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Sync dropbox across multiple locations/hard drives

Sync dropbox across multiple locations/hard drives

Ashvin B.
New member | Level 2

I have a larger dropbox account than my primary hard drive. It would be great if dropbox could support virtual links to files outside of it's default location, without those files having to also be in the main dropbox folder. I am aware of shortcuts/aliases on windows/OSX, but those don't solve the problem if my primary drive has limited space.

This is one workaround, but native support through the Dropbox client would be ideal: http://bobmckay.com/software/split-dropbox-across-multiple-drives

Latest Update
Nancy
Dropbox Staff

Thank you for sharing your idea.

 

We have looked into this, but it is not something we are actively working on at this time.

 

We regularly review these ideas, and we will keep you updated if this idea moves forward in the future.

Status changed to: Not for right now
108 Comments
emontero
Explorer | Level 3

Hi, thanks for your response.

I need a high-speed hard drive on my computer and, in addition, another, mainly, with a  large storage capacity.

In the first -optic- I run all the programs that I need to be processed quickly (statistics, geographic information systems, ...). , while in the second I store all the information that I generate (on a high-capacity mechanical hard disk).

Optical hard drives today are fast but low in storage capacity (for a reasonable price), as well as less reliable than traditional magnetic drives.

Unlike this, magnetic disks offer very large storage capacity at a very reasonable price and excellent reliability.

As the technical service informs me, Dropbox stores the information on the same hard drive where the application is installed. I have a 500 GB optical hard disk and work files for 400 GB (and increasing), at the same time as a 2 TB mechanical hard disk that, apparently, cannot be used by Dropbox.

The fact that the information must necessarily be stored on the same hard drive where the application is installed, without being able to define a way to store it elsewhere, constitutes for me, currently, a very serious limitation of Dropbox.

AlvaroMolinaF
Explorer | Level 4

I have an HP Laptop running Windows 10 and it has 2 hard disks, one is an SSD for the system and applications and the second one is a normal HD for the Data. This is a worldwide normal configuration for mobile Workstations like this one (in my company more than 500 persons have mobile workstations con 2 HD and most are suffering same problem than me with DropBox).

 

The problem is the Dropbox can not sync System folders (Desktop, Download, Documents, Music, Images and Video) if I move it to another ubication different than the System volume, but Windows is alouding to move these folders to another HD because it is logical that if you have 2 HD you want to put all data in a different HD than the system (the SSD are expensive and normally smaller capacity than the Normal HD)

 

So I can't make Back Up of my computer.

 

Also need that Dropbox aloud me to Sync any folder I want, not only the Dropbox folder.

David_Learner
Explorer | Level 3

Hi all,

I want to add my vote to Dream_User_H's very succinct summary of the way Dropbox works.

 

I am a long-time user of free Dropbox, and when I decided I needed to Share some of my larger Documents folders, I obviously turned to Dropbox first and started the free month of Dropbox Plus (2TB) plan.

 

I went through quite a few support personnel, who refused to acknowledge this as a Dropbox shortcoming until it escalated to one support specialist, who:

1) Understood the issue,

2) Pointed me to the "Share an Idea" forum and

3) Suggested (actually - requested) that I add my vote to this already long discussion (which I wish I had known about sooner and had read the correspondence).

 

So, Dropbox team, one more vote to implement Dream_User_H's summary of the pain expressed by all the contributors to this list.

 

Since this will not be solved before my 1 month trial is over, I already checked out some other solutions.

I will cancel my Dropbox Plus trial and will probably be going with Microsoft's Onedrive, even though I am no MS fan, but they have solved the problem.

 

There must obviously be a deep rooted problem here, probably engineered by Microsoft in the first place, that disallows Dropbox from backing up "Documents" unless it is on the C: drive.

I blame MS because they have very conveniently "solved" the problem by moving Documents into their Onedrive folder even if it is on (my) E: drive.

Unfortunately Dropbox will not accept the Documents folder when it is under Onedrive.

 

Dropbox team, PLEASE solve this so I and others can standardize on the Dropbox we love.

drewpreiner
Explorer | Level 4

Have been a DB user since the beginning. Now needing a pro solution that allows me to have ProTools/Ableton sessions on one external and all my samples on another. Need for those external HDs to be backed up. Please Dropbox crew, don't make me go to Backblaze. I really don't want to but its looking like thats my only option unless we get support on this. 

