My desktop app isn't syncing properly and now my programs are missing

Question

I got a new laptop for work in January. I thought my dropbox was syncing in the new laptop #2, but it wasn't - my dropbox was only synced through January.

Today I tried a new sync/install of dropbox on laptop #2. Long story short everything that was on laptop #2 this morning (files AND all new programs installed since January) is now (1) in dropbox but (2) GONE from my desktop.

How do I make all of the files and programs in my dropbox appear back on my desktop?

Thanks.

Hannah · Answer

Hey @mlandry, this is a bit confusing indeed, but we'll get to the bottom of it.

The first thing you need to check is whether the Dropbox app on both computers is working/syncing.

You mentioned that there's no Dropbox icon in your taskbar, which is essential; can you reinstall the Dropbox app on that computer, to see if the icon comes back?

mlandry · Answer

i'm sorry. the test document from today Jun 17 is in the dropbox folder something like 6 or 7 clicks down if that makes sense. it's all over the place. same on the dropbox website. shouldn't the documents be  (1) on my current laptop dropbox folder as soon as i click on it. this is a mess. is there any way i can take a screenvideo to show someone? i feel like there's a simple fix with moving folders but i am not sure.

mlandry · Answer

so, i see the copy of my desktop dropbox folder that i copied/whatever on June 15 in dropbox on the website, and then in the new dropbox folder on my laptop.

when i open the dropbox app on my laptop, it shows as "PC (3)", and it has everything from saturday June 15 when i tried to reinstall and whatnot. I just tested it, and neither this folder nor the website have a document i created just now June 17.

basically nothing is working as it was on my last laptop. i have in dropbox an image of my last laptop as of january, and i now have an image of THIS laptop in dropbox and on this computer.

but nothing is as it was, and now there is no icon on the bottom taskbar for dropbox. and, the document i created today isn't uploading.

i'm sorry if this is confusing. i just don't want to lose the January or June 15 copies.

i had thought everything was being copied on this new laptop to dropbox, but it wasn't.