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Files not sharing and not deleting, showing different content on sender and receiver

This week, suddenly out of nowhere, files I upload every week are choosing not to appear on the other party's end. He still sees last week's file even though I had already deleted it. Tried deleting the new file and uploading again, same file with a new name, and he didn't see that either. Still has old files. I asked him to delete everything, he said he did but they're still here on this end. And now after I delete them again again, Dropbox won't let me permanently delete. I've tried rebooting and maintenance, tried sending to another third party email, and that 3p email sees what I send just fine. Could it be on his end? Also tried to explore the "Rewind" option but the site won't go to it.

If I delete the entire folder (it's his account, not mine), can I get it back? Or if I delete my entire account can I get that back?

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Jay

Hi @Rodger C., thanks for bringing this to our attention.

In order to understand exactly what is happening, could you describe the exact steps you're taking to share or upload these files?

This will help me to assist further!

Rodger C.

Sure, same way as always, they're mp3 files of about 120-130 mB, I drag and drop. Usually I rename them once they're in there to keep them distinct from my originals. I did notice the upload hung up on 99% for a long time before it went up, that was the only unusual event. But the other party doesn't see it, he sees the one I loaded a week before and already deleted.

Jay

When you drag and drop them, are they into a shared folder on the Dropbox site, or are you using a file request to upload to their account?

Rodger C.

A shared Dropbox folder. The other party's account created the folder for my input, and we have been using it for about three years.

Hannah

Thanks for the additional info, @Rodger C..

So, if I understand correctly, you're accessing the shared folder and are uploading your files through our website, right?

Where is the other member of the folder accessing it from? The website as well?

Could it be possible that they've installed the Dropbox application and are accessing the folder from the local Dropbox folder on their computer?

If that's the case, they might have a sync issue on their Dropbox application.

If they're accessing the folder from the Dropbox folder and are not seeing your updates, can they check the website as well, to see if the files appear for them there?

Rodger C.

So, if I understand correctly, you're accessing the shared folder and are uploading your files through our website, right?

Yes, exactly.

Where is the other member of the folder accessing it from? The website as well?

I would assume so -- I don't know of any other way to do it.

Could it be possible that they've installed the Dropbox application and are accessing the folder from the local Dropbox folder on their computer?

I'm afraid this is over my head, I don't know what this means. The other party transfers many files from many users regularly and hasn't mentioned problems with anyone else, nor with my files, until this last one. I don't understand this "synch" thing or how it works, and I have never met him. Generally I do my upload and then alert him that I've done so, and that's all I see on my end. Then the following week I delete the old one after it's used and upload the next week's file. The two strange things going on are that (1) he didn't see my deletions or new files this time, and (2) after I do my deletions, the site won't let me permanently delete them, a message I have never seen before. I get "Ask the owner to help permanently delete this". I asked him at one point to delete what he sees, which he says he did, and it made no difference on my end, but the files he was deleting were not the ones I was seeing anyway and nothing changed on my end. As an experiment I also sent access to the same file to my alternate email, and it showed up there as normal.

I also found the "Rewind" feature and tried to do that but I can't get access to it. The "Get Rewind" link returns me to a main splash page and there's no option to pick a date to rewind.

If that's the case, they might have a sync issue on their Dropbox application.

If they're accessing the folder from the Dropbox folder and are not seeing your updates, can they check the website as well, to see if the files appear for them there?

No idea ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ -- I can copy and paste the above and send it to him but I won't be able to explain what it's talking about.

Jay

It sounds like they aren't looking at the shared folder, and are instead looking at a copy of the folder, or something to that effect.

You could ask them to see if they accidentally deleted the shared folder from their account, and to see if they can add it back to their account from this page.

Rodger C.

Now I'm really confused. I clicked on the link mentioned here:

>> You could ask them to see if they accidentally deleted the shared folder from their account, and to see if they can add it back to their account from this page.

... and I got a list of folders I have created and deleted over the years; when I clicked on one to see what it was it "joined" me to it. Well I didn't want or need those old files, so I deleted them, and now, like the others, Dropbox won't let me permanently delete years-old files that I don't need. It says I "don't have permission" even though I'm the one who created them. If this keeps happening my space is going to fill up with old unneeded files. Why am I being denied?

I've heard back from the other party, who says he accesses Dropbox from an app on his PC "instead of the website" and suggests I try doing the same. Now I have to go figure out what that means.

Jay

Were you the owner of the shared folder? You should be able to at least remove it from your account to free up quota, even if you can delete it.

Regarding the desktop, they're most likely referring to the Dropbox desktop application, which would allow the folders to sync to your machine.

Rodger C.

Were you the owner of the shared folder? You should be able to at least remove it from your account to free up quota, even if you can delete it.

I was and still am the owner of the folders that gurgled up from the past when I went into that link. These are old folders from in some cases years ago that I should never need again, and it's telling me I don't have "permission" to get rid of folders which nobody has any use for including me. I don't get why it won't let me delete.

I am not the owner of the account that could not see files I uploaded (the recent issue). That folder was made for my use by the other party. But that also has files Dropbox won't let me delete. In both cases I'm referring to 'permanently delete' which I never had any issue doing before on either account.

Regarding the desktop, they're most likely referring to the Dropbox desktop application, which would allow the folders to sync to your machine.

I'm afraid I don't begin to understand what "sync to your machine" means. Basically per my understanding what I do is I generate files, I lay them on a "table" (a Dropbox folder) and alert the appropriate party that it's there for them, they come to the "table" and pick it up, and that's it. When I know they have picked it up I take it off the table (delete). There's no "sync" of anything involved. That's maybe why I don't get the distinction between "using the website" and "using the app". Maybe, I don't know. And I'm not keen to go into that without knowing the consequences.

I'm really wondering if something has become corrupt and if I should actually delete my entire account and start over. If I do that can I re-establish a new account and re-establish access to the shared folder the other party made for me? Would I need a different email to do that? Or is it possible to simply wipe the account clear of everything? All the files I have in there now are ones I can reload, so there's no issue of losing anything. I just want to know I won't lock myself out of the car so to speak...

Nancy

Hi @Rodger C., hope it’s OK to jump in.

If you’re not worried about losing any files, and you have them saved somewhere else already (outside of Dropbox), you can go ahead and delete your Dropbox account, and create a new one under the same email address.

Just keep in mind that, since this is going to be a new Dropbox account, the other party will most likely need to re-share this folder with you.

Rodger C.

Thank you Nancy, that sounds like a plan. Just wanted to know it could be done.

Walter

Thanks for the update on this @Rodger C. - let us know if anything else comes up!