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Unable to manually move Dropbox folder to users/[user]/cloud storage
Hi,
We have two identical MacBook Pro systems and need to keep them synced. In order to do this properly, we need the Dropbox folder to be located in the same location on both systems.
One system has installed the File Provider version of Dropbox, which moves the Dropbox folder to users/[user]/library/cloud storage. The other system says we're ineligible for the File Provider Update and has the Dropbox folder in users/[user]/.
A dropbox support rep told me to manually move the Dropbox folder on the non file-provider system to user/[user]library/cloud storage. This appears not to be possible - the Dropbox app refuses to create a folder in that location ("Can't create a Dropbox folder in teh requested location").
How do we make sure both systems have Dropbox folders located in the same location? Without this, all the other shortcuts and aliases we use, which connect to Dropbox locations and which sync via iCloud etc., become broken, our sync systems fail and we can't keep working with both systems.
Many thanks for your help, and (sorry to say it), what a shambles Dropbox support seems to be.
Jules
I just wanted to share that we found the solution to this issue. It took a month, and should perhaps be more widely available. Basically, Dropbox will not permit a File Provider upgrade, if the number of files being synced exceeds 300,000. The solution for us was to unsync a bunch of content to get below that limit, then apply the upgrade (which appeared automatically), then resync the full data set. Aside from a few minor teething issues, things seem to be working, and this has finally enabled us to sync our systems bu having Dropbox located in the same location.
26 Replies
- Hannah
Dropbox Community Moderator
Hey Trailerman, thanks for letting us know about this.
Can you please give me the ticket number for your communication with our support team, as a first step?
Manually moving the Dropbox folder to that location shouldn't be possible indeed, but I'll happily look into this for you.
Thanks in advance!
Hi Hannah,
Many thanks for your response.
Ticket #23020638,
Ticket #22972347
Ticket #23064167
... all relate to this issue.
Unfortunately your support reps keep closing the case before it has been resolved.
I'd be hugely grateful for your help in getting a proper solution to this issue.
Kind regards,
Jules
- Nancy
Hey Jules! Sorry for jumping in, and thanks for the ticket numbers.
You mentioned in the beginning that one of your computers appears to be ineligible for the Dropbox for macOS on File Provider update.
Did you receive an error message perhaps? Can you send me a screenshot of what you see on your end?
I’d like to have a look, and check if there’s another workaround here.
Hi Nancy - many thanks for your response. Here's what Dropbox tells me on the system in question:
- Nancy
Thanks for the screenshot! From what I understand, your device isn’t generally ineligible for the update. However, it seems that the update hasn’t been rolled out to this one yet.
What I’d like you to do is to make sure your desktop app is up to date first, and then, check out these steps.
To grant full disk access to Dropbox on your device, please follow the steps outlined here, according to your OS version.
Let me know if this helps at all.
Hi Nancy,
Many thanks for your response.
Dropbox is already configured with Full Disk Access, and full Accessibility access - have checked and all settings were already enabled.
Desktop app is already fully up to date - currently running v189.4.8395
I feel like I'm still no closer to a resolution. I can't manually move the Dropbox folder to users/[user]/library/cloud storage. I'm unable to upgrade to File Provider. I'm unable to downgrade to a pre-File Provider version on the machine that needs to be kept in sync with this one.
Extremely grateful for your ongoing help and support and would love to hear any further suggestiosn.
Kind regards,
Jules
- Bump - Nancy, any chance of some further assistance here? I’ve tried what you suggested but it doesn’t address the problem we have. I am getting copy and paste responses from the Dropbox suppprt team that also don’t address this issue. Very grateful for your help.
Kind regards - Walter
Hey Trailerman1 - sorry to jump in here, but I just wanted to mention that you can try unlinking and relinking your account through the app's preferences at this point.
Just note that during this process the app will need to rebuild your database and settings so it might take a while.
Let us know of any updates!
Hi Walter,
Many thanks for your response.
Can I possibly just clarify the objective unlinking and relinking my account? Does this enable me to then move the Dropbox folder to users/[user]/library/cloud storage, even though it's a restricted folder?
Or might this make my account eligible for the file-provider update?
As I understand it, these are the only two solutions, that will allow us to have our Dropbox fodler installed in the same olcation on both systems.
Many thanks again for your help.
Jules
Hi Walter,
I have done a total unlink/relink of my DB account, re-enabled full disk access and it has made no difference to selecting users/[user]/library/cloud storage as the Dropbox folder. Dropbox tells me "Can't create a Dropbox folder in the requested location" every time I try and select that folder.
I've also done a separate and complete uninstall and reinstall of Dropbox, in addition to an unlink/relink. It will still not allow me to upgrade to the File Provider version and tells me I am inelligible.
Please can I get some detailed instructions on how to either a) select the Cloudstorage folder as my Dropbox folder, or b) upgrade to the File Provider version of Dropbox.
II have now been asking for support with this issue for almost 4 weeks. Please can I now get some meaningful support.
Thanks and regards,
Jules
