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Forum Discussion
My desktop app isn't syncing properly and now my programs are missing
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.
Oh no, that sounds frustrating! It seems like there was a mix-up with your Dropbox syncing on your new laptop. Here’s what you can do to get your files back onto your desktop: Firstly, log into your Dropbox account through the web browser to make sure all your files are safely stored there. Next, uninstall Dropbox from your laptop and then reinstall it from the official Dropbox website. During the installation process, be sure to choose the correct location for your Dropbox folder on your desktop. Once Dropbox is set up again, it should start syncing your files from the cloud back to your desktop. You might need to give it some time depending on how much data you have. Regarding the programs that are missing, unfortunately, Dropbox doesn’t back up installed programs, only files. You’ll need to reinstall those programs manually. If you had any setup files or installers saved in Dropbox, you can use those to reinstall your programs. For future peace of mind, it might be a good idea to regularly check your Dropbox syncing status and perhaps consider setting up an additional backup for your important files. I hope this helps you get everything sorted out! If you need further assistance, don’t hesitate to ask.
thank you. a few questions:
(1) if i uninstall dropbox from my laptop, will everything stay in the folder in my cloud dropbox?
(2) once re-installed, how will it know to sync back to my laptop?
(3) why did all of the programs disappear?
(4) "During the installation process, be sure to choose the correct location for your Dropbox folder on your desktop" - how do I make sure it's the correct location?
- Nancy
Dropbox Staff
mlandry, sorry for jumping in. Before troubleshooting further, I want to ask couple more things.
When you say you tried a new install, did you uninstall the Dropbox app completely first or not?
Also, do you mean that you can see everything on the Dropbox website, but not on your desktop app? What programs are you missing exactly?
Is content missing from your local Dropbox folder or the Desktop folder on your computer?
