I'm connecting new computer - my old one failed.

[t6warbird]

My new computer has a number of new files in the directory that I want to be my "master" for dropbox.  When I install dropbox on my new computer, drop box seems to want to create a new dropbox folder and download the old stored data.  How do I tell Dropbox that I want to sync my new folder?

[Lusil]

Hi there @t6warbird, thanks for reaching out to us on the Dropbox Community. 

If this is a regular folder that you've created on your computer, you'll have to let the desktop app create a new Dropbox folder and, once created, add the folder in question.

Also, if you don't want to sync all the folders in your Dropbox account, you can selectively sync them during the installation process. 

However, if this is an old Dropbox folder that was once linked to your account, you need to choose the "Advanced" setup option when you install the desktop app and choose the parent folder of the existing Dropbox folder as the location.

For instance, if it was previously located in CDesktop\Dropbox, you'd need to choose CDesktop and the desktop app will try and create a new Dropbox folder.

If you're connecting with the same Dropbox account as before though, it'll detect the existing folder and prompt you to merge them. 

I hope this helps, but let me know if you have any other questions. Thanks!

[t6warbird]

Lucil,

I'm still unable to achieve what I'm trying to do.  My old computer failed and I took the hard drive that has my DropBox folder on it out of it and connected it to my laptop for a couple of weeks while I was waiting for my new computer.  So, now the hard drive has a number of new files and folders as well as some deleted folders.  I installed that hard drive in my new computer when it arrived and I'm trying to upload all the new data to Dropbox.  Dropbox, however, seems to want to download all of the old data onto my computer.  I want to go the other way.  How do I do that?

Thanks,

Jerry

[Mark]

Hi @t6warbird 

You cannot force one drive/folder or computer to be a 'Master' on Dropbox I'm afraid. 

The way Dropbox works is it syncs the newest files (based on lots of things like date modified etc.) to the devices its set up and to the cloud. 

Personally what I'd do as it sounds like you've got things a tad mixed up and so to be on the safe side, copy the Dropbox directory on the laptop to another location. Let the new computer sync until it gets to the green tick. THEN replace the Dropbox directory on the laptop with the one you moved elsewhere. Let that sync and that should get the most up to date files everywhere for you