syncing after installing windows

[Hany]

I need to wipe the windows and reinstall it on the same machine that i have the dropbox folder but I don't want to go through syncinig 10G,, Can I copy the files to a temp place and copy it back after installing windows ,without having to sync again. 

[Rich · Accepted solution]

I do this every time I rebuild my computer an dit works fine.

Unlink the computer from your Dropbox account, then move your existing Dropbox folder to a safe location (I usually rename mine as well). When the computer is back online, install Dropbox as you normally would. It will immediately start to download your files. Pause syncing or exit the Dropbox client. Move everything from your old Dropbox folder to the newly created Dropbox folder. Resume syncing or relaunch the Dropbox client. Give it time to re-index your files. It will appear that it's uploading or downloading, but it's only transfering changed files and comparison data.

[Isabella · Accepted solution]

That would work  but since you want to make permanent changes to your computer that do not sync back to the website you need to unlink the computer first.

Follow these steps to unlink a computer:

1) Right click the Dropbox icon in the system tray at the bottom right of your screen, by the clock on Windows or menu bar at the top of your screen on Mac or menu bar at the top of your screen on Linux.
2) Click on the gear icon in the Notifications panel and select 'Preferences' > 'Account'
3) Click the 'Unlink' button
4) Afterward, Dropbox will prompt you to re-register. Quit!

You can now safely move or delete files in the Dropbox folder and not affect anything else.

[Hany]

Thanks dears..it was a nightmare to resync all the box again,,,that was helpful.

[-KamaL-]

Hello everyone.
I have a very basic question.

I currently have a windows 10 setup, and my Dropbox files are on a second drive (700gb of data).
I'm planning to replace my main drive and do a fresh windows 11 install on it.
When I install Dropbox on the fresh windows 11 and setup the shared folders on the secondary drive, will the app recognize the files? It's still 700gb so I don't want to make a new sync as the files won't be touched during the process.

Thanks in advance!

[Megan]

Hi @-KamaL-, I'd be happy to answer this for you! 

Upon re-installing the Dropbox desktop application, you'd need to choose the advanced settings. 

There you'll be asked to choose where you want to place your Dropbox folder. 

If you choose the path your folder was syncing before, it should simply re-index all of your files, not re-sync them. 

I hope this clarifies.