How do I just backup (not sync) a folder from an external drive?

1

I found out about Boxifier and it seems like a nice idea. However, I am interested in using it as a backup tool, rather than sync. I have a few external disks that I’ve purchased over the years and I want to backup some of those folders to Dropbox.

Would that work? What if I remove the external drive after syncing it with Boxifier?

2

Hi Brian,

Welcome to the Boxifier forums!

Yes, you can use Boxifier in this scenario. Here are the steps to follow:

  1. Connect your external drive
  2. Go to your external drive, choose the folder that you want to backup to Dropbox
  3. Right-click on it and choose “Boxifier - Sync with Dropbox”
  4. The folder will start syncing (a blue circle that appears on the folder’s icon - just like with Dropbox)
  5. Wait until folder is done syncing (green checkmark on the folder’s icon)

Your folder should now be synced to your Dropbox. Now, because you don’t want to keep syncing this folder (you just wanted to upload it to Dropbox) you will use Selective Sync to stop it from syncing.

  1. Click on the Dropbox icon from the system tray, click on the gear icon and select “Preferences…”
  2. Click the Account tab then click the “Selective Sync…” button.
  3. A window will appear with a list of all the top level folders in your Dropbox folder. Locate the “Boxifier” folder
  4. When expanding the Boxifier folder you will find the folder that you synced from the external drive.
  5. Uncheck the folder that you synced and click “Update”.

The changes that you make to the folder on the external drive will now no longer be synced to Dropbox.

You can now safely remove the external drive.

Hope this helps,
Razvan

3

Thanks for the step-by-step guide.

One more question: doesn’t unchecking the folder with selective sync delete it from the external drive? I’ve used it before and I remember it deletes the folder from your computer when you uncheck it. I want it to STAY on the external drive.

4

Brian,

That’s one of the nice things about Boxifier. When you uncheck the “boxified” folder using selective sync, it will not be removed. That is because Boxifier has built-in protection and handling for this scenario.

So you can be sure that the folder will not be removed from the external drive after you uncheck it using the Selective Sync of the Dropbox desktop client.

5

Well, I’ve just tried that and it appears to be working as you described it. Neat!