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camsul's avatar
camsul
Explorer | Level 4
2 years ago

In Dropbox for MacOS, the Dropbox folder appears two places

I have MacOS Ventura 13.3.1 and the new Dropbox for MacOS has shifted my Dropbox folder to ~/Library/CloudStorage/Dropbox.  However, it left in place my previous Dropbox folder at ~/Dropbox.  In Find...
Desktop
Folders
Mac
  • Jay's avatar
    Jay
    2 years ago

    Hi camsul, as your Dropbox folder is now in the CloudStorage location, the other Dropbox folder, which looks like an alias to that location, is only a shortcut. 

     

    If you wish, you can delete that shortcut, so that only the CloudStorage folder remains in Finder.

Dan H.10's avatar
Dan H.10
New member | Level 2

I have the same problem, but the files are different.  In comparison they are not the same in file size.  

I did not know this and was working on the sidebar dropbox files. They will not upload.  Very messy.

I do not think they are synched to each other and the old one is not a shortcut.

Megan's avatar
Megan
Icon for Dropbox Staff rankDropbox Staff
2 years ago

Hi Dan H.10, let's jump right into this! 

 

If I understand this right, it seems you're having issues with your Dropbox folder showing in two different paths. 

 

As a first step, you'd need to identify which folder is syncing, and which isn't. Please check your app's preferences, and specifically under your Sync tab, in order to check the path of your Dropbox folder, please. 

 

Feel free to also let me know your app's syncing status at the moment. 

 

Also, do you see Dropbox icons next to the files in both places? 

 

Keep me posted, and we'll take it from there! 

  • Dan H.10's avatar
    Dan H.10
    New member | Level 2
    2 years ago

    I spent a hour with apple figuring this out and how it happened.

    A serious technical note needs to go out to people.

    Folder A is linked, but all files are online only.  It has the icon and is in the CloudStorage library. This was done by the app I am told.

    Folder B is the folder that came over with the migration.  It is not linked, and does not sync.  No checks or cloud arrows.  

    I am backing up the orphan file to an external drive now. 9 hours.   

    Then I will commence to downloading all my online only folders.  TimeTBD.

    I cannot work until this is done. 

  • NateVee's avatar
    NateVee
    New member | Level 2
    4 months ago

    I have the exact same problem. 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.

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

     

    However, ALL my file changes in the old alias folder have not synced or migrated or whatever. 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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