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Forum Discussion
GollyRojer
8 years agoCollaborator | Level 9
Dropbox Re-installation Won't Use Previous Folder
McAfee found a virus in Dropbox file win32api.cp35-win32.pyd and couldn't quarantine it, so I uninstalled Dropbox and re-installed it. The file is clean now, but I need Dropbox to use the folder it w...
- 8 years ago
Hey there GollyRojer - sorry to hear about this.
You should have gotten an "Advanced" option when re-installing our software on your computer normally which in turn would enable you to point your Dropbox Folder to your pre-existing one. Did you see that at all?
When you re-install the Dropbox software and you do not want to re-download all of your files from the server, you need to choose the "Advanced" setup option during the installation process. Then you need to choose the parent folder of the existing Dropbox folder as the location for this new install.
Let me know what you find and we'll take it from there, if needed that is. Thanks!
JCKruger
7 years agoNew member | Level 2
Hi
Walter wrote:You'll need to point it to the prior level of your folder structure JCKruger.
For example, if your old Dropbox folder was added to: C:\Desktop\Dropbox you would need to choose C:\Desktop and the client will try and create a new Dropbox folder.
If you're connecting with the same Dropbox account as before, Dropbox will detect the existing folder and will then prompt you to merge the Dropbox folder. Upon merging the desktop version of Dropbox will check the existing files and the server versions and update accordingly.
Let me know how it goes!
Hi Walter
Thanks for the reply.
Please see above at step 2, I choose the same parent folder as you mentioned. I'm quite clear on that step.
And then, please see point 4b. It gives me the option to merge ("do you want to add all the files in that folder to your dropbox") and then I select yes. It simpy returns me to "theres already a folder named..."
Would you like to check using teamviewer?
Regards
JC Kruger
Walter
Dropbox Community Moderator
7 years agoThanks for your efforts so far JC.
We're not currently set up for remote sessions but rest assured our team is here to help.
As at this point we'll need more account specific information I'd suggest that you referred to your existing ticket and wait for an update there. To expedite matters further, I've gone ahead and just passed your comments there to have all the relevant information under one place.
Let me know if there's anything else I can assist with in the meantime.
- jallen3276 years agoExplorer | Level 3
Did this get resolved? Because, even though there is a solution marked here, it's definitly not solved. My computer (An Apple Computer) is doing the exact same thing.
I used the same procedure the orginal poster used, and got the same broken result. It won't let me merge the folders. It only wants to rename the old one, and loops endlessly back to the previous dialog box when I select "Merge".
There may be a hard-drive space issue, because a second copy of everything that is already on the online dropbox won't fit on my hard drive again. It's already there in the original dropbox folder on my hard drive, and should just need to be merged. Which it refuses to do.
- jallen3276 years agoExplorer | Level 3
I was finally able to get dropbox on my mac reinstalled after I hunted down every hidden folder and preference file for dropbox and deleted it. I left the main Dropbox folder in place but deleted the hidden cache folder that was inside it. That seemed to do the trick.
I think the hidden cache folder inside the Dropbox files folder was responsible for the program hanging up. Regardless, I'm just happy its working again.
- ItalianStallion516 years agoHelpful | Level 5
I am also stuck in this exact same endless loop and cannot find a solution. I had already deleted all traces of dropbox from the instructions in this link, and I have had no luck. https://help.dropbox.com/installs-integrations/desktop/advanced-reinstall I have tried this cycle of uninstall-reinstall 3 times and I am losing my patience with Dropbox.
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