Disaster: Dropbox removing external disk support for Mac users :(

[Jon C.10]

In case anyone's unaware... if you're a Mac user storing your Dropbox on an external drive, you'll shortly lose that ability.

https://talk.tidbits.com/t/dropbox-drops-support-for-storing-files-on-an-external-drive-and-onedrive...

https://help.dropbox.com/installs/macos-support-for-expected-changes

Just confirmed this with DB support (see below).  Gutted - been with Dropbox for years and our entire video team flow is based around it 😕

>Hi there, I read today that you are scrapping the ability to store the Dropbox folder on external disks, on OSX. I'd like to ask more about this please.

> Hello Jon, and thank you for contacting Dropbox Support. My name is Joseph, and I will be more than happy to look into your request, right away.  

That is correct Jon, as part of the Dropbox for macOS update, the Dropbox folder must be located in ~/Library/CloudStorage.

>This is a showstopper for us, and will mean we have to move to another service. We have a large distributed team using DB for video work, no way it'll fit within internal drives.
Is there a workaround?

> I totally understand and I apologize for the inconvenience. Unfortunately, there is no workaround on this as changing the location of your Dropbox folder is no longer supported by macOS.

>This change doesn't seem to have hit us yet - we're running a variety of machines inc Ventura
What will trigger its enforcement? Can we stay on an earlier OS or Dropbox version?

>The updates happening automatically every time the Dropbox app is restarting, for example if your device never restarts it should maintain the older version but we can't guarantee full functionality on older versions of the application.

>So what will happen - if we have a Dropbox folder on an 8TB drive and a tiny internal drive - will it try to clone stuff across and eat up the space? What's the mechanism?

>That's right, it will try to move the content on your internal drive until it has no space and gives you an error.

>Is Smartsync still supported? I.e. will it move stuff to being online only if it won't fit?

>It is, however it is now known as online-only.

[shinbeth]

@Emmet 

It took a while... Nice to see a human is still left at this company lol

[UKD]

@apfund I didn't wish to have a go at you but this has been such a frustrating time for us that we didn't need the party line answer but an honest upfront answer. This is why some of us are looking elsewhere. The lack of info, the same old answers or no answers even and no clear roadmap. 

[ArthurPix]

@Emmet Thank you for the update. I have been delighted with my service from Dropbox up until the current crisis over external drive support, and will consider re-upping if the matter is solved in a timely fashion.

[shinbeth]

@ArthurPix 

Be careful, they use these tactics to make you think the matter is being dealt when in fact, they have absolutely no clue.

[ArthurPix]

@shinbeth I did say “if the matter is dealt with in a timely fashion.” We have heard repeatedly they are working on it, and I can only assume they are doing so. I’ve already enrolled with an alternate cloud storage provider and copied my folders over, so I’m not at risk of losing my external drive support, but the new service isn’t perfect —for example, I’m finding that iPad uploads of even the tiniest pdf files are taking forever, while with Dropbox they executed immediately.

So truly, if I had my druthers, I’d druther stick with Dropbox and keep my external drive support. Truth is truth.

[shinbeth]

@ArthurPix 

Good luck you'll still be stuck with them in the same situation, one year from now 🙂 wanna bet?

[UKD]

@shinbeth @ArthurPix and that's the rub isn't it, the total lack of confidence.

[Arno K.]

I've contacted support and they have actually been very helpful.

Today I got a followup on the mail, which might solve the issue with the external drives.
The app Dropbox is now updating my all my files (which may take a day or two), so I'll have to wait until it's finished to be sure it works.
I'll post an update once it's ready.

For now, I can share my setup and possible solution provided by the Dropbox support.
My setup might differ a bit form others so keep this in mind, but I do think it could work for many of you.
Also, please take caution. I don't now if everything will be synced as before untill the update process has finished.

---

My setup:

iMac, 512GB harddisk space

Holding base Dropbox folder (with about 50GB of data synced)
Now relocated to the cloudStorage folder due to Apple's policy with a symlink to this at the old location (automatically created by the Dropbox update).

