Disable automatic updates

[Mike G.]

How can I prevent dropbox from automatically updating itself? The new dropbox 3 has a very anti-windows-7 UI that I don't like, so I reinstalled 2.10. How do I stop dropbox from continually installing v3?

[Fabrizio C.]

@System Void

You are right, there might be security exploits without a regular upgrade.

Problem is that some updates are not running with my Win XP Pro and old CPU and I have all the time to uninstall DB, clean my system, reinstall the previous working version, reindex all my files.

It takes about 2 hours to do that.

I am planning to shift to other cloud service when the one year contract will expire.

[Piotr W.]

Hi, is there a chance to block updating dropbox in MAC osx.

[Kenny L.2]

After you have done all those various things without any progress - such as gone through the registry and done all you possibly could to prevent the spate of dropbox 'failed to update' pop-up windows (eg...5 or 6 minimized notification windows that you see when you eventually come back to your computer after many hours) ..... then you can use 'Process Blocker' for Windows systems. That will sort it out once and for all. Once you install it, you just configure its blocked applications list with 'dropbox-upgrade*.exe' and 'dropboxupdate*.exe'. You can even disable the blocking notification. No more problem.

[Sjøgren D.]

Why not make a button in Dropbox Preferences so you can tick (auto update or not) ???

Every other application have this feature.

PLEASE

Mac OS X

[R B.3]

I absolutely agree that there should be an update mechanism that at least allows users to opt out. For me it's quite horrifying that they just place a hidden backdoor on my computer that allows them to push executable code to my machine at their will without me even knowing.

Ever since I found out that Dropbox downloads new software secretly and without my consent I kind of stopped trusting the company. And after reading that Dropbox actually ignores their user's demands to stop forcing unwanted buggy updates on them I would really like to find a provider that treats their users with basic respect.

Does anybody happen to know an alternative service, maybe even with an open API and 3rd-party clients available? Dropbox-style synchronization to S3/SFTP/SCP would also be an option, as long as there is an easy way for family members without IT background to set it up.

[Ricardo J.4]

first i uninstall version 3.x then installed 2.10.52 , setup login details, after it started syncing end task with task manager the process: dropbox.exe  because it could be already downloading the updates...

complete uninstall dropbox, means after normal uninstallation
delete manually DropBox folders :

C:\Documents and Settings\User Name\Local Settings\Application Data\Dropbox\

and C:\Documents and Settings\User Name\Application Data\Dropbox\

end task/reload Explorer.exe, since some files might still be in use

or restart your OS if neccesary !!

open notepad and copy this:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\DisallowRun]
"DropboxUpdate.exe"="DropboxUpdate.exe"
"DropboxUpdateBroker.exe"="DropboxUpdateBroker.exe"
"DropboxUpdateHelper.msi"="DropboxUpdateHelper.msi"
"DropboxUpdateOnDemand.exe"="DropboxUpdateOnDemand.exe"
"DropboxUpdateHelper.exe"="DropboxUpdateHelper.exe"
"dropbox-upgrade-3.10.7.exe"="dropbox-upgrade-3.10.7.exe"
"dropbox-upgrade-3.10.8.exe"="dropbox-upgrade-3.10.8.exe"

"StefanF"="dropbox-upgrade-*.exe"

save it, then rename the extension from .txt to .reg

doble clic on it, say yes when asked, reboot your system

Now your problem is gone !!

 i did in XP PRO SP3, so far it works and no errors.

simple fix and anyone could do it. try it !

Note: i posted 2 other methods that failed, this one is bullet proof..!

[Robert A.21]

It could be worse. You could have a network of some 20 assorted computers set up as a retirement hobby on each of which you installed dropbox (when it first appeared) because (at that time) it was simple and reliable. Since then (1) support dropped for my Mac G4, OUCH (2) a credit card I never-ever use and keep in a drawer for travel only was stolen because the data was left in a dropbox file, OUCH (3) stopped working completely on several of my XP partitions and when I tried to reinstall current ver got the dreaded DEATH ERROR CODE for outdated cert error, only solution was grabbing an older version from Oldapps and reinstalling, GOD BLESS OLDAPPS (4) now the update process steals so much computing power at startup (when it works) that my older machines are not usuable until it completes. I am now in the painful process of freezing updates on all machines with a view to replacing the program with SYNC, a new offering that seems to work well and has better encryption. SUGGEST DOWNLOAD FREE "AUTORUNS" to quickly manage all the hidden DB startups. So far seems to work.

[jayson h.1]

I Think I've found a way on windows:

Essentially just make a firewall rule to block all outgoing connections for the following program:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Dropbox\Update\DropboxUpdate.exe

I shan't go into detail as the process is pretty explanatory.

Hope this helps. 

[K B.8]

Upvoted Jason's post.

I think this wouldn't be a problem for Dropbox if they didn't keep renaming their client after a new version number (which may alert a properly functioning firewall).

[Tsee L.]

Thanks for all those who helped. Wonder if Dropbox will figure out a way to drive away all loyal users.