MacOS 13.0 Ventura, and Dropbox follows OneDrive in forcing the folder on the system drive

One more thing - on a REFORMAT of my hard drive last nite, I did a fresh reinstall of Dropbox. And, actually, it did install the latest version on its own. So there wasn't any action on my part to disallow the overwriting of the original fresh install (which was the NON-BETA version.)

Anyone else have this issue - it would seem this change is, in fact, being implemented/rolled-out without having to opt-in to anything.

question is how or where you downloaded the installer. Only here you can decide whether you install the latest stable version or a beta one. If you do a regular download from the website, you (hopefully) won't get a beta version.

Downloaded directly from Dropbox public download link. Perhaps if you "opt-in," even the stable version remembers and "overwrites" even your latest fresh install directly downloaded from the standard "Download Dropbox" link? 

My External SSD is currently chugging away in the background re-syncing as we speak. Thank you for pointing out the ability to roll-back with the opt-out checkbox. Hopefully it won't auto-overwrite again!

The "SUDO" Method with the extended reinstall of Dropbox will (i guess) only work for the "old" behaviour. As i pointed out, you cannot force the ~/Library/CloudStorage/Dropbox Folder to be anywhere else. Errors appear and it only works when Dropbox / macOS creates the folder in your actual home directory library.

So no chance with SymLinking the complete Dropbox Folder, or even the CloudStorage Folder to an external storage.

I think the only way (when already working with the new behaviour of dropbox) is to move the home directory. And that's a complete Nightmare for some setups.

This will make Dropbox loose a lot of business customers

I contacted pCloud and Sync.com to ask why they are still NOT using ~/Library/CloudStorage and if they probably use an own API instead. The reply by pCloud reads as follows: "...Although I do not know the exact deliberations of the development team, we are indeed not beholden to that change, as we make use of the MacFUSE software as File Provider. We are looking at elimination this additional piece of software, this this will happen further down in the future...".

Indeed pCloud creates a virtual folder in the user directory instead, but I have no idea if this complies to Apple's requirements on a long term.

However, using Fuse might be a solution for those Dropbox users who need their Dropbox folder somewhere other than ~/Library/CloudStorage. This could probably also be achieved using Cloudmounter.net. Just mentioning this as an additional input...

Feedback from Sync.com will follow...

Feedback from Sync.com regarding the implementation of Apple's new API requirements: "...We are aware of this on our end, and an update is on our roadmap as we monitor further updates from Apple..."

You guys are pretty impressive how angry you are about the system change that you insist I must be working under different conditions, or made up this method somehow, and don't attempt the workaround.  And that you are so insistent that I cannot have found a workaround that might work for you too, without just trying it out.

FYI, I was *forced* into the new system much earlier than you new guys in this thread, back in November, because I bought a new laptop, and had to do a fresh install, just as Dropbox was changing its policy and system. No "reverting" possible for me, I was forced into this Dropbox folder on my system drive.  I searched around for hours, and had apple care on the line over multiple calls over a couple of days trying to work this out, and got this answer in a thread, proposed to my by a dropboxer - someone within the company - not some rando.  It is from the old system, but it works under the new system because it doesn't use Symlink, it uses Sudo.

I've been using it for 2 months now without at hiccup, once I got the backups running properly.

So next time you want to tell someone what you think about about their problem, perhaps think twice.  And perhaps try it out to see if it works or not before coming up with opinions out of thin air.

---

Michael S.197 wrote:

I've been using it for 2 months now without at hiccup, once I got the backups running properly.

So next time you want to tell someone what you think about about their problem, perhaps think twice.  And perhaps try it out to see if it works or not before coming up with opinions out of thin air.

---

I'm happy to hear that you are happy, but personally, why would I invest in a solution that Dropbox has said in no uncertain terms that they are phasing out?

Me, I'm not particularly angry. It just means that Dropbox isn't suitable to meet my needs enough to pay for a subscription. I'll use the free subscription that I currently have, and I'll live with that.  I'll use other solutions where I need to sync more data. Dropbox is not the only sync-fish in the sea.

