Dropbox deleted my documents, Downloads, and desktop folder from My PC

[Strawbebbie]

I see this is a recurring problem for many users. Dropbox deleted the folder locations for My Documents, Downloads and Desktop in My PC. Whenever I try and access or save anything to those folders it says the location does not exist. I'm unable to create a new folder or restore the folder locations to their default. Instead i get error messages. I've tried the solutions in previous threads including reset OS folder locations (nothing changed). It seems like any solution was hidden behind direct emails to people. So this is my request for someone to assist me with this that way. This has crippled my PCs functionality.

[Strawbebbie]

Additional development. I was able to find the folders still in the drop box app on my pc. When i turned the sync back on for the PC folder, i got access to the previously broken folders. However, I cannot revert them back to their default location outside of the dropbox folder. I want to be able to restore my PC folders to their default windows location. I've tried the alt+H trick with the restore OS folder location button. It says it was successful but again, nothing has changed. It still lists the location as C:\Users\Name\Dropbox\PC. When I try and revert them to default using windows. I get the error message: Can't redirect into reparse point, please choose a different target path. 

[Nancy]

Hi @Strawbebbie, thanks for the details you’ve shared with us. 

Do you mind sending over a screenshot of the Backups tab of your app preferences? 

You can open this by clicking on the small Dropbox icon in your system tray > initials/profile picture > Preferences.

Give me a nudge when you’ve got more updates!

[Strawbebbie]

 Here is the screenshot. Whenever I attempt to click manage backups it closes the dash and nothing happens

[Megan]

Hey @Strawbebbie, sorry to jump in here!

Just to clarify, have you disabled your Backup using the steps mentioned here? 

Also, would you mind sending me a few screenshots or the error message you mentioned above? 

[Strawbebbie]

 This is the error message I get when I turn off the sync for my PC files.

 This is the error message when i try and restore the default file location in windows after turning sync back on (its the same when its off too). 

I cannot follow the backup steps because when I click on manage backups it brings me to the set up page which means they're already disabled.

I want to be able to turn off the sync for my PC files WITHOUT dropbox removing them from my PC.

[Megan]

Hi @Strawbebbie, can you try clicking "Restore Default" as shown in the second screenshot? 

If you then get the same error, then the reparse points (or the shortcuts) will need to be deleted first. You'd need to access the path mentioned there, and remove them. 

I'll be waiting to see if this worked out for you. 

[Strawbebbie]

Hello Megan, I'm a little unsure about what you mean about deleting the shortcuts. Could you please go into more detail about that. Am i deleting the files out of the dropbox folder? Or am I moving the files out of that dropbox folder to their original places? Or is it something else entirely?

[Megan]

Hi @Strawbebbie, essentially you should visit the path shown in the screenshot: C: \ Users \ Chloe and remove any shortcuts shown there. 

Shortcuts will be the folders shown there with the little arrows on the bottom, left corner of the folder.