Solved Default Download folder

larrydonline · Apr 26, 2024

I read the tutorial on restoring the location of my download folder, however when I download the file still goes into Dropbox/Downloads. I've deleted Dropbox but it keeps coming back and taking over that folder. How do I get rid of Dropbox permanently?

antspants · Apr 26, 2024

There’s a tutorial (that also includes a BAT file)
There is a page for each user folder, just search and replace the folder name in:

Move or Restore Default Location of foldername Folder in Windows 11

Move or Restore Default Location of Downloads Folder in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to move or restore the default location of the Downloads folder for your account in Windows 10 and Windows 11. The Downloads folder (shell:Downloads) is a component of the user profile that is used as a unified location for storing personal data. By default, the...

www.elevenforum.com

antspants · Apr 26, 2024

larrydonline said:
How do I get rid of Dropbox permanently?

Maybe some reg files got left behind when you uninstalled it?

I would reinstall dropbox and remove it with Revo Uninstaller Free if it shows in there, it’s an app so it should.

Download Revo Uninstaller Free - Remove unwanted programs easily

Download Revo Uninstaller Free helps you to uninstall software and remove unwanted programs easily. Remove all uninstall leftovers and traces

www.revouninstaller.com

asturias7 · Apr 26, 2024

larrydonline said:
I read the tutorial on restoring the location of my download folder, however when I download the file still goes into Dropbox/Downloads. I've deleted Dropbox but it keeps coming back and taking over that folder. How do I get rid of Dropbox permanently?

If you want to get rid of Dropbox, try this:

Open Command Prompt and select Run as Administrator

Copy and paste this, then hit Enter:
"%ProgramFiles(x86)%\Dropbox\Client\DropboxUninstaller.exe" /InstallType:MACHINE /S

antspants · Apr 26, 2024

asturias7 said:
If you want to get rid of Dropbox, try this:

Open Command Prompt and select Run as Administrator

Copy and paste this, then hit Enter:
"%ProgramFiles(x86)%\Dropbox\Client\DropboxUninstaller.exe" /InstallType:MACHINE /S

Could you tell me, please, will that remove registry entries also?
I’ll add it to my list if it does.

asturias7 · Apr 26, 2024

antspants said:
Could you tell me, please, will that remove registry entries also?
I’ll add it to my list if it does.

If I'm not mistaken, getting rid of Apps via Powershell or the Command Prompt usually gets rid of the registry entries/keys as well.
Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, thanks.

glasskuter · Apr 26, 2024

@antspants gave you the right tutorial. Of course the bat file is easier, but if it does not work for you, use option 2 to manually restore downloads to default in that tutorial instead. It's very easy.

larrydonline · Apr 26, 2024

I tried your reg fix Antspants without the quotation signs and I get "is not recognized as an internal or external command"
Trying it just as you presented it I get "the system cannot find the path specified".

I used the tutorial to restore the download folder to the default, but Dropbox keeps returning and overriding my default. I don't find Dropbox in the list of programs to uninstall so I suspect it's now tied in with system files somewhere?

glasskuter · Apr 26, 2024

If Dropbox keeps returning, then it was not fully uninstalled.
Open task manager. Click on startup apps icon in left side panel. If you see Dropbox in the list, right click and disable. Restart,
If that doesn't work, use autoruns. Must be run as admin. Go through entire list. Disable anything relating to dropbox, Restart.

Autoruns - Sysinternals

See what programs are configured to startup automatically when your system boots and you login.

learn.microsoft.com

If that still doesn't work, you can try Antspants suggestion in Post # 3

TM21 · Apr 26, 2024

Selecting where you want things to download to, is as easy as going into each program that downloads files and specify where you want them to go.
I just select the Desktop as my own download location. Then I don't have to go searching for my downloaded files, and I can then work with them and save them to any location I desire.
Actually, the default Download folder is pretty worthless.

For me, at least, Dropbox has also become worthless. I let Revo Uninstaller remove it.

