Cannot move files when trying to merge old Dropbox folder with new Dropbox folder.

[USMCSGT323]

After running the Windows update from 12/13/22 I had to reinstall Dropbox.  When I tried to use my old Dropbox folder I could not because it said there was already one there.  So I had to place the new Dropbox folder in another location.

The problem that there are different files in the two location and so I am trying to slowly move files that were in the old DB folder to the new, but I keep getting a message that "these files are online only, and need to be moved to the dropbox folder before opening".  Which is exactly what I am trying to do!

It is as if many of the files that were in the old DB folder have retained their online only properties and cannot be moved because they are no longer linked to DB. 

So how can I get them back in the DB folder so that they can be accessed again?

Thanks for any help you can provide.

[Jay]

Hi @USMCSGT323, if you're uploading files to the site directly, then the Dropbox desktop application wouldn't see any uploading occurring, since these are different systems. 

Regarding the files, from your earlier image, the size and size of disk vary greatly, meaning a large number of the files are online-only (showing zero bytes), so there is literally no data on those files locally. 

This would be why they aren't uploading, since there is no data of that file. You can confirm this by right clicking the Adamson...pdf file, then Properties, and seeing the size on disk for that file.

The file itself, however, should still exist on the site. Have you already tried searching for that file online?

[USMCSGT323]

Yes and on that example I have a valid file.  But there are others where the only file "remnant" I have is the file in the old folder that tells me that I need to move it to my dropbox folder to be able to open it.  It seems like if I could somehow get the old folders inside of the umbrella of the new Dropbox folder that maybe those releases of the "locked" files might be unlocked.  But I have no idea which is why I have about a month on this problem!

Thank you for your help.

[Nancy]

Hi @USMCSGT323, and sorry for jumping in here. 

Do you mind if we open a ticket for you, so that we can look into your Dropbox account and investigate this further?