Need to see if your shared folder is taking up space on your dropbox 👨💻? Find out how to check here.
Forum Discussion
Solved
Documents, Downloads, and Desktop folders are gone on my MB Pro. Dropbox has folders but no files
Hello there!
So to preface, I'm relatively new to Dropbox, and only got it for a couple work gigs. But the moment it had access to my computer, it started creating a backup I think? Which, with only 2 GB of Dropbox Basic storage, there was no way it could do that with the 200+GB of stuff on my computer. So naturally it filled up pretty quickly, and I paused the sync.
At this point I try to free up some space, so I go to the dropbox folder in my Mac, select the attempted backup of my computer, and delete it. I think it was then that the folders disappeared, but I didn't notice until I was in the Dropbox system preferences trying to make it stop creating automatic backups...tried to deselect the Desktop, Downloads, and Documents folders and save, but then a message popped up saying the folders couldn't be located...
So now this morning comes around, and the folders(Desktop, Downloads, Documents) are back on my computer, along with all my personal folders inside them, but all of my actual DOCUMENTS...all my pdfs of taxes, all pictures, work documents.. are just GONE. Can anyone help me out? where did all my actual files go and how do I get them back??
Many thanks in advance
36 Replies
Replies have been turned off for this discussion
Thank you for your reply.
I deleted all related to Dropbox as I wanted to restore all in finder via back up. Now I try to install dropbox again but Safari says there is not enough space to download the DMG installer file while I have more then 500GB available on my HD. As my download folder has disappeared I am not sure how to download the DMG file anymore. I made a new folder "download" from my back up and copied all the lost files into this new folder but my mac dos not acknowledge this folder so I assume that the refusal of the download has something to do with this.
- Jay
Dropbox Community Moderator
Hi Tornaduc, when you disabled the computer backup feature, did you get the option to move the folders back to their default locations?
Regarding the message you're getting, are you certain it's referring to the space on your hard drive, and not the space in your Dropbox account? - Hi Jay,
In the mean time I succeeded in downloading the dropbox app again by changing the settings and I have i stalled the app “dropbox” again. However this does not solve my problem on how to get the download and desktop folder back to my harddisk. When going to “Dropbox.com” I see my missing folders but no option to put them back on my Macbook Pro. I even copied the file and now I have “dekstop 1 and download 1”. I also check how to delete these but do not find a way to do so. - JayAccording to the desktop app, is the computer backup feature definitely disabled?
I have a similar problem, only the My Mac folder is not complete...some folders are empty and missing files. Is there a way to get them back? Irony is I wanted to backup some files, and instead I've lost them!
Les
Just saw this now. Thanks, my files appear to be there!!
Les
I have disabled the backups but the app says it can not stop the backup. I wanted to add some screenshots but as the desktop folder is missing (where it usually keeps the screenshots) I have no idea where the Mac storages the screenshots now....:-(
Seems I got the desktop back and also dragged the download folder back to the favorites in finder. Desktop seems to work again but download folder is empty but I could recover them from my HD....very strange so its all quite confusing....Hope all works now like it did before Dropbox changed.
The exact same thing happened to me! Everything is gone!!!!!!!! I cant find it in trash, deleted items... nothing. Its like as soon as dropbox downloaded it erased EVERYTHING. Hours and hours of work and school just gone...
- Walter
Hey ryanjenks, sorry to hear about this.
Can you please let us know some additional information about the issue you're facing? Did you enable the computer backup feature when you installed the desktop app on your computer, perhaps?
Do you see any of the missing files on our website, be it in the deleted files page or the events page?
About View, download, and export
Need support with viewing, downloading, and exporting files and folders from your Dropbox account? Find help from the Dropbox Community.
