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Uninstall Dropbox App from PC and start over

I recently bought a new Windows 11 desktop. At the same time I upgraded Dropbox to 2T so I could offload some files from the PC. I oved about 250GB to an external SSD. I installed the dropbox app and it suggested setting up a backup. I did that and and identified the folders I set up on the SSD and uploaded the files. At the same time it created a copy of them all on my PC C: drive - exactly what I didn't want to do. When I click the Dropbox app icon I simply end up in the Windows file manager looking at the Drobox folder. I can't find settings, nothing.

The critical part is that when I deleted the files on my PC they were deleted on Dropbox and had to be restored. I restored everything I could find but a critical subdirectory did not return. I am in the process of uploading it but I doubt it will be in the backup list after I do.

I really need to start over from scratch. If I can get the critical files uploaded for safekeeping can I just uninstall the Desktop app without that blowing everything away on Dropbox?

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donheff

I think I have solved this problem. We can close this exchange and I will start another conversation if needed. It looks like my problems came about because I couldn't access the Dropbox app. I would follow the instruction to click on the Dropbox symbol but every time I did, no matter where I found the symbol, I ended up in file manager. I finally found another Dropbox symbol in the hidden icons section of the task bar and was able to get at the settings. I moved the Dropbox folder off my PC and on to my removable drive. And I set it to keep my large backups offline only. That seems to have worked. My space is available on C; and Dropbox is only taking up minimal space on my external drive. I may eventually move the Dropbox folder back to C if behaves well and seems likely to remain more accessible on C:

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Jay

Hi @donheff, thanks for bringing this to our attention.

Which Dropbox Backup did you enable? Was it just for the external drive, or did you choose to backup certain system folders like Desktop, Documents and Downloads?

What backups do you see on this page?

This will help me to assist further!

donheff

IIRC, I initially clicked on backup the PC documents. After getting a message from Dropbox about potential conflicts with One Drive, I realized was a mistake and unsynched it. The window you directed me to shows New Volume > status done, 258GB; and PC > status unlinked. That seemes right to me.

Unfortunately, the new volume backup is also download to my PC in the dropbox folder. That is what I would like to clear out.

Jay

The external drive backup shouldn't appear in the Dropbox folder on your machine. If it does, it would only be a shortcut to the backup visible on the site.

Could you attach a screenshot showing the external drive backup taking up space on your machine?

donheff

I took a screenshot of the file manager section covering the C: drive with the large backup folder selected. The properties box is open showing the 189GB on the C: drive. Those are files I do not want to delete from Dropbox but want to get off the PC. I don't understand why deleting them here would cause trouble on Dropbox but it did - Big time. I had to restore everything. I suppose I could try deleting a few files instead of the big chunks I blew away before. 🙂 I caused myself some parallel headaches on One Drive with large "how bad could it be?" deletions.

donheff

By the way, I was not expecting DB support to immediately jump on this. Much appreciated. Maybe you can tell me why Microsoft chose two days after I bought a new Windows 11 PC to update the way File Explorer works turning my life upside down. 🙂

Jay

This doesn't appear to be a Dropbox Backup of an external drive. Is it possible you're using another service to backup the drive on Dropbox?

are you seeing the same backup on this page?

donheff

I'm not sure what we are referring to. I may be using the wrong terms. The previous screen shot I sent you is a dropbox folder that shows up in file manager on my PC. Your latest link takes me to Dropox's beta backup page which now shows the PC as unlinked. That is good since I don't want it to be backed up or to receive files from Dropbox. The page also shows a "New Volume" as "Done." That is the external SSD drive I am talking about. I don't know if it is a full volume backup or if I specified the folders on it that I wanted backed up. When I click on New Volume I see the folders on the SSD that I need to backup on Dropbox. Unfortunately, when I look at the dropbox folder on my C; drive I see the same stuff.

So do you think I should uninstall the dropbox app and delete the dropbox folder on my C drive? If we are wrong and that blows it all away on Dropbox we can just restore it again and try over, right? I do have a tendency to just say what the heck and try stuff. 🙂

Jay

The 'New Volume' is the external drive backup, as you've mentioned, and so it shouldn't be visible in the Dropbox folder on your computer.

It sounds like you might have another app or service that is trying to backup your external drive into your Dropbox folder for some reason.

You can try deleting the Backup (SSD) folders you're seeing in the Dropbox folder in Explorer to free up your quota.

donheff