Though I would happily pay for a Dropbox subscription if they weren't moving to this new model, where all synced files have to reside on the internal drive.

Michael,

I wanted to say THANK YOU for offering the tip on how you used TERMINAL to SUDO and install pointing to your custom path. I did actually read through it and I'm just timid. I really just want Dropbox to tackle this head on! I was one of the earliest to post on the original app incompatibility with Apple M1 Silicon early on so I am well aware of how you felt. I think I speak for a number of people on here when I say thank you for offering a solution. I have to tell you, I just really don't want to edit anything related to Dropbox in terms of config - at all!!! Reinstalling an earlier build regarding this other issue I had about two years ago was scary enough! 😭

Will this "new Dropbox" be forced onto Monterey users at some point (and if so, how long), or are we safe if we just don't upgrade to Ventura?

The "advanced reinstall" or here called "sudo" method (sudo is just "running as admin in terminal") sounds like it is just the setup process we know from the old version of dropbox, where we can select external storage for the dropbox folder?

And this method via terminal / sudo works for the new ~/Library/CloudStorage Version of Dropbox to move it to external storage? Can someone confirm this?

Wait wait wait. The new Dropbox does allow you to keep your Dropbox folder on an external drive with that "advanced reinstall" thing? All this hubbub is unnecessary? The Dropbox support article stating that "changing the location of your Dropbox folder is no longer supported by macOS" is not fully true?

---

pollen wrote:

Wait wait wait. The new Dropbox does allow you to keep your Dropbox folder on an external drive with that "advanced reinstall" thing? All this hubbub is unnecessary? The Dropbox support article stating that "changing the location of your Dropbox folder is no longer supported by macOS" is not fully true?

---

It is my opinion that whoever is asserting this is incorrect. It is my understanding that the "new" version of Dropbox for Ventura does not support storing Dropbox-synced files on an external drive.

This doesn't mean there aren't ways to back out to an older version of Dropbox that still supports syncing files on an external drive, but it's not clear for how long Dropbox is going to continue to support this.

There finally seems to be a life after/without Boxcryptor and Dropbox, as I have found two cloud services that offer a perfect combination and alternative for less than what I was paying for my monthly Dropbox Plus plan. Of course, Dropbox deleted my recommendation here in the community immediately, even though it solves all the problems most people are facing due to the changes at Dropbox. They don’t want to solve your problems that they caused! I also complained about Dropbox's poor and unprofessional communication. If they had done a better job and didn't ruin their product with bad decisions and strategies, like Microsoft once did with Skype, they wouldn't have to censor discussions about competing products simply because Dropbox was always better and no other product could compete. But then Dropbox screwed up and failed to implement Apple's API requirements in a timely and professional manner. As if that did not cause enough problems, they then bought Boxcryptor, which killed that product and left all Dropbox users without zero-knowledge encryption out in the cold. I don't know what has kept the people at Dropbox so busy that they haven't had time to make the API changes and implement zero-knowledge encryption in time while their competitors have. Don't get me wrong. Buying Boxcryptor is a great decision, but they should have planned everything in a professional way with continuous open communication. So far we don't know which paid plans will get Zero-Knowledge encryption and when it will happen. What do these amateurs at Dropbox expect? That we will just wait and see what happens to our unprotected data? Forget it, and now that they are not even willing to accept criticism, it just confirms once again that this is not the company I should be trusting with my data. I have already moved my data to a new zero-knowledge encrypted cloud service from Germany and it is working fantastically. Next month I will be switching from my paid Dropbox Plus plan back to the free 2GB plan, but I will of course continue to follow the discussion and monitor the upcoming changes.

This is getting really confusing now.

Some people say "advanced reinstall / sudo method" works with the new Version of dropbox, and you can move your Dropbox Folder from ~/Library/CloudStorage to external storage

Then people say it does not work...?

