Dropbox is compatible with Ext4 but doesn't recognize ext4 drive?

[Axiom2018]

So, like most Linux users, I've gotten the message about needing to upgrade to an ext4 drive. I had an extra drive in my machine with nothing on it so I formatted it to ext4. I rebooted then went into my prefs to change location and it tells me:

To sync your Dropbox, move your Dropbox folder to a partition with a compatible File System. Dropbox is compatible with Ext4.

So, when is an ext4 drive not an ext4 drive?

I'm using v55.4.171

[Scaine]

I'm in the same boat. Paid sub, 16.04, mounted in /home/scaine/Misc/Dropbox (ext4). Got told a few months ago to move to an ext4 partition. So I moved it to /home/scaine/Dropbox, and it's been working fine since. Two or three days ago, I started getting nagged about unsupported file systems.

My sub is up on February, so I've that long to figure out how to run OwnCloud in AWS, or similar. Not a fan of this move by Dropbox at all - it wouldn't surprise me at all if this generates MORE support issues for them in the short term, but in the long term, they've driven all their Linux customers away, so long term gain for them? Who knows. Very frustrating experience though, so I'll look elsewhere now, I think.

[Shiripiorca]

Hi!
I found the library dropbox-filesytem-fix on github, this fixed the same error for me!

This is the library:

https://github.com/dark/dropbox-filesystem-fix

Here are the instructions.

https://www.linuxuprising.com/2018/11/how-to-use-dropbox-on-non-ext4.html

[fjl]

I have founfd a simple solution!

1. make a new directory as root user in the root directory (eg. "drop")

2. set the rights of this directory for the standart-user.

3. make this directory default in the dropbox-settings.

Thats it

[adrian77]

It is quite frustrating and I believe dropbox support have not been very helpful here more than stating what FS they do support.

I started off with my problem with ext4 & ecrypfs on ubuntu 18.04. and as many others have managed to fix it by trying different approaches ending up in /var/<user>/Dropbox which is / partition of ext4 type managed under lvm.

But it didn't work under /home partition which is also ext4 and manged under lvm.
Both partitions are enabled with user_xattr since I could use setfattr/getfattr tools properly.

What bothers me is that none of us can really pinpoint the problem, and since its closed source we cannot help each other in a good way. One would expect better technical support from dropbox explaining what triggers the check to fail leading to the error message.

If you cannot help us, just dump part of the source code around the error message.

[AminSadeghi]

I think Dropbox might have solved the problem in the latest update. As of now, I no longer have this problem and can use my ext4 drive to host Dropbox, no matter how deep or shallow I go in the directory hierarchy. Previously, it seemed that Dropbox only likes to be hosted 3 levels down the root, but this issue seems to have been fixed.

While I've been very frustrated with Dropbox for this annoying issue, I take the opportunity to thank @Walter for conveying our discomfort to the developers. I wish you all a new year full of prosperity and better customer support 🙂

Cheers,
Amin

[Ralf T.1]

The problem in my case was the following. The ext4 partition was mounted to /home/ but the Dropbox folder was specified as /<PCname>/<Username>/Dropbox where /<PCname> was symbolic link to /home/ . Since the root partition (/) is not ext4 Dropbox refused to sync to the specified folder. After changing the Dropbox folder to /home/<Username>/Dropbox it was accepted and after 20hours of new syncing it is working fine now.

By the way, the Linux packages of dropbox are GPL. I thought this would mean access to the code...

[Dasco]

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@AminSadeghi wrote:

I've found a workaround. Create a new folder within the mount point of your ext4 drive. Then, simply choose that folder as the target in the Dropbox app. Here's an example:

Mount point of ext4 drive:

/media/mynewdrive

Make new directory within the mount point, say "DropboxContainer". Now choose the following path (simply choose in the Dropbox GUI) as the sync target:

/media/mynewdrive/DropboxContainer

To confirm, your Dropbox sync folder would look like this:

/media/mynewdrive/DropboxContainer/Dropbox

In my case, it used to complain about the ext4 thing, but this workaround seems to have done the job. Please let me know if it works for you.

---

This WORKED! Thank you!

[Ailurus]

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@AminSadeghi wrote:

I've found a workaround. Create a new folder within the mount point of your ext4 drive. Then, simply choose that folder as the target in the Dropbox app. Here's an example:

Mount point of ext4 drive:

/media/mynewdrive

Make new directory within the mount point, say "DropboxContainer". Now choose the following path (simply choose in the Dropbox GUI) as the sync target:

/media/mynewdrive/DropboxContainer

To confirm, your Dropbox sync folder would look like this:

/media/mynewdrive/DropboxContainer/Dropbox

In my case, it used to complain about the ext4 thing, but this workaround seems to have done the job. Please let me know if it works for you.

---

This worked for me also (Ubuntu 18.04), and dropbox stopped complaining. Thanks!

But I still think it's kind of logical to have the sync folder in my home directory. By now the dropbox app is up to 67.4.83 and trying to switch back just gives me the original error message about the file system not being ext4 (which it is).

Does anyone have any ideas on how to put the sync directory back under home?

[tada1]

Same situation here. I'm very, very disappointed with Dropbox in this point 😞 
It's easier to change service than dealing with workarounds.

[Здравко]

If someone still have problems about selecting "Dropbox" folder, it seems known bug, that the application don't check only content, but also the pointed directory! This lead to problems when dropbox root is going to be directed to mountpoint directory. In such a case (because of wrong check - bug in fact) dropbox confuses and make wrong conclusion. One workaround could be: selected directory must be IN the ext4 partition, not the root of this partition (doesn't matter how deep in directory tree is this). It seems most people just select the root, what trigger the bug. The mountpoint (FS root) directory could be (and usually is) outside ext4 partition, mounted in this point! It seems that the dropbox people will not fix this, so... be careful.

Another (more general) solution is 'fixing' this FS check using this script, so doesn't matter anymore where You try to set the dropbox folder (even outside ext4 partition or using eCriptFS).

Good luck for everyone!