Moving from an old Mac to a new Mac are there step-by-step instructions somewhere?

[2HDD]

I'm about to get a new MacBook Pro with the M1 chip. My current MacBook Pro is a mid-2012 (old-school) so it's been forever since I've had to set up DropBox on a new computer. Are there step-by-step instructions somewhere on disabling DropBox on the new computer and installing on the new one? I want to make this as easy on myself as possible so I want to make sure I do everything in the right order. Thanks for any advice!

[Jay]

HI @sgrab, are the three folders in their default locations on your drive according to Finder? Usually this would be /Users/Username/Desktop, and so on.

[sgrab]

No. Here's what happened:

OLD MAC:

- I installed Dropbox and created a backup

- Dropbox moved around all my folders

NEW MAC:

- I bought a new Mac and set it up using the Apple migration tool (which copies all settings, file structure, etc. from the old computer INCLUDING the changes Dropbox has made)

- Dropbox asked me to backup my new system, but then is unable to because it has itself moved the files around on the old machine (the new machine being a copy of the old)

- Trying to fix this, I moved the folders out of Dropbox to their original location, which just duplicated the files and then dropbox created a SECOND backup of my new machine.

- Now I have the worst of both worlds... files are duplicated on two SEPARATE backups, and therefore there is no single source of truth to sync to all machines. 

I'm going to try and do a factory reset on my new Mac, delete all online backed-up files, then re-do the migration from my old Mac. If this fails, I'm cancelling my Dropbox subscription and moving to iCloud.

[Hannah]

Hey @sgrab, can we send you an email, so we can look into this internally?

[omac]

try this, as I had a similar issue: https://help.dropbox.com/installs/advanced-reinstall

[DomBlack]

Hi Walter, Sorry this does not work for me. I have downloaded the app and installed, on the new Mac ( about 20 times now ) I then signed in as per your suggestion. Then - nothing happens. This is seriously holding me up. Avatar (on newly downloaded app)/Preferences/sync/select folders.  Nothing in there? Any help would be gratefully received, I can't find anything on Dropbox Help, Google, Youtube etc. Many thanks. [removed per Community Guidelines]  DomBlack

[Nancy]

Hi @DomBlack, hope it’s OK to jump in. 

Can you send over a screenshot of the options you see, after signing in to the Dropbox app? If there’s any personal info showing, please don’t forget to hide it.

[ahhyeah]

I have this same issue on MULTIPLE machines. We use Apple Migration so it moves the entire computer. When dropbox opens, it's confused and ruins everything... 

[Walter]

Hey @ahhyeah - sorry to hear you're having issues with this.

When you say Dropbox is confused, are you getting any particular errors perhaps?

If so, I'd appreciate a screenshot so that we can have a look too. 

Thanks!

[rob425]

I just finished doing this and have a problem. I used apple migration tool to move over data. So that tool moved my old dropbox folder (in iCloud folder) to the new computer. When I signed into dropbox app on my new MacBook it created a new dropbox folder (not in iCloud, just in my user folder). So I have 2 sets of everything and my programs like MS word can't use prior links to files. I tried using app to direct to the prior folder but the app says it can't create a folder there. I don't see a way to point to an existing one. Also, when I try to update the dropbox app it wants to create a new folder in iCloud folder where my old one is. I've opened a chat but the rep there stopped replying once I gave the details of my question. Please help. And if possible, please email me at removed

[Megan]

Hi @rob425, let's jump right into this!

As a first step, would you be able to share your ticket reference with me? 

Also, if you open the app's preferences, and check under your Sync tab, where is your Dropbox folder currently pointing to? 

Let me know more, and we'll take it from there!