Solved Default Download folder

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?

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​

larrydonline said:

How do I get rid of Dropbox permanently?

Click to expand...

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.

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?

Click to expand...

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

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

Click to expand...

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

antspants said:

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

Click to expand...

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.

@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.

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?

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

Click to expand...

Are you reinstalling Dropbox before asking Revo to remove it?

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.

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.

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.

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.