Dropbox on one computer not making available offline the folders I have on another one

[Jane Shufflebotham]

Hi, I have a dropbox account. Up to now, I've only used it one computer. I keep my important files on Dropbox.com and on my computer's hard disk (the internet is very dodgy where we live in the depths of the countryside). I have now purchased a second computer and would like the dropbox set up on this one to match my other computer so I can use both in the same way - in other words I want my important files to be stored on both hard disks as well as on dropbox.com. This doesn't seem to be working. When I set up Dropbox on the new computer and choose which folders I want to be available offline, it doesn't down load the folders if they're ones that I also keep offline on the first computer. Anyone any idea why? Thanks Jane

[Walter]

Hi there @Jane Shufflebotham - sorry to hear you're having issues with this.

Could you please let us know your device's OS version and the version and status of the Dropbox desktop app as shown in your system tray/menu bar? 

When you say it's not downloading the folders, could you elaborate a tad please?

If you're getting a specific error, please send us a screenshot so that we can have a visual too.

Thanks!

[Jane Shufflebotham]

Hi Walter

It's a Macbook Air running Ventura 13.5. I've actually uninstalled Dropbox at the moment. I thought I'd try re-installing it. But it was working fine in every other way. Appearing in Finder and in the top Menu Bar. I tested it by asking for another folder (one that I don't keep offline on my other computer's hard disk) to be accessible offline and it downloaded it straightaway.

[Hannah]

Hey @Jane Shufflebotham, I hope it's okay for me to jump in as well.

Just to confirm, do you see the folders in your Dropbox folder on the second computer, just with cloud icons on them?

Have you tried manually right-clicking them and choosing to make them available offline that way?

[Jane Shufflebotham]

Hi Hannah

I can see the files - or I could. As I explained to Walter, I've uninstalled Dropbox and am going to reinstall it. So I could see all the files. They were marked as zero bytes and they didn't have a cloud icon by them. 

Jane

[Jane Shufflebotham]

So I've reinstalled it and exactly the same thing happened. However I tried Hannah's suggestion of right clicking on the folder and telling it to make it available offline. That appears to be working. However I am concerned that it won't automatically sync if I make changes on my other computer. Wait and see for now, I guess. I'll post an update if later, but it will take some time for it to download everything!

[Jane Shufflebotham]

All working now! Thank you very much.

[Hannah]

Happy to hear that, Jane!

If you need anything else, let us know.

Have a great week ahead!