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Change Dropbox folder location on Mac
Hi
I have a Dropbox account with 1TB of space but the problem is I can't use it all as keep getting error message on my Mac saying not enough space? I am only using 1GB at the moment, the problem is my local harddrive is not big enough so I can't use the desktop folder listed under my computer and I originally got a dropbox account so that when I plug a camera into my Mac it would automatically backup all the photos using the desktop app.
How can I fix this problem, can I change the location of the local folder and have this on an external drive?
Many Thanks
Tim
JohnnyR wrote:
And even more annoying is that I can't manually copy the dropbox folder in Finder (which is a 1000 times faster) and just point Dropbox to that location. Why is that not allowed?
Because if you move/remove the existing folder while Dropbox is running, Dropbox could see it as a mass deletion which would then be synced to your account online, deleting all of your files. But, with a few extra steps on your part, that's actually very possible to do.
Uninstall Dropbox. Once uninstalled, rename the existing Dropbox folder to Dropbox_OLD or similar. Reinstall Dropbox and use the options during installation to select the location for your Dropbox folder. As soon as Dropbox is done being installed, it will start to download the files from your account. Pause syncing or exit Dropbox. Move the content of your Dropbox_OLD folder into the newly created Dropbox folder. Resume syncing or relaunch Dropbox and allow it to index your files. This will take time, especially if you have a lot of files. Be patient and let it work.
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Thanks Walter! Yes, we all need to understand better the translation between Mac lingo and PC lingo. I'm Mac all the way so .... that's mostly what I know about. One tip for those who use external drives for their DropBox folder (God forbid!!!! but this is a MUST for folks like me who hav 2TB DropBox folders).
TIP: Click on DropBox icon in Menu Bar (Desktop app)--upper right side of your Mac OS screen, to the left of Wifi status, etc.---Click on Gear on upper right of dropdown DropBox menu, Click on Preferences in next DropDown Menu, and under General, UNCHECK "start DropBox on System Startup"---this way you can make sure your external drive is connected before MANUALLY starting Dropbox. I also make sure to QUIT DROPBOX MANUALLY before I shut down my computer. If you occasionally forget and try to start DropBox without external selected, it will warn you and just choose QUIT DROPBOX and attach the drive and try again. I've been using this technique successfully for around 5 years. There is no real reason to have DropBox start up automatically every time you turn on your computer. Just be aware when it's on and when it's not. If you forget to turn on DropBox and sync before leaving the house, you won't have your lates files or edits available to you.
