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Still syncing desktop and downloads

I am confused and frustrated that Dropbox keeps syncing my desktop and downloads. I have it disabled in the local app and on the web login, yet it keeps happening. I read articles, I deleted the entire app, and reinstalled, and it is still doing it. Can you change this on your end. It is exceptionally frustrating. I don't want these files backed up.

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Walter

Hi there @mdea1a - sorry to hear about this.

Can you please navigate to your backups page and let me know if you're able to find and/or delete your backups from there?

If you do and the issue persists, please send us a screenshot of the app's status so that we can have a look too.

Thanks!

mdea1a

Thank you. Yesterday, I tried to delete the backups from the web page you linked. And it subsequently deleted my downloads and desktop files on the computer too. And so I had to restore them. It says that it is unlinked. It says backup is disabled. It said that before I reinstalled per the other instructions in this forum. Screenshot 2023-12-04 at 8.29.52 AM.png

mdea1a

Here is the second screenshot of the local app Screenshot 2023-12-04 at 8.37.20 AM.jpg

Megan

Hi @mdea1a, thanks for the screenshots!

Based on the info that you shared with us, it seems that Backup is indeed disabled.

Is your Downloads & Desktop folder both inside Dropbox as we speak?

mdea1a

Yes and as noted, when I try to remove it, it deletes the files from online Dropbox but also locally on my computer. Hope there is a solution to disconnect it. Here is the screenshot of how it shows in Finder within my Dropbox Screenshot 2023-12-04 at 10.23.39 AM.png

Megan

Hi @mdea1a, out of curiosity, can you try out these steps, and let me know if you can do this, or if you get any errors?

mdea1a

When I get to the Account section and hold down option+H (no "alt" key on Mac?) I don't get shown the "Reset OS folder locations" option - instead I get shown three options: Fix Permissions, Fix Hardlinks, or Reset File System Warning options. At the bottom of the screen that pops up, there is also a button that says Add Team Account. I can't get a screenshot as the pop-up that shows these disappears as soon as I release the keys?

Megan

Hi @mdea1a, interesting.

Let me ask: do you get any specific errors when trying to move the desired folders from within your Dropbox folder, to the paths they were originally, before you enabled Backup?

mdea1a

@MeganI don't know how to do that. I don't know the original paths. I don't even know how they got there in the first place, as I never chose to backup these three local folders.

Also, can you clarify, I was seeking an answer to my prior response - as to why what is supposed to show with alt-H (option-H) is not what I am seeing?
When I get to the Account section and hold down option+H (no "alt" key on Mac?) I don't get shown the "Reset OS folder locations" option - instead I get shown three options: Fix Permissions, Fix Hardlinks, or Reset File System Warning options. At the bottom of the screen that pops up, there is also a button that says Add Team Account. I can't get a screenshot as the pop-up that shows these disappears as soon as I release the keys?

Thank you for trying to help fix this issue.

mdea1a

Hi again @Megan do you have remote in support. Now it is really messed up. I tried to move the My Local out of Drobox into my harddrive, which seemed ok. Then I tried to delete it out of my harddrive, and now my Finder and Downloads do not work AT ALL. I really need more than typing this out. How do I request remote in support?

helpme5

Dropbox hijacks the computer. the Mac OS is housed in Dropbox and all the key files with it. you can disable backups but, you can't remove the Mac OS from the dropbox folder without losing everything. It's insane. I can't believe you guys don't have a real way to fix this. it happens repeatedly to your customers and it's extremely disconcerting. Because I don't pay for my dropbox account I can't get any real support with this and if try to remove Dropbox from my Mac it takes the OS and key files with it. It's scary and strange and your team should figure out a clean and clear pathway for customers to disentangle dropbox from forced housing the core of the computer and someone somewhere should be figuring out how to prevent it from happening in the first place. It feels very sketchy and like a foreign invader (dropbox in this case) is taking over. No dropbox rep so far has been able to figure out how to safely remove the computer system from dropbox and apple tells me it's a dropbox issue and I need to talk to your company about it. It's incredibly frustrating and completely disconcerting. Please, figure it out and offer a real solution.

Megan

Hi @mdea1a, your Support options depend on the plan you're using.

Remote access might sometimes be available when using our chat support, which is available on paid plans.

What I mean when I say to move the content back to their original path, is to take your Documents, or Desktop content, and copy them from within your Dropbox folder, outside to where they were originally.

When you say your Finder and Downloads don't work at all, could you share some additional info with me as to what happens?

If you have any screenshots, let me know!

mdea1a

Hi @Megan I've been in live chat support all morning. They would not remote into my computer even though I have a paid account. The person couldn't figure it out and escalated to an "Advanced Support" team. I'm still waiting to hear back. I sent multiple screenshots to that ticket agent.

Megan

Do you have the ticket number reference, in order for me to locate the ticket on my end @mdea1a?

mdea1a

23011485

Megan

Thanks for that @mdea1a!

I was able to locate your ticket, and I can see that it's been escalated to the relevant department.

Hang tight, and an agent will be with you shortly, to investigate on this!

helpme5

Can you please share the solution that you arrive at for the above? I would like to heal my system too.

Walter

Hey @helpme5 - sorry to hear about this.

Could you let us know some additional information so that we can assist further? For example, what is your computer's OS version and the status and version of the Dropbox desktop app installed there?

Also, can you confirm which troubleshooting steps you've attempted so far?

Thanks so much!

mdea1a

It was an accident that I hit the accept as solution button.

I have delineated the problems and attempted fixes over and over. I am not repeating them again. I'm waiting to hear from the advanced support team. But I will add that I am on a 2020 MacBook Pro with Sonoma, fully updated. The version of Dropbox is v187.4.5691 and the status if normal/fine.

Megan

Hi @mdea1a, thanks for sharing that again with us, and for the patience in regards to that.

As for the frustration, it seems my colleague, Walter asked @helpme5 for some more info.

Definitely let us know more as to how your case is going as soon as you have a response, and the culprit of what could be causing this.