the file is complete, it's given its actually name and the .crdownload file is removed. Basically, you're looking at files that never finished downloading. The original files should still be in your Dropbox account wherever they were originally located. Note that what you're looking at in your screenshot is a backup of your Downloads folder, and likely not the original location of the files you're looking for. Have you tried searching for them in your account online?

You also said you weren't able to download due to technical problems. What, exactly, was the problem? Did you get an error message? Lose Internet? etc.

Hplar

I am somehow aware of the basics of cr download files and why it happens. The thing is if I downloaded some file from my browser and it was left unfinished that specific file would be placed in the download section of my file explorer as a cr download file, not in my dropbox. In addition, I never had a cr download file before so it would be technically impossible to see some files like that on my dropbox. Then, the files that I'm looking for aren't in their original location like I needed to click the PC folder in the all files section and then a new tab for dropbox backup opens with a folder download in it that actually accumulates all the files synced to my dropbox including for sure the files that I'm looking for whose now labeled as unconfirmed that I can't totally preview. The files that I wasn't able to download were the important files that I was talking about from my dropbox and during that time it was not labeled as unconfirmed and I don't have any cr download files even on my PC so it doesn't make sense actually like even if that unfinished download became a cr download file it would not be on my dropbox because I'm very certain that it was not even in my PC so how on earth would it be synced to Dropbox?

Hannah

Hey @Hplar, thanks for reaching out to the Dropbox Community!

From your screenshot, I can see that these files are in your Downloads folder, within your Backups folder.

So, it looks like you've enabled our backup feature on your Dropbox app and have backed up the downloads folder to your account.

This explains why these files are also synced to your Dropbox.

You can see more about the backup feature here.

Hplar

Of course, I know about the backup feature and I also know that it is the reason why my files are synced to my account. My concern here was how on earth the most significant files in my account were now labeled as unconfirmed and are inaccessible when It was organized in different folders with labels before and are accessible in dropbox backup? I just can't make sense of it, like how is it even possible?

Rich

@Hplar wrote:
My concern here was how on earth the most significant files in my account were now labeled as unconfirmed and are inaccessible when It was organized in different folders with labels before and are accessible in dropbox backup?

Those aren't your original files. Those are the COPIES that you tried to download and ended up canceling. Since they were downloading to your Downloads folder, and you use the backup feature to back up the Downloads folder, those partial .cr files are also synced to your Dropbox as part of the backup. Your original, likely unchanged files that you were trying to download will still be in their original location, wherever that was in your Dropbox.

Hplar

I totally got ur point. But, the thing is my original and likely unchanged files that I was trying to download are not in their original location right now and I did nothing but think that my files are safe here. In addition to that, I can't use the backup feature when I tried to download those files because during that time STOP dropbox from automatically syncing my files. Now, how would it be possible for a cr download file to end up in dropbox if that is the circumstance? More after stopping dropbox from automatically syncing my files, I was able to access the files that are already synched at one time right? and when I went back it was missing and I've seen the unconfirmed label on the dropbox box backup and I, later on, found out that it was now a cr download file and I don't know why. I'm super depressed right now and I don't know what to do. 😢

Nancy

Hey @Hplar, sorry for jumping in.

Have you also tried the steps described here to restore a previous version of these files? Are you able to open them this way perhaps?