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Mac Desktop has a blank screen with no icons after upgrade to Monterey and Dropbox for macOS

Hi, apologies if this is not the correct location.

I ugraded to Monterey recently, then almost immediately DB rolled out the new location on my iMac. Not sure where the problem is, but on startup my computer now has a blank screen with no desktop icons. I can see them all under Mac (with Apple logo)>Desktop. How can I get all these folders back onto my desktop on startup?

Thanks.

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Hannah

Hey @TurquoiseWoman, thanks for letting us know about this.

Do you think that this is connected to Dropbox somehow?

These icons that are missing, were they perhaps shortcuts to folders in your Dropbox folder?

And would you mind sending us a screenshot, so we can have a visual of the situation as well?

Thanks in advance!

TurquoiseWoman

Thanks for your reply. I don't know if that folder in DB is supposed to open on my mac on startup. Is there a way of making it do that? What should I take a screenshot of and how do I post it here? I don't see any icons above for attachments. I'm a newbie.

Megan

Hi @TurquoiseWoman, as a first step, can you check your Backup page online, and let me know if you have any backups enabled?

If you could attach a screenshot of what you see on your end, that'd be most wonderful. You can do this by clicking the camera like icon and attaching your screenshot here.

TurquoiseWoman

Hi, I don't have backups turned on.

Screen Shot 2023-05-10 at 1.55.44 PM.png

I have now just taken my mac desktop items out of dropbox and they now reside in macintosh HD>user>name>desktop. This desktop now appears on startup. I do have another problem though, it appears that the new location of cloudstorage>dropbox (5-3-23 3/46pm) is not syncing properly. The online dropbox is not showing the same folders etc. that I am seeing in my desktop app. The only way I can see the path is here:

Screen Shot 2023-05-10 at 2.09.48 PM.jpg

If I click on select folders it shows the same folders etc. as it does on the website, which is wrong.

Thanks.

Hannah

Thanks for the update here, @TurquoiseWoman.

The selective sync section will show you all the folders that are available and synced in your Dropbox folder and your account online, will also show you the files and folders that are actually synced to your Dropbox.

Can you check the sync status of the app for us? You can do so, by hovering over the Dropbox icon in your menu bar.

Let us know what you see and we'll go from there!

TurquoiseWoman

Sorry for my late reply, I thought I had already done it! I have hovered over the dropbox icon and it still says syncing. The online DB is still not updating.

Hannah

No worries! Does it just say syncing? And does it appear stuck like this?

Or does it give you a number of remaining files as well?

TurquoiseWoman

No, it just says syncing and it does appear to be stuck. It is still not syncing with DB online.

Jay

Hi @TurquoiseWoman, could you try reinstalling the Dropbox desktop application, without uninstalling it first, using this link?

TurquoiseWoman

I am a bit confused. I scrolled to the bottom of the link, it said you already have DB installed and my files are up to date. I downloaded the app again, but can't find it. It still says syncing in the menu bar, and the files on .com are still wrong.

I will be out of town until Saturday now. Can I come back to you when I return? Thank you for your help so far.

Megan

Sure you can @TurquoiseWoman!

Take your time, and let us know of any updates!

TurquoiseWoman

Hi, back in town. Tried your solution as I said on Tues. but no joy. DB still says syncing and DB online. What will happen if I completely delete the desktop DB app and reinstall?

TurquoiseWoman

I have checked my events page and no activity since May 7th. I have tried to change the synced folders but the folders shown as available are not in the new location although under the Sync button the folder location shows as Users/***/Library/CloudStorage/Dropbox.

Megan

Hey @TurquoiseWoman, can you send us a couple of screenshots please?

One of the app's syncing status, and a second one showing the difference between your files online versus locally in your Dropbox folder?

TurquoiseWoman

Sorry, I have totally given up on DB. I have spent the entire weekend trying to sort it out. When I tried logging out and logging back in, I could not re-link my computer. I'm done. I have cancelled my subscription and moved my files out of DB. Thank you for your help anyway.