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Import from GDrive doesn't work
Hi ...
I'm trying to migrate my data from GDrive. When I select the "Import from Google Drive" option, I get weird behaviour:
- I get a message saying "Couldn't upload files from Google Drive"
- Then the Google login appears, which I complete.
- Then I can browse my GDrive folders - I select a folder.
- Then I get a spinning icon, telling me a transfer is happening - "Fetching files from Google Drive".
- Then sometime later (presumably after a timeout) when I come back I'm left looking at another error message "Couldn't find any files in your Google Drive".
What's going on? ... I thought this feature worked?
Having now migrated my data from Google to DB, I thought I'd post a follow up of what I actually did. I hope it helps others as there's a lot of misinformation out there.
- Firstly, and sadly, there is no (as yet) solution to large scale migration to DB.
- Given that part of the Google lock-in is the reliance upon their Office tools - slides, docs and sheet. These will not migrate, however, it is possible to save time in converting by using the Google take out feature - https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/3024190?hl=en. By configuring the output to "Add to Dropbox" Google will do the MS Office conversion for you.
- Another tip is to limit your Zip files to 10Gb - as tempting as the 50Gb option is - since these can (usually, but not always) be unzipped online.
- If you're transferring video files that exceed this size, I'm afraid there's no simple solution. You're going to have to download them from Google and then upload them to Dropbox.
- If you've got a complicated folder structure like I had, grab a tool like VisualDiffer (by Pablo J. Malacara). By using this tool I was able to ensure that I accurately reconstituted my files and folder structures when unzipping the take outs.
- A tip with VisualDiffer: The tool works smoothly when comparing files locally on my Mac, as well as those in iCloud, and even DB. The issue comes when trying to use VisualDiffer to sync between GDrive and anywhere else. It will just pop!
- The £10 / month upgrade to Virgin Media's fibre has been invaluable. I've spent many hours sat at my kitchen table with a network cable wired into my hub to get the best speed possible, and it really does make short work of large transfers.
- Although I'd previously uploaded all of my backup data DVDs, I've used this opportunity of having to download my data to take snapshot and build a local replica on SSD.
- Going forward, I'm maintaining a local copy of my working body of data in DEVONthink, with a snapshot held on SSD, and I backup to DB. This setup gives me an awesome search and retrieval system, and the security of SSD and cloud backups.
Although it seems sensible to seek a cloud-to-cloud migration tool or service, I was unable to find one that met my needs (i.e. I needed to transfer files >10Mb which is the vendor limit I ran into). I can understand the commercial need to lock-in data, buyer beware.
The DB transfer feature didn't work for me at all using Crome, and I had occasional success using Safari, but not frequently enough to inspire my confidence in using it. As you'll read above, the support position is RTFM, but I found this misleading as it suggests a transfer is possible, but it's actually a download followed by an upload.
The long and short of it is this, you're going to have to download your data. I made peace with this and just ground my way through it.
I hope others have an easier time than I did.
11 Replies
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- Walter
Dropbox Community Moderator
Hey Andrew_Kidd, sorry to hear about this.
Could you please try clearing your browser's cache or another browser and let me know how it goes?
If the issue persists, I'd appreciate a couple of screenshots from the error you get too.
Thanks!
Hi Walter ...
I'm using Chrome Version 116.0.5845.96 (Official Build) (arm64).
I cleared the browser history.
I've attached screenshots of the error messages.
The only other thing to add is that I've signed up for Dropbox using Google ID. i.e. I login to DB using my Google account.
I then tried to import using Safari (Version 16.5.2 (18615.2.9.11.10)) with exactly the same issues and outcome.
The second time replying (first time didn't work for some reason).
Thanks Walter. I tried both of your suggestions - clearing the browser history in Chrome, and using Safari as an alternative browser - both with the same results (initially). Safari did manage to transfer some files.
I've attached error message screenshots.
Chrome - is up to date - Version 116.0.5845.96 (Official Build) (arm64)Safari - Version 16.5.2 (18615.2.9.11.10)After managing to transfer a trivial amount of data (a single folder with two documents), Safari is now failing to work.
Re the issue you have mentioned are the files you are trying to upload being accessed via Google drive installed locally on your device? if so have the files been cached locally prior to trying to upload?
I'm still trying to locate this function from the help article here which looks to provide a back end google to DB transfere function 😕
Thanks for the link to the article. I'd already read it several times, but you prompted me to think differently when you asked if the GDrive files were cached locally first.
