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Forum Discussion
How to migrate a Dropbox folder from one PC to another?
Dear all,
I have a shared physical Dropbox folder on my old PC with all the "original" data in it, which is synchronized with the Dropbox cloud storage.
Now this PC is broken and I want to ph...
ostbeyer wrote:
But in order to download the files automatically, I first need to designate a location on the hard disk, don't I?
But where do I do that?
When you install the Dropbox application it will create a Dropbox folder in your user profile, though you have the option to select a different location during the install process.
Megan
Dropbox Staff
Dropbox StaffHi catstepmum, let's jump right into this!
Is it possible that you're using two different Dropbox accounts: your old one, on the old device and a newly-created one, on the new device?
What is the app's syncing status right now? You also mentioned something about a message that Dropbox would "disappear" tomorrow, can you let me know more about this message, or notification and even send a screenshot too?
Let me know more!
Dear Megan,
Thanks for responding.
I clearly am using two Dropbox accounts, but I don't know why - why was the Dropbox empty when everything else migrated to my new Mac? I don't know what is meant by syncing status or how I'd find out. I've taken a screenshot of the message about expiration.
Yours,
Ann
- Megan
Hi catstepmum, if you created a new account, and linked it to the new device, then that would explain why it's empty.
Have you clicked on the above link I provided about the syncing status? Also, this email refers to Dropbox Transfer, not your Dropbox account.
I didn't mean to create a new account. When I clicked on the Dropbox icon on my new computer it was empty. I've clicked on the syncing status link that you sent but as the folder is empty (apart from the one folder I've laboriously transferred by going back to my old computer, copying it onto an external hard drive and then moving it into the empty Dropbox) I don't see how this helps. And I don't understand why my 'new' Dropbox account is telling me I'll lose the transferred folder today unless I upgrade. It's no big deal in the sense that i've got a copy of it, but it does mean that I now have to stop using Dropbox with my co-editors and find some other way of sharing files. To be fair, I've never really understood why Dropbox did all this for free, and I'm not all that surprised to be asked to pay. But I already do the editing for nothing, as, I guess, a service to my section of the academic community. I realise that sounds pompous.
Yours,
Ann
- Megan
Hi catstepmum, the email states that the transfer would no longer be active after 1 day, not that the content would be deleted.
The link for that transfer would break.
As for your desktop app on the new device, you should be able to link it to your Dropbox account (the one you used to use on the old device), and your content would automatically sync to the new computer.
Provided you used a different account (especially if the account was new, therefore empty) it'd appear as empty.
Dear Megan,
I understand the email to mean that the folder I transferred to my (new) Dropbox would be deleted shortly. Is that not the case?
Yours,
Ann
