My Desktop was deleted and replaced by Dropbox- how can I get it back?

I had dropbox for about 4 hours, during which it uploaded massive amounts of stuff I didn't want it to. I couldn't figure out how to make it behave nicely, so I got rid of it.

It seems that in the interim, Dropbox replaced my local disk desktop with a desktop with 'dropbox' in the path, and created a huge file on my computer to store all its contents. This played havoc with Blender and other file search system. When I finally tracked it down and eliminated it, I have been unable to get a regular desktop back. The Dropbox desktop does not show 'dropbox' in the address bar in the windows search, but it is distinct from my attempt to create a new desktop- which holds files alright, but won't appear as a desktop.

I don't have a restore point, I have tried installing the latest Windows update, rebooting, etc, but nothing helps.

How do I get a regular desktop back and eliminate this dropbox clone once and for all?

I'm now running on Windows version 2004

Jacee said:

See this...... What is the Dropbox Desktop App? | Dropbox Help

That doesn't seem to be any help, pretty much like everything at Dropbox- it's all about how let Dropbox into your life, not how to get it out.

My problem now is how to get a functional desktop.

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Compumind said:

@Honzo -

Welcome to Windows Ten Forums!

Looking at this, it is possible that your system has been compromised by malware.
Might I ask what AV and FW you are using and are all the definitions up-to-date?

Also, why no restore points?
Do you have a complete, restorable system backup image?

Thanks.

No, I cannot restore to a previous image. If it matters, it's because I had a complete computer hardware melt down earlier this year, as I was approaching the end of a long and debilitating illness. The nightmare process of getting the machine replace and getting it up to speed while still ill and inundated with other tasks lead to some oversights.

It could be malware, but if it is, why did every file path get taken over by dropbox, at exactly the time I downloaded dropbox? If you want to argue that dropbox is malware, I will agree with you.

As I said, what I need now is a way to make a functioning desktop that is not associated with dropbox. I don't think it has to do with dropbox anymore, as it is uninstalled. It's a windows issue now, however it came about. Can you help with that?

idgat said:

An all too convenient fall back, without any basis and evidence. It quite obviously (based on your descriptions above) is associated with Dropbox, and that's where a solution should be sought.

You say "My Desktop" ? Do you mean the actual screen desktop, or the user folder Desktop. Could you paste an image of anything that might demonstrate ?

Have you tried running the .bat file that will restore user system folders - just the one for Desktop ?
Restore Default Location of Personal Folders in Windows 10

You could try re-installing Dropbox, then use a more reliable program uninstaller like Geek, or RevoUninstaller (freeware version) to get rid of everything.

Thank you! That .bat file was exactly what was needed- I think... I have some experiments to perform, but it looks right, now.

As for solutions with Dropbox, fortunately you seem to have made that unnecessary, as they are not nearly as responsive as you all here are... and their FAQs don't seem to address things like this.

The .bat trick seems to have resulted in file called 'my files on dropbox' appearing on the desktop, I think this was masquerading as the desktop...

Anyway, thanks again, I thought I was going to have to do a clean reinstall of windows and reinstall all my productivity software...

Dropbox. Just say no.
Google Drive. Just say no.
One Drive. Just say no.

I've had problems with those and I won't go back. They're "free" ... so they must be taking something from you, and you agreed in the fine-print.

Just say no.

I'm using Windows Defender, which multiple sources assure me is good now. I also use Malware bytes, and it tells me the system is clean. Dropbox was downloaded from their website.

No, it shouldn't do ANY of the things it did- like make its own desktop, disguise it as the regular desktop, upload everything from the moment of install with no chance to set controls, have 'documentation' that just tells you how install but not how to control syncing, etc, etc. I was unprepared for it to behave like malware, and thought I had to have it to get the perfectly legit file that I wanted from someone else's dropbox.
A little research shows that this level of invasiveness is somewhat new to Dropbox. It did not used to work this way and may not for those with old installations.

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margrave55 said:

Dropbox. Just say no.
Google Drive. Just say no.
One Drive. Just say no.

I've had problems with those and I won't go back. They're "free" ... so they must be taking something from you, and you agreed in the fine-print.

Just say no.

I agree. Dropbox in particular seems to have crappy security, among its many other faults.