 

cc:@DropboxAsh @dropboxwes @JohnDropbox @Dropbox Ted @kyledropbox 

 

 

carlf
Explorer | Level 4

I have a comment requesting this feature somewhere on this thread a few years ago.  I now use Boxifier to accomplish what I need.  Relatively painless, once set up, but it is not ideal in part because you have to pay for it.  Ideal would be if Dropbox would find the time to implement this.  As I said before, if Boxifier can do this, why can't Dropbox?  In the meantime, make sure you and all your friends and acquaintances vote for this using the "Vote For This Idea" button.

dropboxkelson
Dropbox Staff

@drewpreiner Hi there! I'm a PM at Dropbox, working on a solution for external drive support. Thank you for your feedback. 

 

I'd love to learn more about the ideal workflow you'd want. I take it you have sessions on one external device, samples on another. 

 

Assuming you could back up the two external drives directly to Dropbox, without taking up space on your computer, how would you use the files once in Dropbox? I.e. would you want to share / download / edit theses files, or is it mainly about backing up for prevention against data loss?

dropboxkelson
Dropbox Staff

And @carlf, it'd be great if you could share more about how you use Boxifier to accomplish your needs, and what Dropbox could build to make your life easier!

teo5
Helpful | Level 5

@dropboxkelson I would envision using this with space-hogging files that I access rarely, like archived documents and photos. I'm on the 2TB paid plan so my dropbox can hold a lot more than my laptop's internal drive. For example, I could keep my photo library on an external hard drive and sync that with dropbox. When I eject the hard drive (I'm on a mac), I can disconnect it and everything is happy. I don't expect to be able to access anything when it's disconnected, and I would have to close my photo software which is accessing the drive before disconnecting it. There would just need to be a way for dropbox to release the drive (preferably, automatically) so my mac lets me eject it, without freaking out. Then when I plug the drive back in, dropbox sees it's there and continues to sync. I would envison that in dropbox sync preferences I can create define dropbox folders (one on the internal drive, one on the external drive) and then specify what from my account should be synced to each folder.

channingshattuck
New member | Level 2

We've all had this issue, since 2014, and Dropbox has largely ignored this request. The problem goes like this. I have multiple hard drives, each about 500GB in size. I have a 2TB Dropbox account. I want to sync Dropbox across several hard drives in order to actually make use of that 2TB of space. This is impossible to do normally/easily, and some of the older methods described are difficult, convoluted, no longer work, or just plain require way too many steps or add-ons.

 

However, I have found a workaround solution that has been working for me so far (for Windows). It goes like this. You sign into your main Windows account. You make a Dropbox, and you install it on one of your drives. Then you log out of your Windows account so that you are back at Windows startup. You make and sign into another local account. With this new Windows login, install Dropbox again, on the next drive (using the same dropbox user login). Make sure to turn selective sync on and unsync Drive 1 from this Drive 2 account, so that you aren't syncing duplicates.

Do this for as many drives as you want to sync across, one Windows account login per drive, unfortunately.
Then, go back to your main Windows account. Files that you drop into those other drives will sync online after a few moments (it's a bit slower and doesn't show any syncing symbols, but it still seems to work!) You are now able to sync across multiple drives.

Sometimes you have to relogin to those other accounts for Dropbox to turn on again after a Windows update or major shutdown event but overall this loophole has been working for me and is fairly simple to do. Just make sure to turn on selective sync so that all the drives aren't resyncing themselves into eachother ad infinitum.

Also, Dropbox.. ADD THIS FEATURE FOR BUSINESS'S SAKE, ARE YOU KIDDING ME WHY ISN'T THIS ALREADY A THING?!?

PS: Or, as someone mentioned, just install Boxifier XD

Razvan Boxifier
Collaborator | Level 10

@carlf thanks for mentioning Boxifier! 

 

@dropboxkelson here at Boxifier we've been extending the Dropbox desktop client to seamlessly sync external drives for many years now, so we have a pretty good idea of what Dropbox could build to make users' life easier. I'm happy to share our insights if that could benefit all Dropbox users working with external drives.

 

Razvan from Boxifier

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93 votes received Status: Not for right now