Moving the dropbox folder

windows-8 file-management dropbox

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Solution 1

Ensure that Process Explorer is running with elevated privileges. By default it will not run with elevated privileges and as such, won't show you all file handles since its access to read certain process's resource information is denied. You should then be able to see which process is holding onto that directory, and thus kill said process.

Solution 2

I just had the same symptoms, but not the same cause.

In my case I was copying from my original C:\Users\Tyson\Dropbox to D:\SomeLongerRootPathThanBefore\Dropbox.

I wasn't aware at the time, but I had filepaths in my original dropbox folder approaching the NTFS length limit. When moving these over to the longer root folder, they went over the limit. Dropbox fails with the same 'some files could not be moved, please try again' but doesn't give you any more details.

If you want to check this is the case, do a copy and paste of your dropbox folder using standard Windows Explorer. Windows (at least in 7 onwards) gives you nice explanatory messages nowadays.

Solution 3

You'll have to close the Dropbox app. There's no other way to move the directory. I've done this a few times already – it even works across operating systems. Imagine you set up a new machine: You can copy the Dropbox contents from a backup to the folder, then install Dropbox for the first time, and it'll know that it already synced these files.

In essence: You point Dropbox to the new location and based on its index it'll recognize that the files are still the same.

This will merely trigger a re-indexing procedure that may take a few minutes depending on the amount of files. But there's no re-uploading involved.

If you want to be absolutely sure, you can copy the folder contents instead of moving them, then point Dropbox to the new folder, and watch it re-index. Once it's done, delete the old folder.

6,083

Rahul Thakur

I believe an application should be efficient as well as aesthetic, and the key to both is simplicity. I strive to build an efficient, intelligent and scalable solution. I enjoy breaking down problems and modelling real-world data. My research interests also include User Experience and Human-Computer Interaction.

Updated on September 18, 2022

Comments

Rahul Thakur almost 2 years

I am trying to move my Dropbox folder to a different location in the same drive, but am unable to do so. It keeps saying:

Now I have closed every program and have also checked with Process Explorer that nothing is using Dropbox or the Dropbox folder, except for Dropbox of course! Why is this happening? I cannot just close Dropbox.. How will I move the folder then if not from Dropbox Preferences?

I'm using Dropbox 1.6.10 running on my Windows 8 system.

EDIT:
- colealtdelete over 11 years
  
  Have you tried closing Dropbox complete, relaunching then moving the folder?
- sean christe over 11 years
  
  Have you tried dissociating that computer from dropbox, moving the folder, reassociating it and pointing it to the new location?
- Rahul Thakur over 11 years
  
  @Cole I have even restarted my system several times, need I say more?
- Rahul Thakur over 11 years
  
  @EBGreen I am pretty sure that'll re-sync everything. I don't want to re-sync! Besides, there is an option to Move provided by Dropbox only, why should I've to do it manually!
- DJ Chateau over 11 years
  
  Load Process Explorer back up and hit Ctrl + F and type in the name of the directory you can not access. This will help you determine what other process has a hold on your DropBox folder.
- Rahul Thakur over 11 years
  
  @DanielChateau I said I looked up with Process Explorer, please read the Question.
- DJ Chateau over 11 years
  
  Clearly you didn't read mine, go search for the directory with Process Explorer open, because that error will not come up unless a file handle is associated with it. Process Explorer can find said handle. As long as there is a file handle on that directory, the issue will not resolve itself.
- Rahul Thakur over 11 years
  
  @DanielChateau Check the EDIT.
- DJ Chateau over 11 years
  
  Do you have Process Explorer running with elevated privileges? If privileges are not elevated it will mask a lot of file handles.
- Rahul Thakur over 11 years
  
  @DanielChateau Now, that is the correct answer, I did not know that Process Explorer masks handles. Thanks man. The problem was due to the Desktoppr App I use, the folder was being used by Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service (wmpnetwk.exe) which was being masked. Please post your comment as an answer so that I can mark it as correct :)
slhck over 11 years

I'm sorry, I'm on OS X and there's no such option available. Didn't know it was there.
Rahul Thakur over 11 years

No problem, in Windows they do, but I did not see anyone post a problem with this, unfortunate me.
MiniGod over 9 years

Did you finally manage to move it? I'm trying to move from D:\Dropbox to E:\Dropbox, and I get this same error, although both paths are the same length!