Linux avoid re-downloading advanced install

[john g.79]

Ubuntu 20.04.1 LTS

I have 2+TB of data in my dropbox folder on a different disk than my startup disk. So would like to avoid redownloading,

especially given I am not 100% sure all the files were uploaded.

Procedure for reinstall at https://help.dropbox.com/installs-integrations/desktop/advanced-reinstall

leaves out steps for Nautilus install and daemon download
and results in dropbox selective sync pointing to the default location on a disk that is too small 
for the 2TB. My 2TB of dropbox folder is on another disk and already has all the data.

Does anyone have the procedure to install dropbox on Linux that results in a dropbox continuing to use a non-default location?

[Здравко]

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@john g.79 wrote:
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Procedure for reinstall at https://help.dropbox.com/installs-integrations/desktop/advanced-reinstall

leaves out steps for Nautilus install and ...

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Hi @john g.79,

I'm not sure what you mean with "steps for Nautilus"?! 🤔 Have you seen on the same place steps for Finder or Windows Explorer? 🧐 I haven't. 🙄

By the way plugins for Nautilus are part of the debian package. If you have installed the package (not installed Dropbox by hand) Nautilus should be able see Dropbox status and sends control commands already. On Linux there are NOT advanced options at application link time (like on the other supported OS-es), unfortunately. If I have to bet, you're looking for something like.

As a workaround you can pause your sync process and rename the Dropbox folder on the target place to something like "Dropbox.backup". After that you can move current Dropbox folder there (as usual). While keep Dropbox application on pause, move all content of "Dropbox.backup" to the new Dropbox folder. Finally, resume syncing and remove already empty "Dropbox.backup". 😉

Hope this helps.

[john g.79]

The procedure for reinstalling dropbox while avoiding re-downloading your Dropbox content comes from dropbox customer support.
The produce is located at https://help.dropbox.com/installs-integrations/desktop/advanced-reinstall and select the Linux options.

When dropbox is installed in Linux using their script,  a window opens that says Nautilus will be installed, and also a daemon will be installed.  These 2 actions are not indicated in their instructions.  Since their procedure fails to allow the location to be changed before my files start to download, and their instructions also fail to mention these 2 additional downloads, I assume their procedure is out of date or incomplete.

I also thought of moving the folders manually. My fear is that this may result in 2TB of merge conflicts or some other file lost situation.  

[Здравко]

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@john g.79 wrote:
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When dropbox is installed in Linux using their script,  a window opens that says Nautilus will be installed, and also a daemon will be installed.  ..

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First at all, there isn't any script for Dropbox application install! Dropbox plugins for Nautilus are in the debian package or could be installed from source. Control script is in the same debian package or could downloaded separately. Dropbox daemon could be downloaded on first run through the control script or by hands. That's it.

What kind of window gets open and says something? 🤔 Can you post a screenshot? Do you mean the message window showing daemon downloading on first script run? It should shows up just once and no more, despite of some bugs that could lead to repeatable downloading. Did you observe this bug?

PS: Take a look here; might be the same.