I have tried alternatives for this now. Maestral is super slow with huge dropboxes (ours is way over 30TB). Even when I only sync a small 500MB Folder, it indexes all our 3 000 000 files and is slow in getting folder changes etc.

GoodSync always analyzes the whole folder, taking 6 hours to do so for one sync (at least it looks like it analyzes every time the task is running).

Syncing a local folder to a NAS (for example Synology) and then syncing with Dropbox from the NAS (Synology CloudSync) gives a lot of problems because of double syncing a folder in with 2 different directions (causing files to be deleted and so on)

---

TRO_Berlin wrote:

This is getting really confusing now.

Some people say "advanced reinstall / sudo method" works with the new Version of dropbox, and you can move your Dropbox Folder from ~/Library/CloudStorage to external storage

 

Then people say it does not work...?

---

I believe that it does work, but that when you do this, you are reverting to the "old" version of Dropbox, which may not be supported indefinitely. (Or maybe it will be, but who knows?)

Now might be a good time for Dropbox staff to clarify this ongoing confusion.

The current stable versions* can install the Dropbox folder to external drives and is not limited to the macOS Library folder in any version of macOS.

The current stable versions* can still automatically sync online-only files linked to Adobe Creative Cloud apps within macOS 12.2 and earlier.

The current stable versions* can not automatically sync online-only files linked to Adobe Creative Cloud apps within macOS 12.3 and later.

The opt-in early-release versions* can not install to external drives on any macOS version and are limited to the macOS Library folder in any version of macOS.

The opt-in early-release versions*  can automatically sync online-only files linked to Adobe Creative Cloud apps in any version of macOS.

*The opt-in early-release version may or may not have already been released as a stable version for some people in some regions.

Is any of this right or wrong, Dropbox staff?

Guys?

---

Fluk3 wrote:

 

The opt-in beta versions* can not install to external drives on any macOS version and are limited to the macOS Library folder in any version of macOS.

The opt-in beta versions*  can automatically sync online-only files linked to Adobe Creative Cloud apps in any version of macOS.

---

For me, the term "opt in" would be somewhat of a misnomer. "Opt-out-able" would be more accurate.

When I installed Dropbox, it immediately asked me to switch to the latest version. I don't recall seeing anything about it being "beta". It told me that this new version was the future of Dropbox, and the impression I got was that if I chose to opt out, I would just be delaying the inevitable pain to a later date.

I'm running Ventura, so my experience may be different from those who are not running the latest version of macOS.

I should have called it the early release opt-in.

If you go to dropbox.com/account/general

There is a preference toggle switch that says:

Early releases. Get included on early releases for new Dropbox features. Early release features are subject to these additional terms. Off by default

One needs to turn this on to get the early release that I was referring to (which I misnamed as the opt-in beta).

Presumably, if you did not enable this setting, then you did not install the early release - the version that discontinues the macOS 12.2 and earlier compatible extension required for online-only Adobe app links to automatically sync and which also enforces the Dropbox folder location in the macOS library folder.

However, it is unknown if some people in some regions are getting the early release as a stable version or not. Dropbox said this version would be "rolled out starting in November" but there has been no announcement and nobody knows for sure what's really going on.

Hence my suggestion that Dropbox drops us a line to clarify because this is all very confusing and not well documented at all.

---

Fluk3 wrote:

I should have called it the early release opt-in.

 

If you go to dropbox.com/account/general

 

There is a preference toggle switch that says:

Early releases. Get included on early releases for new Dropbox features. Early release features are subject to these additional terms. Off by default

 

One needs to turn this on to get the opt-in beta I was referring to.

 

---

My preferences has "Early releases" turned off. I did not "opt in" to anything. Dropbox told me to upgrade. And yet I have what you are calling the "beta" version.

I am using the latest version of Dropbox available to me 166.4.2920 on macOS 12.2 and also on macOS 12.6.2

I never enabled the early release. 

nessus42 What is your Dropbox version number and what macOS version(s) are you on?

Are you able to relocate the Dropbox folder outside of the macOS Library?

My version allows this on both macOS versions from within settings. 

