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Lost all files on my Desktop folder on Mac during installing Dropbox!

Help! I lost all files on my desktop folder on Mac during installing Dropbox. The files on the desktop suddenly disappeared so I stopped the installing. I try to restart the computer. But my Mac setting was restored and all my files on desktop are gone. But files in shared folder are still there.

I searched the community forum and found that it might be about 'computer backup'. But my dropbox account is not big enough to backup over 200gb files. Anything I can do to fix it? Thanks in advance.

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Nancy

I’m sorry to hear this, @sadsad.

Can you please check your Dropbox app’s syncing status, and let me know what it shows?

Did you check your Events page and Deleted files page on the web, and there’s no sign of your missing content?

Keep me updated.

sadsad

Syncing status shows files up to date. Don’t see deleted files from my computer. Event page show activity about my computer, but cannot click to see details. I wonder why the icon displays a different person name. Suppose this concerns ‘computer backup’. However, if the installation is not yet complete, I'm puzzled as to why it initiates syncing.

Hannah

Hey @sadsad, sorry to jump in here.

When you say that you stopped the installation, can you clarify what you did?

If you go to the backups page, do you see an active backup of that computer?

sadsad

Hi @Hannah

I've used a free Dropbox account on my Mac for years.

Last week, I downloaded and installed the new Dropbox software from your website. Dropbox is a straightforward software, I didn't pay close attention to each step during the installation process.

I vaguely remember being asked if Dropbox could access my desktop and without thinking, I clicked 'ok'. I watched the files on my desktop vanishing. I immediately clicked 'Back' to stop the installation, deleted the installer file, and restarted my Mac. Unfortunately, my files on desktop were gone, but files inside my shared folder remained there.

I've been using Mac and Dropbox for years and have never experienced this. I'm hoping Dropbox support team can help.

sadsad

@Hannah @Nancy

I read other community posts, I think this issue is a highly technical, require the support engineer's direct assistance. Can you connect me with them? Thank you!

Megan

Hi @sadsad, thanks for the added info!

If you search inside your Finder for some example file names that you used to have on your Desktop, do you see any results pop-up?

Also, you mentioned that the icon displays a different name. Which icon are you referring to?

The app or online? Is it possible that you connected using a different account?

sadsad

I see some folders in my Finder, but they are now empty inside.

Attached is a screenshot from the event pages. The icons I mentioned are located next to each event.
Event screen cap.PNG

Hannah

Hey @sadsad, I'm afraid that if the backup was interrupted and the files never made it to Dropbox, there's no way to restore them from Dropbox.

Did you check the backups page that I mentioned before? What do you see there?

Have you also checked your Trash, to see if you can find anything?