this post was submitted on 31 Oct 2025
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Linux
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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).
Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.
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Of allllll the things you’re worried of losing…. It’s a Dropbox install?
Yes, lol. Long story short,I don’t have the password because it’s a shared account
This is the most important piece of information. You should edit the post and/or title to make this more clear.
Well, that makes a huge difference to the meaning of the question.
I don't know, but maybe the login is held in a dotfile such as ~/.dropbox or maybe in ~/.config/dropbox or similar, and just backing up that (not to Dropbox!) would be enough to restore being logged in on a different system.
New problem: they have 2FA as well
If my suggestion works, that won't matter, it will still be logged in on the new install.
Fix: download what you need locally, reinstall Linux, find a different software or account, be free of this problem forever.
Ah ok. So its not so much the current files that you want to retain, but the ability to receive files locally through sync, when someone else elsewhere makes a change?
Sounds a bit like not wanting to remove the Netflix app because its logged in with the unknown password of an ex.
You dont need the install preserved, you need the login session preserved. I doubt that it's even possible
I would back up all the important files you need before you change anything.