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Deleted folders keep reappearing
I'm hoping someone can help with this problem. I have been using Dropbox for a few years across a number of devices (2 desktop Macs, a laptop, an iPhone and an iPad). This last week, when I try to delete a folder it reappears a moment later. If I move it into another folder, the same thing happens. I have checked and all my other devices are switched off or not trying to sync while I am doing this. Any advice on how to stop it?
Thanks!
The web interface should only recreate the folder if a device connected instructs it to.
So one of your devices must not be selectively synced, or has some greater issue.
(1) Check each device to see if the folder is present on the device, and remove it. If it comes back its not that device that ordered it created. If it wont delete then thats the device that cant delete it so orders it recreated. Fix that device.
(2) Failing that, take all devices off line, delete the folder via the web, then bring devices online one by one, and watch for the folder being created, when it is, it was the device you just brought online.
I had Dropbox syncing folders between two Macs. What I did to delete a folder(s) was quit Dropbox on both computers. Then I went to the Mac Finder on each computer, clicked on Dropbox in the Favorites pane on the left side, and then deleted the folder(s) in question. Then I logged in to my Dropbox account via my browser, right clicked on each folder, and selected "Delete..." to delete each folder on the Dropbox server. Then I restarted Dropbox on each of my computers and the folders were gone.
Well the only way I have found to delete a folder is to:
1. at each device go to preferences, selective sync and uncheck the folder.
2. after removing the folder from each device with this method, log on the the web based access to dropbox.
3. delete the folder
This will remove the folder from all devices and prevent it from showing up again and again.
hello,
I'm hoping someone can help me with a problem I'm having. I have a mac pro and had dropbox installed on it. I no longer need it installed on my computer but still need online access... I was finally was able to take it down. But now the problem I'm having is that all the files from it are still showing up on my computer. If I go into my finder under all my files... all of my dropbox files are still showing and taking up a lot of my computers memory. I really need to know how to take down all the files from my computer without it affecting the files on dropbox. Please help!
I have the same problem: my dropbox is full, cannot rename folders, they keep coming back with the old name. When I delete a folder, it comes right back. When I go to deleted files, I don't have the option to permantly delete the files. Just option to restore. And this happens automatically. Why cannot I get rid of my files??? Is this really so hard to explain and fix??
Ditto. For the first time since Dropbox came out I have to consider leaving it. I have rearranged all of my folders thrice now and they keep coming back with a vengeance. Worse still is the fact that I have files in duplicate and triplicate.
Most probable cause of reappearing folder is that there are hidden files or folders (those you have selected not to be synced) which are preventing the parent folder from being deleted. To straight go and delete the folder you want without worry about this, you have to log in using browser interface, from there right click on the folder and choose "delete". This will delete the folder no problem and on every device with no regard to hidden files and folders.
I fixed this very simply. Don't delete the folder from your desktop. Login to Dropbox.com and delete the file via your browser. The file never "came back" after I did it that. Sometimes it amazes me how a solution to an issue like this can be such a simple fix. I'm kind of amazed of the number of posts on this issue and how many of them are totally wrong. Dropbox, if you are reading this, you should delete the posts that are incorrect.
@Russell, firstly I would comment that just because you employed an inconvenient workaround it does not negate the fact that the root cause remains unresolved and continues to inconvenience users - you have 'fixed' nothing.
Secondly I would comment that I had already tried your method before I posted to this forum and experienced mixed results; most files did indeed delete whilst a few re-appear a few days later. Irrespective of effectiveness it should not be necessary to do as you (and I) did.
Thirdly please reconsider your appeal to Dropbox to delete posts other than your own (it may amaze you that they will not). This is a "community forum" and perhaps you could reflect upon the meaning of both those words.
So I have spent my entire Sunday reading these threads and trying to remid
I was having a related issue with a file (not folder) on my iPhone: even after permanent deletion on the website, the file kept showing on the phone's 'Recents' and any attempt to delete it generated a 'Deletion Failed' message. @travel r. suggestion did the trick: uploading a new file with the exact same name of the problematic one forced a clean sync and solved the issue.
