Backup error "Make sure Dropbox and your documents folder are in the default location and try again"

[VeganD]

I’m trying to set up my computer to back up to Dropbox, but it won’t back up my documents because it says “Make sure Dropbox and your documents folder are in the default location and try again.”

When I click “more info” I get an article on how to move the Dropbox folder. But I can’t move the Dropbox app (Is the Dropbox folder, the same thing as the Dropbox app?) into my C Drive (it gives me a “Windows can’t create a shortcut here” error) and I can’t move my documents folder into the Dropbox app. So how do I get them both onto the same drive? The Dropbox app is now on my desktop.

[Hannah]

Hey @VeganD, thanks for bringing this to our attention.

Can you let us know what is the location of the Dropbox folder at the moment?

You can see that in the 'sync' tab of the Dropbox preferences.

Also, what's the location of the Documents folder? Is it currently in the C drive?

Let me know and we'll go from there.

[VeganD]

Hi! Yes, it is in the C drive. It is in c:\users\vegan\dropbox 

Thank you!

[Jay]

Hi @VeganD, just to confirm again, where is the Documents folder currently located on your computer? 

You can find out by right clicking the folder and choosing Properties.

[VeganD]

The documents folder is in d:\Documents

Is that the problem? I need to move it into my C drive?

[Rich]

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@VeganD wrote:

The documents folder is in d:\Documents

Is that the problem? I need to move it into my C drive?

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Yes. It needs to be in the default location, which would be C:\Users\Vegan\Documents. Once you enable the backup option for this folder, Dropbox will move it to C:\Users\Vegan\Dropbox\PC\Documents.

You can't just drag the Documents folder to the original location. You need to move it using the option in Windows.

[VeganD]

Thank you - it says "Failed to direct because there is not enough disk space . . ." Maybe I can just move certain folders over.

[anonymous]

It's a shame Dropbox allow their customers to go through the motions of almost completing the back up installation, just for it to fail at the end because of the default location problem. This error is always popping up here.

Why can't ... a: the route cause be fixed  or b: prevent the end user continuing the installation with an understandable message informing them of the issue.

[anonymous]

Hi @VeganD Moving folders may not work ... The only solution that I found was to change all my personal folders "default location" to D:\Dropbox\Documents etc ... This method essentially does the the same thing as the back up feature  

Perhaps someone can confirm.

[eolennes]

I've got a new MacBook, I migrated from the previous one with which I had no problems with the backup. As I now am trying to select the folders to be backed up, desktop seems to be fine, but when I select the Documents folder I get an error message stating that the Documents folder is not in its default location. I disagree with this, as I have not touched the locations of the macOS defaults in any way shape or form. I recently upgraded to Sonoma, but I had the same problem before that, so doesn't seem to be related to the OS version, or at least the most recent upgrade.

How do I convince Dropbox of the fact that the Documents folder is very much in its default location?