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I can't disable the backup of my Mac

I can't disable the backup of my Mac

israa_abuelezz
Explorer | Level 4
Go to solution

Hello community,

 

Please I need urgent help on this, I have mistakably done a backup of my Mac for Dropbox and I can't access my Desktop on my Mac anymore after doing this it says, "Desktop can't be opened because the original item can't be found"  I tried to disable backup from the Adjust settings but I get an error saying "Coulnd't stop backup because My mac was renamed, deleted or moved" besides, I checked the available documents of my desktop in the online backup available in the dropbox website and many is missing!! basically because my storage is full, now how can restore my whole desktop without any missing files??

22 Replies 22

saambampton
Explorer | Level 3
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Hello there, I've followed this step by step guide as I was having the same issues. I've now followed the reseting of my desktop, download, and document folders back to my finder tab, but from there I've lost all folders and contents that were on my desktop, and have been left with a folder in each called 'My files in Dropbox' but nothing in any of the folders that are back in my finder tab. 

 

Any information would be hugely helpful! 

Megan
Dropbox Staff
Go to solution

Hi @saambampton, I hope you're doing well!

 

When you disabled the feature, did you choose to "leave content in Dropbox"? Are you still able to see the content in your Dropbox folder? 

 

If so, can you try to drag-and-drop those files from the Dropbox folder back to their original folders? 

 

Keep me posted! 


Megan
Community Moderator @ Dropbox
dropbox.com/support


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saambampton
Explorer | Level 3
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Hello Megan, I tried doing this yesterday, but kept getting greeted with this message - 

 

Screenshot 2022-08-18 at 10.35.39.png

 

Now, whenever I try and move anything around on my desktop, or place things into folders it brings up another error code - 

 

Screenshot 2022-08-18 at 10.39.11.png

 

I'm unsure on what to do now, as it would appear that anything that was stored in those folders is now "non-existant". 

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated! 

Megan
Dropbox Staff
Go to solution

Hey @saambampton, have you tried following these steps by any chance? 


Megan
Community Moderator @ Dropbox
dropbox.com/support


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Donald L.2
Explorer | Level 4
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I have a similar issue.My Mac crashed last week and I had to send it into Apple where they replaced basically the entire computer.I restored my computer from Time Machine and everything came up normally except for my downloads folder.A number of months back I inadvertently (like the previous person in this chat) enabled the back up feature for all my primary folders including downloads.After doing so I had similar problems that she had but I was able to back out of it and get it disabled (or so I thought).

 

So as far as I understood when I restored my machine from time machine I was not utilizing the backup feature of dropbox.But now my downloads folder says that it it is in an alias state.I can see that the folder exist in the dropbox folder when I go into my dropbox location but there is nothing I can do to fix this.I've been on the phone for several hours with Apple and everything they thought of would not work.It's obvious that this is related to the back up Application screen up my downloads folder and it was perhaps still trying to back it up (even though I thought I had it turned off). 

I did the above recommended solution and it had no effect.Whenever I try to open up my downloads folder I get the same error message . 

 

The operation can't be
completed because the original
item for "Downloads" can't be
found.

 

how do I fix this?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Donald L.2
Explorer | Level 4
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Was finally able to get it to work.I think the above solution helped but the final solution was in a subsequent message that the above individual gave saying that I should just drag the folder back to its original location under my profile.After doing so it worked.Just a word of advice to everyone out there who has a Mac don't use the back up feature for your local documents.It can really screw things up.

 

 

 

 

 

helpme5
Explorer | Level 4
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I've tried the Alt+H trick and it doesn't work anymore. It doesn't reveal the same options. Side note the Alt key on a PC is called the Option key on a Mac. The H key didn't do anything but, the option/alt key produced this result. Can you tell me what the current steps are to disable the dropbox from my Mac? It is making life extremely difficult.

ALT+H.JPG

helpme5
Explorer | Level 4
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I also get this error.... when trying to disable it.

FinderAppError.JPG

Megan
Dropbox Staff
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Hi @helpme5, thanks for posting here!

 

When it comes down to disabling your Backup, it might sound trivial, but have you tried rebooting your device?

 

If you could also clarify the app's current syncing status, that'd be amazing. One more thing: if you click "view errors" when trying to disable your Backup, what do you see?

 

Keep me posted!


Megan
Community Moderator @ Dropbox
dropbox.com/support


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helpme5
Explorer | Level 4
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yup

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