Migrating Dropbox Accounts to New Computer

[Jeff F]

Hi.  I have 2 large Dropbox Accounts, Personal and Professional Team, where I am Administrator on Macbook Air 500GB.  I installed the new OS 12.1 Monterey and had my Laptop with Dropbox's backed up (Many Folders with SMART SYNC Online Only to save Hard Disc space, Many Folders Stored Local on my Hard Drive.  When looking for an easy way to Reinstall Dropbox and RE-LINK my Dropbox Folders, it is impossible to find a simple straightforward way to do this on Dropbox Site or On-Line. So...  I found a YouTube Video that seemed to make sense with these directions:

METHOD:

1. Rename your existing dropbox to anything else Ex Dropbox-old
Step 2. Download Dropbox software and let it create dropbox folder.
As soon as dropbox created folder. Step 3 Pause sync in software
application and drag all files from Dropbox-old to new Dropbox folder.
Step 4 Take off pause and dropbox will do the rest.

I did this Method - and now Dropbox is Syncing 132,302 Files  2.1TB (2+Days), and most of the FOLDERS are GREY (many of these Folders were Music FLAC Files that originally had SMART Sync on to save Hard Disc Space, but the SMART SYNC that was set is not being recognized. 

It seems that Dropbox is now trying to RE-SYNC everything - instead of just RE-Catalog all the existing Folders.  This is what I was trying to AVOID. Also - I RE-SET back to SMART SYNC on a small amount of my Music Folders to ON LINE Only - (to make sure I don't fill up my Hard Drive).  When I click on the Circle Arrow next to a GREY FOLDER (That was Smart Sync On-Line Only) I get this message "Copying "NAME OF MUSIC FOLDER" has PAUSED" You can keep a resumable copy now or finish later."  When I click on Finish Copying I get a message "THESE FILES ARE online-only. To Open Them, first move it into your Dropbox."  Then an Error Code 36 pops up Finder can't read the files.

Does anyone know of a simple method to do this Migration process that every Dropbox Account Holder will eventually have to go through when upgrading a computer?  I read about a method where you have to go into TERMINAL and type in specific Lines of Text - but this method seems pretty complicated for a Non Tech person with 2 Dropbox Accounts.   Thanks for your Help!!!  Jeff

[Hannah]

Hey @Jeff F, thanks for your post today.

Would you mind clarifying something? Are you reinstalling Dropbox on the same computer, which was previously unlinked?

Or are you installing Dropbox on a new computer, like the title of your post says?

If you're installing on a new computer, it would be best to just sign in and allow Dropbox to download your files (you can also choose to sync everything as online-only).

The method you described is used for when you already have a Dropbox folder on your computer (perhaps on a different drive) and do not wish to re-download your files.

Of course this would be successful if all the files were locally available.

Keep me posted.

[apollos]

After my iMac crashed I purchased a Mac Studio. I had built a sizable website on my old computer that was backed up on Dropbox (10 backups) and I'm now trying to bring back that website from the Dropbox backups. Not sure how to do it. Can you help? 

[Megan]

Hey @apollos, I'd be happy to help with this! 

Do you have the desktop app installed on your new device? 

Could you elaborate a bit more as to what you mean when you say that you try to bring back the website, from Dropbox Backups? Lastly, can you see the content when you visit your account online? 

Let me know more!

[Bye Bike T.]

Hi everyone, sorry for the silly question. I've changed my computer and in the new one I have a new structure of my folders, while on Dropbox's server there still is the old structure. I didn't link new computer to my Dropbox on the server. In the meantime I saved several files on my new computer: what if I'd sync now? I want to maintain the new files (the ones on the computer), not the ones on the server. Thanks a lot in advance!

[Megan]

Hey @Bye Bike T., let's have a look into this together! 

Can you let me know what you mean when you say you didn't link your new computer to your Dropbox account on the server? Do you use the desktop app on the new device or not? 

When you visit your Dropbox account online, do you see the content you had on your old device? Is everything synced?

Let me know more!

[joe-w-1954]

I will be moving Dropbox folders and files to  a new computer. Rather than having them sync, can I just transfer them via cable? I am asking because I assume it would be faster.

Thanks!

[Hannah]

Hey @joe-w-1954, thanks for reaching out to the Dropbox Community!

The suggested practice when it comes to new computers, would be to simply install the Dropbox application, sign in and let the app sync your files.

This is to avoid any linking issues or double Dropbox folder issues.

And if you'd like syncing to finish as fast as possible, you can choose to sync your files as online-only during the initial installation and then download the files you need as you go.

I hope this helps!

[joe-w-1954]

Thanks, Hannah. So you're saying it's possible that Dropbox would then sync the files anyway after I transferred them directly?

[Rich]

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@joe-w-1954 wrote:

So you're saying it's possible that Dropbox would then sync the files anyway after I transferred them directly?

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In theory, yes. At a minimum it WILL index all of your files.

My local Dropbox folder is marked entirely as Available Offline. I don't use Selective Sync on my main computer and ALL content stored in my Dropbox is on my local drive. The way I transfer to a new main computer is to first copy my entire Dropbox to the new computer and rename it to Dropbox_OLD.

On the new computer install Dropbox. When the installation is finished, Dropbox will immediately start to sync. Pause syncing or exit Dropbox. Move the content of Dropbox_OLD into the newly created Dropbox folder. When the move is complete, and not before, resume syncing or re-launch Dropbox.

At this point Dropbox will begin indexing all of your files. This process will take a while, especially if you have a lot of data to go through. During this time it may say that files are uploading or downloading, but it's only transferring comparison data and any changes that it finds. Be patient and LET IT WORK.