Can't access a folder: 'This folder does not exist' error

Hey @Andreas K.25, sorry to hear you're having issues with this.

Could you please clear your browser's cache and/or try another browser, preferably with no extensions or plugins running and let me know if you get the same error?

If you do, I'd appreciate a screenshot too.

Thanks!

Walter,

Thank you for taking care of my problem.

I have this issue on different PC with different OS and different browsers. I cleared the cookies / cache on Edge and Firefox / AddOns disabled, the issue persists.

Here is the screenshot:
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/axh6i294zi4pacw0guet0/Screenshot.png?rlkey=bzpodiz9awq8kn4scfambh03p&dl=0

I've marked all folders I can not access with a red arrow, all others work as usual. The subfolder "Save as CSV UTF-8" also works as usual.

Everything worked fine until about a few days/weeks ago, the error came up for the first time today. Give me a sign if you need more information.

Andreas.

Instead of a link, could you attach a screenshot in your reply @Andreas K.25 ?

To do so, you can click on the camera icon (insert photos option) within your reply's box.

Walter,

I'm sorry, I thought you could view images shared with DropBox. 🙂

Andreas.

Do you happen to be using a 3rd party app/software to create or move those files in Dropbox @Andreas K.25?

Could you try copying or moving them to another location and let me know if they give the same error?

Walter,

the files itself in that folder do not have any issues, AFAIK the download links works, I hope also the older ones in the community.

Here is one to a file uploaded 9 years ago
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/bl5so684ffz6698nr5wnk/7ef62b97-1253-45e0-9b2c-723cf1cf9217.zip?rlkey=l17e3ta0yjhh8fqksea7ih5ry&dl=1

no problem at all.

The only thing I noticed is that the new download link in that folder now seems to have an rlkey token, which was not there in the past. Also other files in different folders do not have that, e.g.:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/eow60utqq4nf1gr/AK.zip?dl=1

Both works, so I don't care about that. But it seems that all the folders in which the files have this new rlkey token are not accessible online anymore.

At my home PC I use the DropBox app (Version 179.4.4985) to sync the files and create download links, no issue at all.

Only if I try to access the folder online (from my home PC or other PC when I'm on the road) I get the error message that the folder doesn't exists.

As far as I've seen, 4 folders are affected by this problem. All other folders works the same as all the years before.

Andreas.

Thanks for the additional information @Andreas K.25 - most appreciated.

Dropbox is moving to an updated shared link architecture where links are based on content rather than on users. This will affect how links are created and shared.

As you noticed, the new links can be identified by the presence of an ‘rlkey’ parameter in the URL. For these links, the above behavior will perform differently:

The entire ‘rlkey’ parameter must be retained for the URL to grant recipients permission rights to access the file or folder.

That said, have you tried adjusting your account's sharing settings to allow for public viewing?

Walter,

does that mean my older download links (without the rlkey) do not work anymore?

This are my settings, untouched for years:

Also that works perfectly fine. After I created a download link I change the dl=0 to dl=1 in almost any case, because I do not want my customers to view the file online, because that's senseless in my case, my calculation models only works in the desktop version of Excel.

Anyway, how do I get the online access to my folders back?

Andreas.

I have a file path home/HOA Reports/Reports/2021

I can see and open the HOA Reports folder

With the suggested shortcuts I can jump straight to the home/HOA Reports/Reports/2021 folder
However if I try to navigate to the home/HOA Reports/Reports folder, I get a "The folder ‘/HOA Reports/Reports’ doesn’t exist." message.

Any ideas on how to fix this, short of jumping into each subfolder and moving it to a new folder?

Hi @jcicora, I hope you're doing well!

Is it safe to assume, since you mentioned navigating to Home, that you're referring to the Home page of your account online?

If you use an entirely different browser, do you get the same results there? What results do you get when searching for the Folder name, using our searchbar?

Let me know more, and we'll take it from there!

Megan,

You are correct, I was referencing from the Home page of my online account.

I typically use Firefox, however using Chrome had the same results.

The Reports folder would show in the suggested search results, however clicking on the result returned the same "...does not exist..." error

Hey @jcicora, interesting!

Can you also check your events page, or deleted files page for this specific folder? Just to see what we can find there.

I see nothing in the Deleted Items page. The Events page has activity involving that folder, but nothing about it being removed or deleted.

Thanks for the additional information and the screenshot too, Andreas.

Could you navigate to the samples folder and copy the link from there again and test it anew? Were you using a saved or bookmarked link to access it perhaps?

Apart from that, you could try creating new links for those folders.

Nancy

Hi from me too, @jcicora!

Do you mind sending me a couple of screenshots of what you see on your end instead? More specifically, I'd like a screenshot of the shortcut you mention in the beginning, and one more showing the full error you're receiving, when trying to navigate through the actual folder path.

Let me know when you're ready.

Please see the screenshots below

Hi @jcicora, do you happen to be using a 3rd party app/software to create or move those files in Dropbox?

Could you try copying or moving them to another location and let me know if they give the same error?

I do it all through the webpage, no 3rd party apps.

I can copy the files and folders elsewhere. I was doing it year by year. I just copied the Reports folder to a Reports 2 folder and everything is there. So I guess no further support is required.

Hi @jcicora, if you need anything else, let us know!

Walter,

I can't navigate to the samples folder, exactly that is my problem, here is a screen recording:

I can access almost any folder, but for some folders I get this stupid message that the folder doesn't exists. But that's a fake, the folder is there!

Take a look at the screen when I select the "Save as CSV UTF-8" folder, even DropBox shows the folder is there!

There are no issues with the files or links to the files or folder or whatever.

I simply can't navigate to some folders anymore, regardless which browser I use.

Clearing cache / cookies doesn't help, already tried in Edge and Firefox.

Andreas.

JayC1

Downloaded files from a folder as recently as a week ago. Now getting message that the folders in which the files were parked no longer exist. I can see the folder icons. But when I click on them I get the message.

Hi @JayC1, let's jump right into this please!

As a first step, can you let me know if you're possibly referring to a shared link? Is this where you downloaded files from?

Also, where do you see this specific message? Is it online, when you try to locate the content? Let me know more, and we'll take it from there.

Thanks!

JayC1

Hi Megan

It is the only folder of the bunch that has a mulyi=person icon on the folder, so i must have shared it at some point. However, it says that I'm the only one with access.

Here's the main file batch

here's the next click

And here's what happens when I click on one of the sub files

As I mentioned, I accessed a few files earlier this week. Now, however, I fear I'm going to have to re-create a semester's worth of Louisiana History class. Other course files (Civics, Geography, etc.) are working fine.

Thanks for looking into this for me--I'm a bit panicked. Been working with Dropbox for years and never had something like this.

Hi @JayC1, if you use an entirely different browser, do you get the same results there? What results do you get when searching for the Folder name, using our searchbar?

Could you try copying or moving them to another location and let me know if they give the same error?

JayC1

Hi Megan...will do tomorrow. was able to find the files by searching for them by name. Encouraged and will try to fix everything in morning. Thanks so much for your help. Will keep you posted!

Jay

Tash86

I too am having the exact same issue with folders that I own.

I can search for the files within but cannot open the folder.

What is the suggested fix here?

Jay

Hi @Tash86, do you see the files being created in the events page or anything related to that folder?

Hannah

Thanks for that, @Andreas K.25!

Do you mind if we send you an email, so we can look into this?