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Can Dropbox and OneDrive make peace?

Can Dropbox and OneDrive make peace?

Rick A.2
Explorer | Level 4
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I have a large volume of photos and I want them to be stored both in OneDrive and Dropbox. But I have discovered that pointing both services to the same folder makes each service crazy with sync errors.

 

I read about a possible solution with the MKLINK command, but I couldn't make any progress with that.

 

Can this be done? Can I peacefully share a folder with both OneDrive and Dropbox? If so, how?

1 Accepted Solution

Accepted Solutions

Rich
Super User II
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There's nothing outlined here as it's not a supported configuration. It likely involves creating symlinks to the original folder location within the sync folder of the storage service. Symlinks are also not supported within Dropbox as Dropbox is not able to sync their content in real-time (the operating system doesn't notify Dropbox of file updates).

What you're trying to do is really not recommended. Before you consider trying this you should ask yourself how important your data is to you.

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8 Replies 8

Rich
Super User II
Go to solution
It's highly not recommended to have two separate sync services, regardless of which ones, syncing the same data locations. As you've discovered, sync errors are bound to occur. It's possible, but highly problematic and is completely unsupported.

Rick A.2
Explorer | Level 4
Go to solution

Thank you, Rich. Before I give up altogether, and because there is no danger in my trying, I would like to know how it is possible. Is there a procedure that someone has outlined, even in theory, as to how it could work? I would like to try before I concede.

Rich
Super User II
Go to solution
There's nothing outlined here as it's not a supported configuration. It likely involves creating symlinks to the original folder location within the sync folder of the storage service. Symlinks are also not supported within Dropbox as Dropbox is not able to sync their content in real-time (the operating system doesn't notify Dropbox of file updates).

What you're trying to do is really not recommended. Before you consider trying this you should ask yourself how important your data is to you.

sixtyfourbit
Explorer | Level 4
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I don’t need to know all the reasons you can’t do it currently. What I want to know is, do you think it’s reasonable that at a team working on this error could overcome the hindrance of progress.

Max22
New member | Level 2
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I never used dropbox and surprised that i cant see anyone before asked why i need it when i have for example onedrive. 

Also I see problem here when syncing with both.

Why not start with the most fundemental and explain that.

imccully
New member | Level 2
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both MS flows and ifttt do this. Just schedule it to run every few minites. 

I'm looking right now for a full sync service so that I can have all my shared folders from either populate both. 

Because I have people who share files using their service of choice. Different sharers use different services. 

And I need the shared file to sync to my preferred service. 

This is a completely valid use case. 

Zaidy036
Explorer | Level 3
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Would a workable solution be to use Dropbox as primary and have OneDrive sync to it using a Symlink? One could, if necessary, pause DB and/or OD sync if necessary. Maybe the .dropbox.cache folder should NOT be included in the Symlink.

Zaidy036
Explorer | Level 3
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If you do not mind the extra storage caused by duplication just copy the files directly into OneDrive from either the source or Dropbox. I do this to make a second backup of critical files. I have a folder named DropBoxCopy in OneDrive to isolate the copies and my daily unattended batch makes the copies while both Dropbox and OneDrive are suspended using PsSuspend. Info is at <https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/pssuspend>

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  • User avatar
    Zaidy036 Explorer | Level 3
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    imccully New member | Level 2
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    Max22 New member | Level 2
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    sixtyfourbit Explorer | Level 4
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