backup registry keys / orphan setting

[Frank P E.]

Hello — any help on this would be greatly appreciated

I was having a problem with the “backup” option — when I plug in a usb drive — I was not getting the prompt to back it up.

So started a chat session with support. In hindsight it now seems that number of solutions suggested for the most part was trial-and-error, except for the last one, which was to unlink my laptop (device) from my account at dropbox.com and then to sign back in to my account on the laptop. It worked, but there was a side-effect with consequences – The re-connection was if this was a new install

1) the “selective sync” settings were lost – which can be easily fix

2) the “backup option” for documents, desktop and downloads was removed, thus leaving registry keys pointing to a folder in the dropbox directory, but that folder was not tagged as “backups”

What I would appreciate if anyone knows exactly what registry keys are update by the backup option so that it would be possible to revert those keys back to “pre backup” state. Once that information is known I can move the folders documents, desktop and downloads to the pre-backup location

[Walter]

Hey @Frank P E., sorry to hear you're having issues with this.

Since you've already contacted our support team about this, could you please let us know your ticket ID in order to look it up in our system?

As for resetting your computer's Documents, Downloads and Desktop folders, you could try doing it via the app's preferences.

When on the Account tab, hold alt+H (for Windows) or space (for Macs) and click on the 'Reset OS folders locations' button that comes up and 'Apply'.

Keep me posted anyhow, Frank.

[Frank P E.]

Hi --- thanks for that info 

the issue is in Ticket #21619231

will "reset OS folder location" prompt me for the current location  of  documents, desktop and download   folders and  

know delete the  link   in  %userprofile%  for each of these folders  then  move and/or copy the  data  from the  current  location 

to %userprofile% 

Is there any doc on this  ---  I need to know how it works   --- thanks again 

[Jay]

Hi @Frank P E., currently, there isn't any info other than resetting the folder locations would move the system folders (Desktop, Documents, Downloads) back from the Dropbox folder into the default locations for your machine.

Given that you've mentioned there are issues with the registry, and that I'm not certain how resetting the folder locations would amend it, I'd recommend staying in contact with the support team via email. From the ticket you provided, I can see you're in contact with a specialist team, who would be better placed to assist you on this matter.

[Frank P E.]

"Currently, there isn't any info other than resetting the folder locations would move the system folders (Desktop, Documents, Downloads) back from the Dropbox folder into the default locations for your machine" 

Thanks for the info --- since now the win10 dropbox app "forgot" that is did the  "backup" how would one reset what the app did in the past to the system default location? 

[Frank P E.]

Hello — I found this link that describes how to revert the shell folder like documents, desktop and downloads back to their default location, but there are issues doing this

https://www.winhelponline.com/blog/windows-10-shell-folders-paths-defaults-restore/#overrides

The “dropbox backup” option once it creates a folder in the dropbox directory it, it then moves/copies the files in documents, desktop and downloads to this new location, it then creates a “junction” from the original location to the new location in the dropbox folder so programs can find the noted folders in their new location.

So, to fix this. in addition to the information in the noted link, one would have to delete the junction(s) to each folder. The mklink command or the “junction” (sysinternals) command can be used.

Once the junction(s) are removed, create the documents, desktop and downloads folders in the default location, then copy the data from dropbox back to the default location.

It seems that dropbox support would have created a tool to do this ---- doing it manually would required opening a command (or powershell) window and typing the commands

[Megan]

Hi @Frank P E., your comments on this have been quite helpful, and I will do everything I can to ensure that your voice is heard.

I'll forward your feedback to the appropriate areas so we can continue to improve.

Now, as for resetting the folder paths back to their location, have you tried these steps that Walter provided in that thread? 

[Frank P E.]

I find this solution to convoluted

I think the “got-ya” in this solution is the removal of the symlink/junction and I know there must be some way to do that with the system file explorer, but the the better way would be using the sysinternal’s junction command which is issued in cmd.exe

The entire process is best done in the command shell (cmd,exe) The process is quite simple

Use the junction command to delete the symlinks/junction for Docurment, Desktop, Download there could be an issue – there seems the one or more of these folder could have the r/o and hidden attribute turned on — that has to be remove first before the junction command will work

then use the mkdir command to (re)create Docurment, Desktop, Download

I guess that the “copy” command could be used next, but I use robocopy (this a windows program) since this will make an exact copy of the files that are in the dropbox folders

Now the critical part of the process is to fix the registry and that is done with the file

w10_usf_clear_override_hkcu.reg

this file can be downloaded from the link

https://www.winhelponline.com/blog/windows-10-shell-folders-paths-defaults-restore/#overrides

As noted in the comments in this file, the override keys have to be removed. The (dropbox) “backup” option sets these keys and the noted solution would not fix this.  It seems there has to be a better solution than mine or the one noted in the post since from the posts about the “backup option” is not that uncommon for the reset to the system default to fail.