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Why is it so complicated to remove folders from DB? Is there a simple way to do that?

It seems I am near my 2 GB space limit, so being pushed to upgrade, however I really no longer need DB at all. I have read a lot of posts here relating to this problem and most are double dutch to me. 🤔

I do NOT want to download 2GB of DB data, I just need to delete 2 GB of DB data. Then remove DB from my Windows PC. HOW?

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Jay

Hi @ajw1100, the space should've been freed up immediately, since deleted files don't take up any quota.

Could you check your quota usage again, and attach a screenshot of it here? Is it possible you have shared folders on your account taking up quota?

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Rich

@ajw1100 wrote:
I just need to delete 2 GB of DB data. Then remove DB from my Windows PC. HOW?

ajw1100

Thank you for your reply, I have deleted app 122 files/folders from my DB account. However I am still rather confused. DB seems to imply I only have 2GB of Basic Free Cloud storage and I need to upgrade. but on my account information it shows:

Basic 2GB Free.

Then under that it shows as:

Personal Dropbox Space

Using 3.49GB of 5.25GB Unused 1.8GB.

So which is it, do I only have 2gb or 5.25gb ?

Nancy

Hi @ajw1100! Thanks for sending over more details.

If l understand correctly, you don’t see any difference to your account’s storage usage after deleting all those files, right?

Can you please send me two screenshots of what you see here and here, so that I can have a look?

ajw1100

Hi Nancy.

I am not asking about loss of space on my account, it's just that, as you will see from the screenshot, I still have 1.8gb of free space having only used 3.4gb of 5.25gb.

However on one hand I have 5.25gb and the other 2.0gb. (Basic?)

As I have 1.8gb of storage unused why do I need to 'Upgrade' ?

Regards

Alan.

Dropbox screenshot as requested..jpg Dropbox storage.jpg

Rich

@ajw1100 wrote:
However on one hand I have 5.25gb and the other 2.0gb. (Basic?)

A Basic account starts at 2GB. You've likely earned additional space either through referrals or other bonuses.

ajw1100

Thank you, it would seem that the email I received from Dropbox was in fact incorrect and the information given led me to make changes that I actually did not need to do.

Based on that incorrect information and the cost of doing an upgrade I did not need was around £96 Sterling, far too much for me.

So if I couldn't add to my box I thought that I may as well delete the backups and then Dropbox.

Then, due to the incorrect information, I found that I was nowhere near my correct limit.

Now what? I think that the data I have deleted will not release space on my DB account. This it seems has to be done by downloading files then deleting them? So am I correct in that I could undo the deletions and restore, then download, then delete from DB to free up space?

Why DB decided to send me an urgent upgrade notification when it was not needed is very annoying, cost me a lot of time and now more hassle and more time.

Megan

Hi @ajw1100, these type of emails get sent when you're slowly reaching your allocated quota.

Provided this wasn't the case, then it might have been a false alarm.

Now, as for the content you removed: keep in mind that deleted content frees up space in the account. No need to download the content, then delete it.

Since you have enough space, you can definitely restore your account, using the deleted files page.

ajw1100

Hi Megan.

Thank you for your reply, still a bit confused here.

On the Dropbox website it states:

Deleted files don't count against your storage quota, so permanently deleting them won’t free up space.

In your reply above you state:

....keep in mind that deleted content frees up space in the account...

Which is it? I have deleted files and folders but I do not remember seeing a corresponding increase of storage space.

Megan

Hi @ajw1100, I'll be happy to give you an example.

If you have a file that's 2GB, and you delete it from your Dropbox account, then the account is automatically empty, provided that you have a Basic account with 2GB of quota.

However, there's no need to permanently delete that same file. Since it's already been deleted, it won't count against your account's storage. Deleted content doesn't take up extra amount of space.

ajw1100

Hi Megan.

Thank you for taking the trouble to help me, I opened my DB program and noted I had 3.45gb of used space. I then deleted about 150 photos, these showed up in Deleted folder link. It states I can restore these within 30 days. I am not sure what size the photos were but I know they were fairly large files. After they were deleted my used space remained at 3.45gb.

1. Will I, after 30 days notice an increase from 3.45gb? Corresponding to the total size of deleted photos, say total was 1gb my account would show 2.45gb used space?

2. IS there a way to Delete and not have to wait 30 days?

I am really trying to understand this system and appreciate your help.

Jay

Hi @ajw1100, the space should've been freed up immediately, since deleted files don't take up any quota.

Could you check your quota usage again, and attach a screenshot of it here? Is it possible you have shared folders on your account taking up quota?

ajw1100

Hi Jay.

I have just checked my DB storage allowance and that - I am very pleased to say - now shows:

Personal Dropbox space using 1.8 GB of 5.25 GB

Regular files (1.7 GB)

Shared files (131.6 MB)

Unused space (3.5 GB)

So the size of the photos I deleted, although showing in Deleted link, was also removed from my used space. There is probably still a lot of backed up data I no longer need so will go through the folders and delete as required. There's some data (131.6MB) that is shared but I am not sure what that may be as I don't have anyone to share it with!

I have really appreciated the constructive help and advice you have all shown me 😀 Being a non tech OAP does make life difficult 🤔