Do proxy linked online-only files automatically sync in Adobe apps (if applicable)?

Mine does on macOS 12.2 (this OS version supports the required extension) but not on macOS 12.6.2 (this OS version does not support the required extension).

The reason I believe I am not on the so-called early-release is because I can still relocate my Dropbox in settings on both macOS versions. A feature Dropbox says they no longer support in the early-release (and will presumably no longer be supported when that version becomes the stable or current version too).

---

Fluk3 wrote:

I am using the latest version of Dropbox available to me 166.4.2920 on macOS 12.2 and also on macOS 12.6.2

I am also running 166.4.2920 on MacOS 12.6. However, the dreaded new version is being rolled out to customers in batches and I have it available to me via a red badge on the Dropbox logo in the menu bar. I am not signed up for beta or early release.

At this stage its installation is optional but will no doubt become compulsory soon enough.

FGK-120 Interesting, I do not not have an upgrade notification yet and I am in the southeast US.

I am in interested in what the notification says about he upgrade. Can you share a screenshot or transcribe the text here?

In my case, I can probably live without dropbox on an external drive. What I really, really need is the auto-sync of online-only files for proxy linked Adobe files, such as InDesign and Illustrator links.

I'm not sure if that feature worked or not in the early-release. If it does work in the upcoming upgrade I'll be okay I guess. If not, this will be a disaster for me and my colleagues.

I have been trying to assuage the doubts of this group by pointing you to a solution, which people's disbelief or opinion, rather than empirical trial, has seemed to muddy.

I've written here a number of times that I am running a version of Dropbox which forced me to move all my dropbox data into the "Users" folder, which at 1.3 T was untenable.  This occurred because I bought a new laptop in November, and Dropbox installed an unwanted upgrade which was irreversible.

I used the Advanced Installation, here (https://help.dropbox.com/installs/advanced-reinstall), and was able to bypass the requirement to keep my dropbox folder in \Users, and successfully installed it at the root level of a partitioned data drive.  Not within \Users.  This has continued to work to this day.

pollen didn't seem to believe it could be true.

Fluk3 replied to pollen with an "opinion" that my experience is "wrong."  I am impressed by his/her confidence to contradict described experience with their own "opinion," without attempting a comparable maneuver themselves.  I can only state that I continue to experience that the workaround continues to work for me just fine.

Some, e.g. TRO_Berlin, have worried that the difference between our two posts, eg. mine and Fluk3's opinion, is confusing.  

nessus42 then opines that using the solution might somehow revert the installation.  I have not observed any version downgrade.  I am currently running v167.3.4684

Fluk3 then opines into the dark that "Now would be a Good Time for a Dropbox staff to clarify the conversation" but doesn't invite any to the thread.

So, please know that the solution was presented by Walter , a professional Dropboxer, in this thread https://www.dropboxforum.com/t5/Apps-and-Installations/Take-Dropbox-out-of-Mac-Library/td-p/633050/page/2.  Later in that thread, Hannah , also a professional Dropboxer,  also advises the advanced install.  Hopefully either of them, having been flagged, will now Hear the Call by Fluk3.

Notably, further down the line on that thread, the OP ShanaC states in December that she was forced into a reinstall.
https://www.dropboxforum.com/t5/Apps-and-Installations/Take-Dropbox-out-of-Mac-Library/td-p/633050/page/4 
I note, however, that her version at the time of posting was v162.4.5419.  My current version (above in this post) seems to be more recent, and the Advanced Install continues to work. ShanaC are you still experiencing a problem, or were you able to resolve it?

I hope input by professional Dropboxers, and by the OP of the thread where I found my solution, is enough to convince people on this thread to call this problem "Solved," at least temporarily.  It would allow so many people to stop wasting time and get on with their lives if this solution were spread more widely (which is my goal), because it is causing a lot of suffering and stress.  It made me so grateful to find @Walter's solution, I hope others can experience the same sense of relief and satisfaction that they can continue with their orginal data architecture.