Dropbox Syncing Without My Permission

[Cendrillon]

Hi!  I am running into a potential problem with Dropbox.  When I started up my Windows 10 PC this evening, the Dropbox desktop app on my screen immediately started syncing, even though I had not prompted it to do so.  I quickly clicked "Pause syncing", and then selected "Indefinitely".  Now, the Dropbox desktop app on the lower right corner of my screen has a little yellow circle on it with a pair of vertical lines indicating that syncing has paused and is still in pause mode.  I want to do a reset so that the app will no longer be in pause mode, but I do not want it to resume syncing, either.  How do I do this?

[EFN]

Continuing the Dropbox saga.. 

After shutting down the computer again to have a break from the frustration, I returned and decided it would be a good idea to uninstall and reinstall Dropbox. 

Once I had done this I noticed two of the main folders, Desktop and Downloads had been corrupted and no longer existed in their original form. Wow and I thought it couldn't get any worse. 

So now what I'm going to do is completely wipe my MacBook to factory settings and start again so as not to be concerned about the directory being compromised. 

I'm going to give Dropbox one more chance but I'll try a work around:

According to Dropbox support, all we need to do is to turn off the automatic backup "feature" in settings. However it locks us into a catch-22 situation as once the syncing starts, there's no way to change those settings without paying for the upgraded storage plan with Dropbox, if the files within the syncing folders exceed the free Dropbox storage cap. 

So what if the files within my MacBook folders are empty and don't exceed the free Dropbox storage cap? 

You can see where I'm going.. Once I wipe and reformat my MacBook I'll attempt to install Dropbox straight away. That way when the default forced syncing starts and prevents the auto backup "feature" from being able to be turned off, theoretically it will not take long and not exceed the limit, therefor not forcing me through a paywall. 

And hopefully once the initial forced sync is over, I can then change the settings, removing this (unwanted by pretty much everyone) "feature" once and for all. And maybe I'll then have the actual feature I'm requiring, a common folder to handoff files between my Mac and iPhone. 

Fingers crossed! Here we go... 

[jasonspiano]

I've hit preferences, I go to 'back-up' and everything is UNchecked- I try hitting the 'backup downloads' and it says I don't have permission. I want DB to STOP saving certain PC files- but how can I if it's already unchecked? I keep erasing this PC folder it's making automatically, yet it still comes back whenever I download something, and saves it to my DB- again, NOTHING in backup is checked. All blank boxes... 

[Walter]

Hey @jasonspiano, sorry to hear you're having issues with this.

When you say you don't have permission, can you send us a screenshot of the exact error you're getting so that we can have a look too?

Also, do you see any backed up folders on your backups page?

[jasonspiano]

[Hannah]

Hey @jasonspiano, do you have admin privileges on the PC?

[pppfit]

I have been having same problem on Mac 14.3.  My Dropbox is unable to put icon in menu bar.  DB says it is corrupted Dropbox has hijacked desktop and documents.   I cannot download them back to my computer because I do not have permission.  I am sole owner/administrator.  When I get one item downloaded it comes as read only.   Desktop & Docs are in deleted files and I cannot download them .

[pppfit]

DB also appears to have hijacked my  desktop and docs file from my Mac running Sonoma 14.3.,   MY DB app was not working so per emailed instructions I downloaded fresh copy after dumping previous db desktop app.  NO luck.  No icon in menu bar so no access to preferences.    It gets worse.  My files are in db deleted.  According to db I do not have permission to download my files from deleted.   Again emailed to  db support.    Anyone else have the download permission problem?  Or the problem that any dowloaded file becomes "read only?"

[pppfit]

DB had my desktop and doc files in "deleted files "  but I could not download them because I do not have "sufficient permissions" .  A fresh new db app does not appear to work.

I am unable to solve the problem by getting 1 question or 1 suggestion every 24 hours.     DB has all of my desktop and doc files and I have none left on my computer.   I have been a db user for more than 10 years.    This db is not working on Sonoma 14.3 for my computer.  Please tell me how to get my files back to my computer.

[Hannah]

Hey @pppfit, sorry to see that you're having this issue.

To download your files, if they are currently deleted, you'll need to first restore them; are you having trouble restoring them?

Also, can you please give us the ticket number for your communication with our support team, so we can look into it as well?