Disable automatic updates

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Sanchez wrote:

Hey there, 

 

Thanks for posting your comments about the auto-update feature of our app. We are very interested in your feedback about our product, and I’ll make sure to pass it on to our developers. 

 

Cheers

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I absolutely hate it when someone thinks they know what is best for my computer. An autoupdate that can't be turned off is really no different than a piece of malware. Having been using and working on computers for over 45 years I don't take kindly to things like this. As I mentioned I could have simply created a firewall rule to not allow it to communicate out but I shouldn't have to. But equally troubling is leaving a launch agent on the system, if you uninstall like most Mac users do, and that is inexcuseable.

Anyway, I felt that booting the app was the best interim solution as I can do what I need to do without the app. And thanks for your comment. developers need to know what people think.  

I will leave dropbox. I DO NOT WANT AUTO UPDATES I CANNOT TURN OF!

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James B.2 wrote:

The interface (indeed, very much inferior) is the least of the problems caused by this forced downgrade. There MUST be a way to defeat updating. May be worth experimenting with permissions in the Dropbox executable folder or discovering how it connects to download the new software. Maybe possible to block it on the firewall. Anyone any ideas?

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If you use a firewall other than the default one with the OS you can create a rule to block autoupdate from connecting out. But you shouldn't have to do that. Hopefully they will add an option to disable it. I removed the app from my system as I really don't need sysncing anway so I can still upload files and share the link.

I use my computer to record and edit audio and recordings.

I cannot tolerate Dropbox auto update to disturb a recording.

It is too stupid for words that I am not able to switch of this every hour auto update checking.

So if this is what the Dropbow developpers want, I will gladly uninstall Dropbox.

One drive, Google drive here I come.

Hi! I was curious about that situation and find some kinda-low level solution to our problem. Generally speaking, we can disable it. Here is how to do it:

1. open Terminal app

2. type command "launchctl list |grep dropbox" (w/o quotes) it will show annoying agent which name is "com.dropbox.DropboxMacUpdate.agent"

3. then remove it from your system by typing "launchctl remove com.dropbox.DropboxMacUpdate.agent"
(if it's does not work you may need some permission to do operation, then type "sudo " prefix before "launchctl remove" command)

4. check that the agent is switched off by typing again command "launchctl list |grep dropbox" and it must showing no more abuse agent in you system.

Hope it's help. Cheers!

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oliostro wrote:

Hi! I was curious about that situation and find some kinda-low level solution to our problem. Generally speaking, we can disable it. Here is how to do it:

 

1. open Terminal app

2. type command "launchctl list |grep dropbox" (w/o quotes) it will show annoying agent which name is "com.dropbox.DropboxMacUpdate.agent"

3. then remove it from your system by typing "launchctl remove com.dropbox.DropboxMacUpdate.agent"
(if it's does not work you may need some permission to do operation, then type "sudo " prefix before "launchctl remove" command)

4. check that the agent is switched off by typing again command "launchctl list |grep dropbox" and it must showing no more abuse agent in you system.

 

Hope it's help. Cheers!

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oliostro wrote:

Hi! I was curious about that situation and find some kinda-low level solution to our problem. Generally speaking, we can disable it. Here is how to do it:

 

1. open Terminal app

2. type command "launchctl list |grep dropbox" (w/o quotes) it will show annoying agent which name is "com.dropbox.DropboxMacUpdate.agent"

3. then remove it from your system by typing "launchctl remove com.dropbox.DropboxMacUpdate.agent"
(if it's does not work you may need some permission to do operation, then type "sudo " prefix before "launchctl remove" command)

4. check that the agent is switched off by typing again command "launchctl list |grep dropbox" and it must showing no more abuse agent in you system.

 

Hope it's help. Cheers!

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Yeah, I already removed that after I uninstalled dropbox. If you uninstall the way Apple sugests that little file gets left behind. For now I untend to leave the app off my system until this problem is fixed. I can upload files and get the link to share files without using the dropbox application and I don't need syncing so that works best for my situation. The real problem is that this should have never happened in the first place. I expect that kind of actions from MS but not from the Mac world. Anyway, thanks for the info as I am sure others may be able to use it.

I am a System Administator.

Almost all my users use Dropbox. I have no control over this. 

The automatic update process has broken Dropbox for my users twice in the last few months.

When it breaks like this my users come to me to fix it.

I have tried downgrading to an older (working) version but Dropbox auto-updates back to the most recent (broken) version in short order and becomes inoperable.

Dropbox became unusable again yesterday with version 24.4.16.

What gives, Dropbox?