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How can I restore my account to a version with older files?

I have the basic dropbox on two computers - say Desktop and Laptop. Due to a Desktop restore from Idrive cloud backup my dropbox on Desktop has updated with old folders/files which were previously deleted or modified and a sync operation up to the max memory allowed in basic account has occured (dropbox stopped sync as memory got full) so now I have incorrect contents on the Web dropbox. I cannot use the rewind facillity as its a basic account (tells be to go buy an upgrade if I try and rewind a folder}.

To get back to my dropbox before it got accidentaly updated with old stuff, my idea is to to uninstall dropbox from Desktop and delete the local dropbox folder. My Laptop was not turned on at the time so that holds the correct Dropbox contents. If I now log into my dropbox web account via a browser and delete all files and folders in the web account and then turn on the Laptop, will the dropbox on my Laptop Sync/upload to the dropbox account and effectively recreate the correct contents. on the Dropbox Web account. I can then re install dropbox on the Desktop and the dropbox will now download from the Web and be correct on the Desktop.

Will this work please?

Thank you in advance for community member(s) help

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Comments

Jay

Hi @JHP1, thanks for bringing this to our attention.

Since your desktop already uploaded information to the site, this could mean that connecting your laptop would mean the data on there would be overwritten, and you'd lose this information.

The best option would be to delete the data on the Dropbox site, to free up space, and then to switch on your laptop and quit the desktop app immediately, or turn off WiFi immediately (and then quit the desktop app), to prevent any syncing.

Then you can either upload the files manually to the Dropbox site from that laptop, or you can copy them to your desktop machine via a USB stick and move those files into that Dropbox folder for those files to sync to the site.

If you need any more details, feel free to message back!

JHP1

Thank you for your quick reply Jay.

Your suggestion "switch on your laptop and quit the desktop app immediately, or turn off WiFi immediately (and then quit the desktop app), to prevent any syncing" would not be possible with human speed as I have modern fast laptop, PC and a Fibre broadband internet speed of over 600Mbs! so definitely a lot of files would begin sync with the "corrupted" Web Dropbox and unwanted files would begin download and mess up the Laptop Dropbox which has the correct Dropbox I want to preserve.

Actually the laptop has all the correct files in its dropbox as it was synced up and has remained off before the Desktop pc began uploading and "corrupting" the Web Dropbox.

So I unplugged my home wifi and then turned on the Laptop with the idea I would back up the Laptop Dropbox as a safe measure and then turn off Laptop, however it seems the Laptop dropbox contents cannot be copied locally as a backup because when I try to copy it comes up with a message no internet i.e internet must be on which is rather a disadvantage feature of Dropbox? It would appear for a Laptop thats designed to work offline without internet I would not be able to work on my Laptop Dropbox files - this is a new discovered issue I was not aware off anyway this is aside for now - to get back ....

My idea is with Laptop dropbox safely backed up locally and then switched off. Then to uninstall my Desktop Dropbox and delete the dropbox if its contents are still on my Desktop. Then to delete the entire contents of my Web Dropbox as its the "corrupted version" so its blank. I then turn on my Laptop (with the home wi fi switched back on) and so the Laptop Dropbox should sync up and upload all contents of Laptop Dropbox to the blank Web dropbox - which will now have the correct files and folder structure.

I can then install Dropbox back on my Desktop PC and the dropbox should sync up with the Web Dropbox. So I will now be back to all Dropboxes synced up and correct.

Can you see any problem with what I am proposing?

Perhaps you could also please answer why Dropbox has designed the App so that local Dropbox files can only be copied or accessed and edited on with an internet connection?

Thank you for ypur help,

Kind Regards

Jag

Jay

Are the files in the Dropbox folder available locally, or were they online-only files?

JHP1

Sorry I dont understand your question? The way its set up an my understanding, Dropbox App downloaded and ran on my desktop and laptop which created a dropbox folder on my drive and app functions in windows toolbar oat bottom right of screen.

I work as approriate on my machines and put folder and files in the laptop or desktop dropbox folders. I assume then that when machines are connected to the internet (desktop always laptop as required) then they all sync up i.e, files uploaded to web dropbox whic then would sync up with the laptop and desktop such that all would be identical. I assume that the dropbox folder on my local machines would alwasy be accessible content wether connectred to the internet or not? Then only way files would be online only is if I dont have dropbox running on my local machines and login into dropbox via a brouser?

Are you saying that dropbox folder on my machines have to be set up for local access?

Thanks

Jay

It is possible that your files could be online-only in the Dropbox folder, as that is a feature we offer, which means that files aren't located on the machine itself.

Could you right click one of the files, then Properties, in order to see the size of the file? A screenshot of this would help greatly.