Every time I would upload a file to Dropbox, to share with a friend, someone, or something, at Dropbox would delete it.
Just one more program that I will never allow on my PC again.

TM

larrydonline · Apr 26, 2024

Revo Uninstaller acted like it uninstalled Dropbox but an updated WinCatalog search still finds it even after a reboot. But Revo doesn't find it. Clicking on the menu choices I clicked in "hunter mode" and the Revo screen disappeared. Now I can't find anyway to see Revo anymore. I guess I can try and find it in Programs and uninstall Revo unless there's an easier way. Revo found about a hundred registry entries for Dropbox and I asked it to delete all of them. I've rebooted. Dropbox acts like the worst virus I've ever tried to get rid of.

larrydonline · Apr 26, 2024

Great now I can't uninstall Revo Uninstaller. It says instances of it are currently running which I need to close. But I can't find it.

larrydonline · Apr 26, 2024

Dropbox no longer shows up in "installed app" or in "programs and features" yet it still shows in Program Files (x86) so I've deleted it again. I finally got rid of Revo by rebooting and uninstalling it before doing anything else. After deleting Dropbox from every registry entry and finding it still in Program Files I think it does act like a virus that hides itself somewhere that's invisible to the system until it gets a chance to reactivate itself again. I think I'll run Revo again and stay clear of the "hunter" mode and see what it can find.

larrydonline · Apr 26, 2024

Reinstalled Revo Uninstaller finds no instance of Dropbox. However WinCat finds four instances. It was in Program Data, AppData/Local/Packages/DropboxInc.Dropbox_wkt425jdc3sga, Windows Tasks/DropboxUpdateTaskMachineCore.job, and Task/Dropbox/UpdateTaskMachineUA.job

Revo can't help delete those if it can't see them. I manually deleted all four now to see if it comes back still again after I reboot.

antspants · Apr 26, 2024

make sure you ask Revo to scan for leftovers, delete all of them, I’ve never read an comment in here by someone saying that letting Revo do so, caused a problem

antspants · Apr 26, 2024

larrydonline said:
Reinstalled Revo Uninstaller finds no instance of Dropbox. However WinCat finds four instances. It was in Program Data, AppData/Local/Packages/DropboxInc.Dropbox_wkt425jdc3sga, Windows Tasks/DropboxUpdateTaskMachineCore.job, and Task/Dropbox/UpdateTaskMachineUA.job

Revo can't help delete those if it can't see them. I manually deleted all four now to see if it comes back still again after I reboot.

Are you reinstalling Dropbox before asking Revo to remove it?

larrydonline · Apr 26, 2024

After another reboot and update of Win Catalog, the search program only finds two instances: C:\Windows\Tasks\DropboxUpdateTaskMachineCore.job and C:\Windows\Tasks\DropboxUpdateTaskMachineUA.job

That's a big improvement but I'm going to delete those two again and see if it comes back.

larrydonline · Apr 26, 2024

I don't think it's going to let me delete them. They disappear from the window they were in but it still says "working on it" and not deleted. However an update to WinCat doesn't find anymore instances of Dropbox anywhere on my computer. I'll call that a SUCCESS and I thank everyone who offered suggestions. You helped me get there.

antspants · Apr 26, 2024

Just to confirm, incase you need to remove something in the future.
It’s important that the program you want to remove is currently installed. Meaning before running Revo, reinstall the offending program you tried to remove and make sure you have asked Revo to scan for leftovers.
Because I will be honest, this is the first time I have read that Revo failed to remove all traces.

P.S.
I believe there is a portable version of Revo that you can run from a USB or your hard drive, if you don’t want to install it.

larrydonline · Apr 26, 2024

My honest thought was since they offer a pro version for money they may not have the free version do all that is possible. If you could do everything with the free version why would anyone pay for a pro version. Whether that's true or not, it was very valuable in removing literally dozens of registry entries. Many programs integrate themselves deep within a computer's system but I've not found one that resists being removed like Dropbox before.

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