Adding Dropbox.com folder to dropbox files on a computer on which they previously didn'y exist

[DaveHaupt]

I need to know how to add a folder from Dropbox.com to the Dropbox files on a different computer after the computer on which those files had been synced with Dropbox crashed. If I download the Dropbox.com folder and move it from my download folder to the new computer's Dropbox/files folder, I get a Selective Sync Conflict, and a corresponding new folder on Dropbox.com that doesn't sync with the original folder.

[Rich]

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@DaveHaupt wrote:

If I download the Dropbox.com folder and move it from my download folder to the new computer's Dropbox/files folder, I get a Selective Sync Conflict ...

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The folder was likely removed from the computer using the Selective Sync feature. Go back into the Selective Sync settings on that computer and make sure the folder is selected.

• https://help.dropbox.com/installs-integrations/sync-uploads/selective-sync-overview

[DaveHaupt]

Thanks, but this does not answer the question of what to do if the folder was never on the new computer, and the computer on which the folder was synced to Dropbox has crashed. Sorry if my 1st question wasn't clear about my situation.

[Daphne]

Hey @DaveHaupt!

If the folder was not syncing on the new computer before the other crashed, the folder must have been unselected through the selective sync settings, so as not to sync locally.

When you then downloaded the folder and added it to the local Dropbox folder, this caused the selective sync conflict.

In this case, you'll need to first remove the conflicted folder, and then via the selective sync options, reselect the folder on the new computer, to enable it to sync locally.

Let me know if you have any trouble with this!

[DaveHaupt]

Thank, but there is no folder on the new machine to select.

[Jay]

Hi @DaveHaupt, are you certain you're signed into the correct account?

The selective sync window should at least have some folders on there (assuming you did create folders on your account). Is it showing up as completely blank?

[DaveHaupt]

I did set up folders on the crashed computer and they appear in Dropbox.com when I access my account from the new computer, but they do not exist on the new computer at all, not even as online only.

[Daphne]

If you're seeing the folder in your account online, but they don't appear at all within the selective sync list to see if i's checked or not, then it would suggest it's a different account @DaveHaupt.

If you check the email address that you're signed in with through the desktop app, and when signed into your account online, is it the same?

Also, does the folder perhaps have any incompatible characters? This could be preventing it from syncing locally on your computer.

[DaveHaupt]

Thanks again, but I double checked the login email; it's the same - [email removed as per Community Guidelines] - in both places: my login to the desktop app and my login to Dropbox.com. There should be no incompatible characters, as the contents of the folder are my Microsoft Outlook files. They synced properly with Dropbox.com on the old computer before it crashed, and the name of the folder is simply Outlook. I downloaded the Dropbox.com Outlook folder to the Downloads folder on the new computer, but when I moved it into my <user directory>Dropbox\Files folder, it got renamed to Outlook (selective sync conflict), and a new folder was created in Dropbox.com with that same name. The old Outlook folder is still there in my Dropbox.com File folder.

[Daphne]

Thanks for confirming @DaveHaupt.

Can you send me a screenshot of what you see when you access the selective sync settings for the desktop app, where you would expect to see this folder?

Also, which version of the app do you have installed?