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Linking reinstallation to existing folders in File Explorer

I was having some issues with Dropbox on my laptop so uninstalled and am now re-installing, But it is creating totally new folders on my Laptop. As there is about 950GB there (and we have very slow broadband in Suffolk UK) it will take a week or two to synchronise. How can I get the new installation to sync with the files already there?

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Rich

Roderick R. wrote:
I download Dropbox from https://www.dropbox.com/en_GB which then downloads a file called Dropboxinstaller.exe from https://dl-web.dropbox.com into my firefox download folder. I then click "Save File" as, apart from "Cancel" that is the only option, and that's it. The program then downloads onto my C: drive ... and starts synchronising before I have a chance to do anything.

You're not installing Dropbox. All that's doing is downloading the install file to you comptuer. You then have to run that file to start the installation process, where you'll have an Advanced Options link that will allow you to choose the location for your Dropbox folder.

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Rich

During the installation there's an Advanced Options link. if you click that you can specify the location for your Dropbox folder. Be sure to select the folder ABOVE Dropbox, or you'll end up creating a Dropbox within your Dropbox. If it tells you that the location already contains a Dropbox folder, then follow these steps.

Uninstall Dropbox if it's installed. Rename your existing Dropbox folder to Dropbox_OLD or similar. Reinstall Dropbox and select the location that you want for the Dropbox folder. Keep in mind that external drives are NOT recommended as data loss can occur under the right conditions. When the installation is finished, Dropbox will immediately start to sync. Pause syncing or exit Dropbox. Move the content of Dropbox_OLD into the newly created Dropbox folder. When the move is complete, and not before, resume syncing or re-launch Dropbox.

At this point Dropbox will begin indexing all of your files. This process will take a while, especially if you have a lot of data to go through (and 950 GB is A LOT of data to index). During this time it may say that files are uploading or downloading, but it's only transferring comparison data and any changes that it find. The index process has to finish before Dropbox will work. If you stop it or uninstall and reinstall again, it will just start over from the beginning. Be patient and LET IT WORK.

Roderick R.

Thanks for the advice, however I don't get the option when installing to select any location.

I've saved the "Old" dropbox on the drive I want to use but when I download Dropbox everything happens automatically!

I download Dropbox from https://www.dropbox.com/en_GB which then downloads a file called Dropboxinstaller.exe from https://dl-web.dropbox.com into my firefox download folder. I then click "Save File" as, apart from "Cancel" that is the only option, and that's it. The program then downloads onto my C: drive (which doesn't have enough room for all the files stored on Dropbox) and starts synchronising before I have a chance to do anything. At no stage did I get the option to "select the location that you want for the Dropbox folder" I've uninstalled and reinstalled several times but just can't get it to locate in the drive where I have to "Old" dropbox folders.

If it is not possible to designate the location during installation, is there some way I can drag it in File Explorer? I've tried but without success so far.

Rich

Roderick R. wrote:
I download Dropbox from https://www.dropbox.com/en_GB which then downloads a file called Dropboxinstaller.exe from https://dl-web.dropbox.com into my firefox download folder. I then click "Save File" as, apart from "Cancel" that is the only option, and that's it. The program then downloads onto my C: drive ... and starts synchronising before I have a chance to do anything.

Roderick R.

Thanks for that Rich. With our poor broadband service I think it will take quite some time to fully sync after which I'll just select certain folders to sync.

The reason that I reinstalled Dropbox was because the icon disappeared from the system tray and I was unable to manage my Dropbox setting without accessing it via the website. It has happened several times before. Can you tell me how to stop the Dropbox icon being removed from the system tray and, if it does happen, how to get it back without going through a reinstallation and re-sync.

Rich

Have you checked to see if it's still installed? If the Dropbox app is installed but not running, you won't have the icon. Just run the app from your Start menu again.

If the app is no longer installed, then something on your computer is removing it. It wouldn't be anything to do with Dropbox.

As for having to re-sync when you reinstall, as long as you point Dropbox to your existing Dropbox folder (as described above), all that will happen is a re-index. Your files will not have to download again. the re-index will take time though with that much data to compare.

Roderick R.

I did run the app from the start menu and that worked, but never got the icon back in the system tray so I guess it's an hp or windows 10 action. Anyway my system is re-linking from this morning (I think) at least there are blue circles against every file (nothing turned green yet).

Bernard D.1

Same here with me.my drive C was upgraded from windows 7 to 10 but with new SSD hard drive C as my old 225GC drive C is full. i now have 500GB drive so, so everything is new and fresh. i have SSD Drive F which is 232 GB where my dropbox was installed. i currently have used 312 GB on my dropbox but i only sync 200GB locally (not online s i want it always available especially when our internet connectionis down) because it wont fit on my drive F which is only 232 GB. i install dropbox after my drive C and windows was upgraded. it also automatically sync on drive C but luckily i choose online only (because i was in doubt it will install automatically without the option of choosing to relink on my drive F. so i immediately pause the syncing and i tried the option"dropbox folder location" and move the location of dropbox to drive F. and as per other forum, yes it says "this folder already contains a dropbox directory and wheni click ok it wont re link. it is asking for another location. i can't do the other forum comments to rename the previous dropbox folder to dropbox old and uninstall drobox or install again on the same drive F and then pause etc. as i think it will cause an error because its all physical or locally installed then overwrite or relink using online-only option. and if i use local sync, it wont fit on drive is a i onlyt now have 30GB free space. i am very desperate now to get this sorted as i urgently need those files. i cant work if it starts resyncing or relinking ten thousand files.

Walter

Sorry to hear you're having issues with this @Bernard D.1.

From what I gather, you must be pointing your Dropbox folder to an erroneous location (as the error you get suggests).

To select your already established folder on your drive, after signing in and choosing which folders to sync, and before you click on "Open my Dropbox folder", you should see an "Advanced Settings" link, click on this.

Then you can choose the parent folder of the already established Dropbox folder, for example, if you have your Dropbox folder in the path "F:\OtherDrive\Folder\Dropbox you'll need to select the folder "D:\OtherDrive\Folder" (so this would be a level higher up on the path's structure).

Let me know if this helped!

DenDen_nl

This worked for me! Thanks.