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Unable to delete the Dropbox folder from File Explorer, after uninstalling Dropbox desktop app
Hello
I decided I no longer want to use Dropbox as my cloud storage service and in this process uninstalled Dropbox Desktop from my computer.
But I don't seem to be able to. The folder change...
Not a problem, Bela!
You can follow these steps to see if you can restore your desktop folders to their original locations:
- Right click the Desktop/Downloads/Documents folders
- Choose "Properties"
- Go to the "Locations" tab
- Choose to reset to default location.
And can you check your connected devices in your account settings, to see if the particular computer still appears to be linked to your Dropbox account?
If it is, delete it from there and try to delete the Dropbox folder again, to see if that helps at all.
Hey Hannah
Thanks a lot for your help.
This somehow did the trick. I got error messages when I changed the location for my Desktop and Downloads folder, and it didn't seem to work, but after restarting my computer the location was changed nonetheless.
On a side note though: all my files saved on my desktop were deleted in the process... So if anyone is facing the same problem and uses this solution I would advise making sure your computer is backed up before trying this.
Thanks and best regards
Béla
Hi,
Bela said "all my files saved on my desktop were deleted in the process... " and of course that's a problem. Originally I think me might have done the same thing, I synced my Documents file (actually my whole Device! on Dropbox therefore the large folders under Documents (and elsewhere) were on my computer twice including under Dropbox/Documents taking double the room. So if I'm correct I don't want that. I changed locations in the properties box as mentioned in the thread to avoid future syncing. However Dropbox still has all of my Document files in it. I'm not sure what happens to the files on my computer under Documents when I delete the files in Dropbox/Documents (same files), will this affect the files on my computer in C:Documents or just the files in C: Dropbox/Documents? (syntax is incorrect but I think you get the idea...). Thanks, Dave
- Hannah
Dropbox Community Moderator
Thanks for the update, Bela_! I'm glad to see that it all worked out and the issue was resolved.
As for you dlhackbart,do you remember disabling the backup feature, before you restored the location of the desktop folders?
Hi Hannah,
Thanks, I'm looking forward to your help.
I don't really know what you mean. "...restored the location of the desktop folders?"
Here is my overall issue then more specific...
I'm having "space" issues on my C Drive and I'm thinking I've got duplicate files because of Dropbox. And if so, how to have only one file? And if not, how to change addressing back to not having Dropbox in the address or pointer or location... And in so doing how do I prevent myself from deleting a file in Dropbox that is not on my computer?
I don't remember if I disabled backup. If you mean recently, all I remember doing 3 days ago was changing the Location in Properties as you or someone suggested so the default is just
C:\Users\David\Documents
rather than having Dropbox in that address when I save files...
C:\Users\David\Dropbox\My PC (DESKTOP-LGONTSI)
Here are my specific questions... I believe I do not have Dropbox in the file location for future saving of a file because I changed the properties setting as above. But now want to make sure I only have one file and/or one location address for each file and again prevent myself from deleting a file in Dropbox that is not on my computer. How do I know if there are files that are only on Dropbox and not on my computer? Are there actually TWO files on my C: drive when \Dropbox is in the address or is that just a pointer to the same file?
And if there is only one file and this is not creating the space problem, for now, I want to go back, change existing "locations" to point to the non-Dropbox location, having more "direct" addressing of my files rather everything automatically getting the Dropbox pointer or subfolder or whatever it is. I think that issue was solved for future saving when I changed the Location in Properties but now want to change existing addresses...
Sorry, I have a minor in computer science from 35 years ago and am not in the industry. So this is how I think about things and am trying my best to explain the symptoms in search of a remedy. I need to reduce my C drive b/c of space issues whenever I boot. I'm thinking I have dup's... b/c of Dropbox. Thanks for your help...
- Jay
Hi dlhackbart, first, could you confirm that you have both the normal Documents folder in the location you mention, and a separate Documents folder in the Dropbox folder itself?
If you delete a file from the Dropbox Documents folder, does it also delete from the normal Documents folder?
