I goofed.... how to move Mac Desktop, Downloads and Documents back to my computer

[lbh301]

Please advise if I should post this elsewhere. I think this is my first Dropbox post.

I'm on my wife's computer trying to provide tech support. The expression is true for me: I know only enough to be dangerous. 😉 LOL

I just use the brute force method of tech support. So if you have any suggestions, very slowly please.

Those three folders disappeared from her Mac.

There were alias folders in her User folder but no originals at the pointed location.

She would take a screenshot and it would disappear and all downloads were missing.

I mucked around on her dropbox.com account and found those 3 folders in Dropbox Backup in a folder "Mac (2)"

I checked those three in a list where the unchecked folders were online only.

Now the originals are in a hidden folder inside of a folder "Mac (2)" which is in her Dropbox folder on her Mac.

Her missing screenshots are back on her computer desktop and I can also find them by opening the alias folder in her User folder. So that's a step forward.

And the missing downloads are in the Downloads folder.

But there are still oddities.

When I take screenshot,  it creates a folder "Screenshots" inside the Dropbox folder and does not go to the Desktop folder and does not show on her desktop.

Also, there is another folder in her Dropbox folder on her computer titled "My Mac (User MacBook Air)". It also has those three folders. I assume that is for her travel Mac.

Lastly, if I go to dropbox.com and find my way to Dropbox Backup, the three folders are there.

Maybe it would be best to start over completely with Dropbox and just wipe everything.

I don't know how to do that.

Alternatively, I don't know how to proceed with these three folders to get them back on her Mac completely and then if we want we can set them up so they aren't online only backups. It looks like they are kinds online folders now.

I hope this is easy to follow.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions. We appreciate.

[Jay]

Hi @lbh301, thanks for bringing this to our attention.

As it sounds like the computer backup feature was enabled, are you able to disable it by following these steps?

Keep me updated with any progress!

[lbh301]

Nope. When I get to the point of Manage Backups I get the attached dialog box.

I suspect I'm missing something very basic about Dropbox.

Thanks.

[Megan]

Hi @lbh301, when you visit your Backup page, do you also see the feature being disabled there too? 

Could you also send me a few more screenshots of what you see on the device, as you described it in your initial post? 

[lbh301]

Thanks for offer Megan.

We just got in contact with Dropbox Advanced Support Team.

Please hold on to see if they solve this. I don't want to waste your time..... and selfishly mine too.

If not solved, I'll be back to take you up on your offer to assist. I much appreciate.

Thank you

[norm3]

I think I'm all set. I had to unable several devices no longer used.

But one question, how does one sync the Mac OS created folders Desktop, Documents and Downloads that are in the User folder?

Thank you.

[Megan]

Hi @norm3, happy Tuesday! 

You'd need to enable the Computer backup feature. You can do this by following these steps.

If you have any questions, let me know. 

[norm3]

But isn't that for backing up not sync?

Thanks

[Megan]

Hi @norm3, it would backup the content in your Dropbox folder, and sync any changes to your account. 

[norm3]

So activating Dropbox Backup will "backup" the Dropbox folder. Correct?

And it will both backup and sync the Apple Desktop, Documents and Downloads folders. Correct?

If that information is on the Dropbox website, I missed it. Apologies. If it isn't, it should be IMHO.

Thank you.