Issues reinstalling Dropbox Backup from a Time Machine Backup.

Hey there, gkmach1ne, thanks for posting here! 

When you visit your Dropbox account online, are you able to see your Backup there? 

You didn't mention anything about disabling it, so unless it's unlinked the content might still be there for you to access.

I hope this clarifies! 

Hi Megan

Thanks a lot for your response.

Yes, I can see the folders in the online Dropbox. So the data is still there online.

But I'm missing the folders from my Finder in the iMac. I think this is because I was using Dropbox backup. So when I am in Finder and click on either the Dropbox folder, Desktop folder, Music folder or Downloads folder I am met with a message that says: "Desktop" can't be found because the original item can't be found" (and the same for Music or Downloads).

It seems I can't download anything either because Download is gone.

I'd like to be able to have a Desktop on my desktop, downloads in Downloads etc. 

Any clues?

I'm maybe missing something obvious.

Thanks

GK

Hi there gkmach1ne - sorry to jump in here, but could you clarify your device's OS version and send us a screenshot of the desktop app's exact status as shown in your menu bar at the moment if you managed to install it properly on your computer?

Also, instead of using the time machine backup, do you get the same results if you create a new OS profile? 

Hi Walter

I appreciate you chiming in.

The iMac is using macOS Catalina (10.15.7) which was as high as this old model could be upgraded to (and exactly the same specs as before the hard drive was replaced so everything should correlate).

I can't take screenshots (well, I can, but since the default destination of screenshots is the desktop, which is absent, I've no idea where these are going) so here's a pic taken with my phone:

I'm not sure I understand the second  question...do you mean creating another user profile and installing dropbox from there? If so would I be able to access it from my own user profile?

Thanks

So, it seems that you haven't linked your account on the desktop app yet - could you give that a go and try adjusting your Dropbox Backups from the app's preferences under the Backups tab?

As for the 2nd question, I was merely suggesting that you create a new OS profile on your computer to see if the app behaves normally there. 

In any case, please let me know of any updates gkmach1ne 

Hi Walter

Is there a way that that lets me link the Dropbox app?

In my previous screenshot (above) at top right in the menu bar, that revolving blue/black box that says "waiting to be linked to a dropbox account..." has been doing that for 72 hours.

I'm not quite sure how to speed that up.

Thanks

Gordon

Hi again

Just to be clear, the dropbox icon in menu bar has been grey for days and has looked like this for days:

When I go to dropbox (browser) and check my linked devices the list looks like this:

which shows me that that the last time the iMac was linked was three weeks ago....the day my old hard drive died.

Do you see your account's information in the app's preferences under the Account tab gkmach1ne? 

Have you tried quitting and relaunching the desktop app?

Hi Walter

No, under the account tab I see this and when I click on Sign In I just see that spinning circle for hours on end.

I can also see the following window:

But when I click on Sign In With Dropbox it takes me to here after I enter my log in details:

At this point when I click on 'Allow' I reach this:

But when I click on 'Open Dropbox' nothing happens. By that I mean the page stays exactly the same...no other windows or anything pops up or opens....the dropbox icon in the menu bar stays grey.

Meanwhile the Preferences Account tab still has the spinning wheel beside the Sign In button.

I'm no expert but what I think this is to do with is folder pathways. Dropbox backup was used to backup my desktop, downloads and music folders. Since the Dropbox folder was too large to import with migration assistant, and remains on the external hard drive, there is a 'ghost' of all four these folders in the finder window, like this:

When normally it should look like this (screenshot from my MacBook Pro):

Thanks for the additional information and the screenshots too gkmach1ne 

Could you please let me know if you're able to navigate to the Backups tap in the app's preferences to see if it shows as enabled there?

Apart from that, could you try these steps for your affected folders and let me know if they helped improve matters on your end?