How to remove Desktop from Dropbox?

[KeithClarke]

Something very odd on my wife's PC. Her Desktop is being synced to Dropbox, taking up unnecessary Dropbox space. If she deletes something from the Dropbox version of Desktop, it disappears from her PC desktop. Dropbox has been newly reinstalled, we have declined the offer to automatically sync Desktop, Documents, etc, yet still it is there. In the desktop app preferences, under Backups, This PC still has 'Set up', which is supposed to mean that these things should not be syncing, nor taking up space in Dropbox.

Put simply, she wants to choose which folders to sync to Dropbox, and these should not include Desktop, Documents, or anything else she has not chosen. On my machine, this all works perfectly. I am at a loss to understand wat is different on hers.

[Walter]

Hi @KeithClarke; thanks for posting on our Community!

It sounds like the computer backup feature is still enabled on your wife's computer.

In that case, could you take a look at this Help Center article and let me know if any of the information there helps? 

Let me know how you get on, Keith!

[KeithClarke]

Many thanks for your reply, Walter. I don't understand how the computer backup can still be enabled - we have twice reinstalled the desktop app, both times making sure all the offered sync boxes are not ticked. Before reinstalling, I went into the web app and deleted the 'MyPCxxx' folder. When I reinstalled the desktop app, it still insisted on this integration between Dropbox and Desktop, though of course the desktop was now empty, so I had to restore everything in the web app.

I'm afraid the article is of little help. It states: 

To turn off computer backup:

1. Open your Dropbox desktop app preferences.
2. Click the Backups tab.
3. Click Manage backup. 

yet under Backups we do not have 'Manage backup', we just have 'Set up'. 

We do not want Dropbox to take any interest in the Desktop or Documents at all, though trying to achieve that has been a monumental waste of time so far. I've been happy with Dropbox for many, many years, but this situation is leading me to look for less unwieldy alternatives.

[Walter]

In that case, could you try uninstalling the desktop app,then un-linking the affected device from your wife's Security page?

After that, you can try to install the desktop app anew. If prompted to use the computer backup feature at that point, decline, and then proceed as normal. 

Keep us posted on your progress!

[KeithClarke]

Thanks again, Walter. I shall have a go at that tomorrow and report progress!

[KeithClarke]

OK,  I've tried that now. Uninstalled the desktop app, went into dropbox.com/settings/security to unlink the PC, but it was not listed as a linked device. Should I perhaps be unlinking BEFORE uninstalling the desktop app?

[Walter]

If you made sure you're looking at the correct account, then you can go ahead and try that as well @KeithClarke.

Let us know of any updates!

[KeithClarke]

Tried it that way round - disconnected device in dropbox.com, uninstalled desptop app, reinstalled desktop app, signed in again, left ALL offered sync folders unticked, save, skip. Result: exactly the same. The Dropbox backup of the laptop is still there. If I delete something from within the Dropbox version of Desktop, it immediately deletes from the real PC Desktop as well. Do I need to go through the process again, this time bravely deleting the PC backup folders from dropbox.com?

[KeithClarke]

Answering my own question, I have repeated the exercise, this time deleting the My PC folder from Dropbox.com after disconnecting the device. I have then uninstalled the dropbox app, reinstalled it, saying NO to all the offered syncs. Result? Exactly the same. The Dropbox folder on the PC still contains the My PC folder which I have just deleted on Dropbox.com and INSISTS on the umbilical cord between the laptop desktop and the Dropbox link to the laptop desktop: delete a file in the Dropbox desktop and it is lost from the PC desktop.

I am grateful for the offer of the forum help on this, which is a great kindness, but must say I am disappointed that Dropbox itself can offer no support on what it is pretty basic issue. Time to go elsewhere, I think.

[Walter]

I'm sorry to hear you're still having issues with this @KeithClarke.

May I reach out via email to try to sort this out together?