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My edits in the old Dropbox folder didn't sync to the new one after Dropbox update (macOS)

The previous dropbox alias folder randomly stopped syncing or could have been result of running CleanMyMac - MacPaw and it accidentally scrubbed some program files? But pretty sure it was an issue before running the clean up, as I checked all program files and network filtering rules.

I uninstalled and reinstalled dropbox (204.3.5321-Up To Date). Now I got the dropbox icon in Finder with the cloud symbols and can finally see my team's files that were missing for weeks.

However, ALL my file changes in the old alias folder have not synced or migrated. So now I have no idea of know what changes were made and how to meld the two opposing file structures. If I override all of the files on the new install icon cloud symbol one...it's going to screw my entire team's changes for many weeks.

Now what?

Also executed the Preference > Account > Option > "Fix Hard Links".

However, "Fix Permissions" Errors Out.

Location Path: /Library/CloudStorage/Dropbox

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Comments

Hannah

Hi there, @NateVee, thanks for joining the Dropbox Community.

If I understand correctly, your Dropbox app was updated to the new Dropbox for macOS on File Provider, but the changes you made to your files in the old Dropbox folder, do not appear in the new one.

Could you clarify what you mean by "alias folder"?

What do you see when you check your files in your account on dropbox.com? Do your changes appear there?

Let me know what you find.

NateVee

Hannah, I see the changes in Dropbox.com from the application folder that now lives on Finder.

However, I do not see any syncing from the previous alias folder, as described in the attached support string. This alias folder was functional a couple months ago then randomly stopped syncing. After trying to troubleshoot for many hours I then uninstalled and reinstalled Dropbox, which then set up the Application Folder with the cloud symbols and that folder structure is updated with all of the changes from my team. However, it is not showing the changes I've made in my older version of the dropbox folder over the last couple of months. Clear as mud? 🙂

For context, please see this support string:

cOS-the-Dropbox-folder-appears-two-places/td-p/680405/page/2

Megan

Hey @NateVee, thanks for the added info!

If the changes you made in the older version of the Dropbox folder aren't reflected in the new path, then I'm assuming they're not reflected online either, right?

Have you tried copying the content of the old path, into the new one?

NateVee

Correct. Not reflected online.

The problem with copying the content of the old path is I dont know where to start. We're talking hundreds of changes across 200+ folders over the last weeks...maybe months. If I override those team folders then it will also override the changes the team made to those folders which are reflected in the new path and online. Feel me?

NateVee

I've been auditing files. What's even more odd is the new app path and online seem to have reverted some files to an even older version of the entire file structure....going back almost a year...while others seemed to have synced in March of this year, except those were ones added via the mobile app...not desktop. Luckily I've been routinely backing things up. This is worse than I thought. Perhaps this is a result of upgrading laptops and for some reason the file migration happened and the application was giving a false positive that it was sync-ing? What's more odd is that we would have caught it sooner because we're working out of the same file structures all day everyday. So it appears things all of the sudden reverted to a later sync state.

Nancy

Hi from me too, @NateVee.

Based on what you’ve said so far, I don’t see another option than to manually merge everything to be honest. Since your team has already made updates and they’ve synced to your desktop app, you’ll need to check the files in your old Dropbox folder and transfer your own updates to the files that are now syncing to your Dropbox account online.

As for the older file versions you mention, is the rest of your team seeing the same thing? What do you see at your Events page, or when you check the version history of these files online?

NateVee

Bummer. Apart from the team folders my personal stuff is easier to sort out.

Ohhhh sh*t. Just clicked remove from dropbox Beta. That removed my old path file which was the single source of truth. Deleted. Gone completely. Sigh....

This appears to be the source of the multiple paths. I never opted in to Dropbox Beta in preferences. Brutal

This is the source of the problem.

NateVee

My plan was to remove the personal folder in the new Path Dropbox. Then copy over the old path into the new dropbox. But I clicked remove from beta while perusing setting before the copy over. That overwrote and deleted the old path file and everything in it. Now what?

NateVee

And now that action is overwriting ALL of those team files. Good grief. Good game Dropbox.

NateVee

I've hopefully paused in time. Told team members to pause > made them the file owner > and told them rewind if needed. Then I'll have to sync back from their single source of truth on those files. Although we can assume none of my changes were ever pushed and those will have to be dealt with manually.

I went to my backup I did before trying to sort this out. Recovered the files. Appropriately named a new file "F*&! Dropbox" and moved everything over outside of the erroneous outdated sync that is being currently forced after the unfortunate "remove from Beta" click in preferences. What a nightmare.