Having researched several other offerings, I was looking for a Cloud-to-Cloud migration, as I don't see why I need to download data to my local drive first. This is for three reasons.
- Firstly, the export functionality available via Google is well-documented and understood - https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/3024190?sjid=17544928330012104045-EU.
- Secondly, broadband providers are typically offering a fast-down slow-up service. For example, 150 Mpbs download and only 30 Mbps upload. The impact of this means that whilst we can 'quickly' download large Google carry-out files (in multiples of 50Gb parts), they'll still take longer to upload to the new provider.
- And finally, because this isn't a quick process, there's still the issue of knowing which data is stale while working with it. For example, during the migration phase, is the data I need in Google, Dropbox, or on my local HD?
Rereading the article doesn't tell me whether I should have my GDrive files cached locally, or not. And surely the term 'upload' is misleading if data is being moved from Google to Dropbox. Would the correct term be 'migrating'?
To follow up with the GDrive theme, "To cache, or not to cache, that is the question."
I tried locally caching some of my GDrive documents, and this also failed.
I'm beginning to resign myself to having to download my GDrive in 50Gb zipped chunks, unzipping them and then having to upload the file and folders to DB.
Having the exact same issue.
Having now migrated my data from Google to DB, I thought I'd post a follow up of what I actually did. I hope it helps others as there's a lot of misinformation out there.
- Firstly, and sadly, there is no (as yet) solution to large scale migration to DB.
- Given that part of the Google lock-in is the reliance upon their Office tools - slides, docs and sheet. These will not migrate, however, it is possible to save time in converting by using the Google take out feature - https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/3024190?hl=en. By configuring the output to "Add to Dropbox" Google will do the MS Office conversion for you.
- Another tip is to limit your Zip files to 10Gb - as tempting as the 50Gb option is - since these can (usually, but not always) be unzipped online.
- If you're transferring video files that exceed this size, I'm afraid there's no simple solution. You're going to have to download them from Google and then upload them to Dropbox.
- If you've got a complicated folder structure like I had, grab a tool like VisualDiffer (by Pablo J. Malacara). By using this tool I was able to ensure that I accurately reconstituted my files and folder structures when unzipping the take outs.
- A tip with VisualDiffer: The tool works smoothly when comparing files locally on my Mac, as well as those in iCloud, and even DB. The issue comes when trying to use VisualDiffer to sync between GDrive and anywhere else. It will just pop!
- The £10 / month upgrade to Virgin Media's fibre has been invaluable. I've spent many hours sat at my kitchen table with a network cable wired into my hub to get the best speed possible, and it really does make short work of large transfers.
- Although I'd previously uploaded all of my backup data DVDs, I've used this opportunity of having to download my data to take snapshot and build a local replica on SSD.
- Going forward, I'm maintaining a local copy of my working body of data in DEVONthink, with a snapshot held on SSD, and I backup to DB. This setup gives me an awesome search and retrieval system, and the security of SSD and cloud backups.
Although it seems sensible to seek a cloud-to-cloud migration tool or service, I was unable to find one that met my needs (i.e. I needed to transfer files >10Mb which is the vendor limit I ran into). I can understand the commercial need to lock-in data, buyer beware.
The DB transfer feature didn't work for me at all using Crome, and I had occasional success using Safari, but not frequently enough to inspire my confidence in using it. As you'll read above, the support position is RTFM, but I found this misleading as it suggests a transfer is possible, but it's actually a download followed by an upload.
The long and short of it is this, you're going to have to download your data. I made peace with this and just ground my way through it.
I hope others have an easier time than I did.
My experience with the current integration is not great either.
Two primary issues.
1) no real info on what's going on in the background, ie no way to learn what is happening after a job is submitted. Except of course a failed email that might show up hours/days latter. They need a ETA interface to background tasks.
2) does not work on 'larger' big jobs. Try loading a 100GB file accross it, no luck, ie from google drive to dropbox. If I guessed its failing at the token timeout mark???
workaround: rclone
I have rclone running in the us-west-2 on a tiny instance, saw an easy 100-200 mb/s speeds between google and dbox, awesome! One day will up the instance to a something closer to 1gb/s curious where things might top out
Granted maybe rclone is only means for us level-6 and up folks??? 😉
Then again, I'm sure someone already has a dbox app or other webapp somewhere out there wrapped around it to make it friendly.
--Brian
