Unable to stop or turn off desktop backup [SOLVED]

[boominski]

A while ago I turned on the new 'backup desktop/documents/downloads' feature. Now I want to turn it off, but I can't. There's no obvious 'turn this feature off' button. All the instructions I've seen point to a 'manage backups' or 'import' tab, which I don't have. I've upgraded to the latest Beta (Win 10), uninstalled, reinstalled, rebooted several times and nothing. I've just set Dropbox up again and I have unchecked the 'MY PC' box. But Dropbox is just merrily syncing all my stuff again. It's insane that Dropbox would enable this feature and not give users a simple way to turn the thing off. Does anyone know how I can do it?

[boominski]

For extra info: I've now tried unlinking / re-linking and un/re-installing to set up Dropbox from scratch, but it keeps syncing my desktop (downloads etc) even when I tell it not to. 

[Casper777]

Hi there

Take a look at the post here: https://www.dropboxforum.com/t5/Dropbox-files-folders/How-can-I-turn-off-the-automatic-computer-back...

To turn off this setting, please follow the steps below:

1. Click the Dropbox icon in your system tray (Windows) or menu bar (Mac).
2. Click your profile picture or initials.
3. Click Preferences.
4. Click the Import tab.
5. Click Manage backup.
6. Uncheck the folders you'd like to remove from Dropbox or toggle all files to Off.

Hope it helps!

Regards

Casper

[boominski]

Hi Caspar, 

Like I said in my post, I do not see an 'import' tab. I have also just un/re-linked and un/re-installed for a second time, and it is still doing it, even when I explicitly uncheck that option in the setup. Do you know any other way to do it?

[boominski]

This is all I see.

[Casper777]

OK.

Click on Preferences, Backups, Manage backup, and you should be able to untick the folders you do not want to have backed up. Then click Save.

Take a look at this too: https://help.dropbox.com/installs-integrations/sync-uploads/computer-backup

Hope it helps.

Regards

Casper

[boominski]

Hi Caspar, 

I know you're trying to help. But there is no 'manage backups' option either. 

Also, having unchecked the 'desktop' etc boxes, my entire desktop has now disappeared. 

I really don't want to be one of those people, but I've been using and advocating Dropbox for years and this is really bad.

[Casper777]

OK this is what I think.

I can see the "set up" option at the top under "This PC". To me, it seems that backup is no longer set up for your computer.

How Dropbox backups works is that it MOVES the files and folders from your Desktop, Documents and Downloads folders into a new folder with your computer name INTO the Dropbox folder.

As the backup option looks to be disabled (not set up but my gut says it was before) the Desktop, Documents and Downloads folders will still reside inside your Dropbox landscape. You need to find the files, and move them back to their original location if the steps here did not work: https://www.dropboxforum.com/t5/Dropbox-files-folders/How-can-I-turn-off-the-automatic-computer-back.... Also look for the "Files on my computer" shortcut that should be visible on your desktop.

The files of the desktop for example should reside here (this is my location as an example): C:\Users\Username\Dropbox (Personal)\My PC (SURFACE)\Desktop

Hope it helps.

Regards

Casper

[boominski]

Thanks Caspar. I know it's not your fault, and you're doing your best to help. But this is an absolute mess from Dropbox. I've managed to get my Desktop back, but there's no way I can find to turn off the sync Desktop/Downloads/Documents option that doesn't just delete it all over again. I'm just going to live with this as it is, because the hassle of trying to fix it will take too long and I've got more important things to do. But this is an absolutely massive screw-up. 

Thanks for your help anyway!

[boominski · Accepted solution]

So, for anybody who happens to stumble upon this - here is how you can solve it. 

1. Move your Dropbox folder - I found this solution accidentally, because my PC was getting full and I decided to move my Dropbox folder to another partition, but you could move it anywhere. Go into the Dropbox app, click on the picture of you, select 'preferences' , then 'sync' and then select the option to move your Dropbox folder. Just put it in a different location. Doing this will nuke your desktop. But do not panic. You will not lose any data. 

2. Re-create your Desktop - i.e. make a folder called 'Desktop', in C:\Users\YourName\'. 

3. Copy or move all your old desktop files from the Dropbox folder called 'My PC blah blah whatever \ Desktop' to your actual Desktop. This will get your desktop back, and Dropbox will no longer sync it, because it will be looking at the 'My PC' files. 

4. Do steps 2-3 for the Downloads and Documents folders. 

5. Get coffee.