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backup registry keys / orphan setting
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...
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
Dropbox Community Moderator
Dropbox Community ModeratorHi 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?
I find this solution to convolutedI 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.
