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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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no it does not work for me (((
Hi dumon,
Mount any ext4 partition on ~/Dropbox/Then delete ~/.dropbox
Restart dropbox, it will give you option to select another location, later you can unmount new partition & completely delete ~/Dropbox folder.
- I'm getting this exact error. Did you find a solution?
- Jane
Dropbox Staff
Hey Jane, I'm dual-booting Debian 10 and Windows 10 on the same harddisc. I'm running Debian 10 on a ext4 partition and Windows 10 on ntfs partition. I want to store my files only once on my harddisc so I want a partition, which both debian 10 and Windows 10 can read/write. Initially I though ntfs could do it but Dropbox refuses to install on anything else than ext4 on my debian 10 partition. Any help would be appreciated :-)
- Jane
