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Linux - Unable to change Dropbox directory
I'm using Fedora Workstation 25 with GNOME.
Trying to change the Dropbox directory results in the utterly useless message "Unexpected errors occurred. Your Dropbox is ok!".
Steps to recreate problem:
- Dropbox directory is currently ~/Dropbox
- Start Dropbox application by running ~/.dropbox-dist/dropboxd
- Right click sys tray icon and select Preferences.
- Click "Move…" button under Account > Location
- Select directory /local on which my user has write permissions.
- The message "Unexpected errors occurred. Your Dropbox is ok!" appears.
Observations:
- The directory /local/Dropbox is sucesfully created.
- One of the directories in ~/Dropbox is created in /local/Dropbox/ It's empty. Deleting that directory from ~/Dropbox before attempting the move doesn't help.
- Selecting other directories on which my user has write permissions results in the same behaviour.
- Permissions and ownership of my Dropbox directory and user's home directory are OK. (Troubleshooting advice for Linux at https://help.dropbox.com/desktop-web/move-dropbox-folder is pooly written. sudo is not needed on all those commands. "Internet menu" is not a thing in all (any?) desktop environments.)
- There's a log file in ~/.dropbox/logs/1 but it's a binary blob so useless without something to make it human readable and I can't locate such a thing.
- Deleting all my files from ~/Dropbox/ waiting for sync to complete and then attempting the move doesn't help.
- When attemping the move after deleting all my files from ~/Dropbox/ /local/Dropbox/.dropbox.cache/ is succesfully created. It's empty.
- Pausing syncing before attempting the move doesn't help.
- There don't seem to be any options that can be passed to ~/.dropbox-dist/dropboxd to get more info. (Adding --help prevents it running!)
I was having this same issue. I found a fix in creating a Dropbox folder in my home directory prior to connecting my account. This caused the installer to throw an error about a Dropbox folder already existing that prompted me to either delete the Dropbox folder or select a different location. Eureka! (for me at least...)
Guys solved, and the solution was the easiest and logic.
I expose my situation:
sda1 300GB --> /
sda5 8TB --> /home
As I explained, I wanted to install Dropbox below /home directory, but playing as "root" user, by default, it forced the installation on /root
So I just installed the daemon using the user who owns the home directory I want and it works properly, just remember to add the "user" to the root group.
If you need more details, don't hesitate to ask.
wrote:I was having this same issue. I found a fix in creating a Dropbox folder in my home directory prior to connecting my account. This caused the installer to throw an error about a Dropbox folder already existing that prompted me to either delete the Dropbox folder or select a different location. Eureka! (for me at least...)
This didn't work for me, but I did find a similar solution! I created a "work" dropbox account and set up a fresh installation of dropbox with that account, which places the "work" Dropbox folder in the defaut ~/Dropbox. I then deleted everything in ~/.dropbox* (with rm -rf ~/.dropbox* ), reinstalled dropbox and set it up using my personal account. Now since the folder in ~/Dropbox already contains the dropbox for the work account, I got the prompt that allowed me to either delete the Dropbox folder or select a different location for my personal account. Somehow this worked when simply moving the folder within dropbox wouldn't... I hope this helps somebody! (using Fedora 27 btw)
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Guys solved, and the solution was the easiest and logic.
I expose my situation:
sda1 300GB --> /
sda5 8TB --> /home
As I explained, I wanted to install Dropbox below /home directory, but playing as "root" user, by default, it forced the installation on /root
So I just installed the daemon using the user who owns the home directory I want and it works properly, just remember to add the "user" to the root group.
If you need more details, don't hesitate to ask.
- Jane
Dropbox Staff
6GeMiNi9 has nothing whatsoever to do with the problem I opened this thread about. This whole thread has turned in to a confusing cmess of stuff that has nothing to do with the problem I started the thead about which remains unfixed. I thought I'd unsubscribed from this nonsense but evidently not.
- Jane
wrote:I was having this same issue. I found a fix in creating a Dropbox folder in my home directory prior to connecting my account. This caused the installer to throw an error about a Dropbox folder already existing that prompted me to either delete the Dropbox folder or select a different location. Eureka! (for me at least...)
This didn't work for me, but I did find a similar solution! I created a "work" dropbox account and set up a fresh installation of dropbox with that account, which places the "work" Dropbox folder in the defaut ~/Dropbox. I then deleted everything in ~/.dropbox* (with rm -rf ~/.dropbox* ), reinstalled dropbox and set it up using my personal account. Now since the folder in ~/Dropbox already contains the dropbox for the work account, I got the prompt that allowed me to either delete the Dropbox folder or select a different location for my personal account. Somehow this worked when simply moving the folder within dropbox wouldn't... I hope this helps somebody! (using Fedora 27 btw)
I have this same problem on my F27. It's stupid but
Hi,
The following workaround applies to Ubuntu 18.04 and 16.04. I am using a Dropbox account that is SAML federated with a business account. In that case you have to logon to the Dropbox website with the business account first from a browser. Install the Dropbox client for Ubuntu. The Dropbox client will install the Dropbox daemon and open a URL to login to Dropbox. If that opens in a different browser (as in my case) copy/paste the URL into the browser that you used to logon to the Dropbox website. The Dropbox client will login and start to synchronize with a folder in your home directory. If you try to change that location you get the error. Quit the Dropbox client and launch a terminal:
#cd to your home directory $ cd ~ #Remove all permissions on the just created Dropbox folder in your home directory: $ chmod a-rwx <name-of-the-Dropbox-folder-in-your-home-directory, say ./Dropbox> #Remove the Dropbox configuration folder from your home directory: $ rm -rf .dropbox #The Dropbox client will not merge folders so you have to remove an existing Dropbox folder in the target location #As always double check the path before a sudo rm -rf! $ sudo rm -rf <absolute-path-to-the-Dropbox-folder-in-the-target-location, say /tmp2/user/Dropbox>
Launch the Dropbox client again. After login it will now raise an error because the Dropbox folder in your home directory is not accessible, and it will let you choose the target location.
Regards,
Gijsbert
Thank you, nice try, , but it does not work for, after the giving an error message it closes the application
Wow, thanks a lot for this, turtlejuice! For years I've been trying to make it work!
Just to add a line between the steps:
"uninstall the fake/bogus/dummy 'work' account Dropbox client"
and
"install the Dropbox client again linking to your original account that you wanted to move folder",
Use this command to uninstall the Dropbox client linked to your bogus account:sudo apt-get remove dropbox; rm -rvf ~/.dropbox ~/.dropbox-dist
(use this also at the beginning of the process to uninstall your current Dropbox client linked to original account)
btw, I am on Fedora 25.great, thank you much, I will give a try as I have time. I will let you know if it wroks for me) for now I have switched to another cloud ) Cheers, mate