2x External drive 1TB
Synced via the Dropbox Backup
I'm not sure this these were located at the Dropbox Backup tab before, but they are now.
Both drives have an .dbx-external-drive extension in the Dropbox cloud.

This setup has worked for over a year and stopped working after the MacOs + Dropbox update
The drives were stated as disconnected on the Dropbox Backup tab and could not be reconnected.

If you have the base Dropbox folder located on an external drive, this will propably not work, but as a workaround you could create a new empty one at your working station (might allready be done by the update) and add the external drives via the Dropbox bakcup option.

-----------------------------------------------
The solution (?), provided by Dropbox:

--------------------------------------------

For me, it was the last step of the solution which made the drives visible again by DropBox; checking the removable drives box in the Security and Privacy tab. Just in case, I'll copy the complete reaction with all steps provided by Dropbox:

---

Could you please check that all options listed in the Sharing and Permissions section of each external drive's Get Info page (navigate to external drive and press command + i) are set to ''Read & Write'' please?
 
I have attached below help articles from Apple explaining further the process:
https://support.apple.com/en-ie/guide/mac-help/mchlp1038/mac
 
https://support.apple.com/en-ie/guide/mac-help/mchlp1203/12.0/mac/12.0
 
Additionally, can you please ensure that "Removable Volumes" are enabled for Dropbox by the following steps:
 

• Open System Preferences.
• Click Security and Privacy.
• Click the Privacy tab.
• Click Files and Folders.
• Check the box next to Removable Volumes under Dropbox.

 
Once the above has been applied to each drive, can you please reconnect the drive were you should hopefully be prompted to backup again as desired. 
 
Should the issue persist after completing the above steps, I kindly request that you advise us of what you encountered when attempting the above (with screenshots if possible) to enable us to investigate further.

[ArthurPix]

@iagdotme @UKD I think it's sad that so many of us suspect the new architecture is about Appel wanting to force us to buy more internal drive space — especially since internal drive space is four times (or more) expensive than similarly super fast external drive space, e.g. the latest Samsung EVO mounted in a suitable, thunderbolt 4 housing.

Sad, but also in keeping with mounting evidence of Apple's corporate greed at the expense of developers and users. This flies in the face of the Apple that Woz and Jobs envisioned. If I'm correct, Apple will soon have to pay the piper for this policy of "milk the users and developers for every cent they've got." European regulators will probably be first to force Apple to allow side-loading of apps, followed by the U.S. Senate. After they smell blood in the water, there will be more and more regulation, all thanks to Apple's insensitivity about their enormous size and clout, and how this is being g received by the public, It used to be that I LOVED my Apple devices. Now I use them because they're better, and there an end to it.

I hope we're wrong, since I have seen nothing in the new API stating outright that placing third-party online storage in an external drive is verboten. After all, I can install Ventura itself on an external drive and may actually do so in months to come.

But, I don't think we should be piling on when a Dropbox rep weighs in with news about what he or she is working on. Apple has NOT been very helpful to third-party cloud storage providers, ever, and they're not being helpful now. Absolutely, we should be pressuring Dropbox to work out a way to let us keep our external drives!

Just one man's opinion. 

[psalcal]

@ArthurPix note there are storage providers which are already supporting sync with folders on external drives, like sync.com.  So while I think part of this is indeed driven by Apple, I think the application of the tech and the response on the Dropbox side is clearly driven by Dropbox themselves and their corporate priorities.  

Also.. noting I have had another chat with Dropbox support.  They did not sound in this round of conversations like they were pushing their "blame apple and there is nothing we can do about it" answer.  It DID sound like they were trying to find a solution.  They stopped short of committing to having a solution though.  But as we know, for the time being, they have not been requiring an upgrade to the latest version which moves the folder to the local volume.  So I guess I'm hopeful they are seeing the light here.