Trouble with storing my macOS Dropbox app on an external drive

[S2B]

Perhaps someone can walk me through how to take care of these questions:

1. I liked having Dropbox mirror on my desktop, but that became untenable when Dropbox would no longer let me put the desktop contents on an external drive. These days, my Mac internal drive is 500 GB, and there isn’t any room for my photos (1.4TB). Not sure how to make this work using selective sync to move the Dropbox folder to an external drive. How do I make it so the default is an external drive on my Mac?

2. Backup management also needs clearer text to explain its actions. Given I can’t use the desktop sync without an exterior drive, how do I back up an exterior drive using the WEB-based Dropbox? 

[S2B]

Is anybody finding these issues:

1. The space management user interface is limited and buried. The default message if I exceed space is to sell more space. In my case, the space was being taken up by long deleted old drive backups. Instead of taking me to a sales page, the error should be linked to a space management page. In addition to the thermometer with the file volume, there should be data on which folders are taking up the most space and tools for deleting those files. 

2. The backup user interface is scary. It gives the impression that the original local files are going to be deleted when a backup is going to be deleted. The wording needs to be fixed so that when a Dropbox backup file is deleted, it is clear the local file will not be touched.

3. Backup management also needs clearer text to explain its actions. Given, I can’t use the desktop sync without an exterior drive, how do I back up an exterior drive using the WEB based dropbox? 

[Nancy]

Welcome back to the forum, @S2B! Let’s look into this. 

Regarding moving the Dropbox folder to your external hard drive; can you clarify what’s its current location on your local hard drive? Is it under ~/Library/CloudStorage perhaps?

I’m asking because, if the Dropbox for macOS on File Provider update has already been installed, it’s no longer possible to move it to an external drive instead.

So, in this case, you could use selective sync to remove any large folders you don’t need to sync locally, so that they don’t take up hard drive space on your computer.

As per backing up an external drive instead, this shouldn’t be an issue, as a copy of your external drive files will only be accessible via the Dropbox website, and it won’t take up space from your local hard drive. Once you plug the external drive to your computer, do you receive a prompt by Dropbox to back it up?

Finally, I’ve forwarded the feedback you shared with the appropriate team, so that they can also review it. 

Let me know, if you’d like me to clarify something else.

[S2B]

Thank you, Nancy, for your reply.

Can you clarify what’s its current location on your local hard drive?
I have a number of external drives. The one I would like to store my Dropbox content on is a Thunderbold Sandisk 6TB. Unfortunately, the smaller internal drive on my Mac Studio is nearly full.

I don't know how to start with the Dropbox desktop app. Last time I used it, it immediately started copying files to my internal drive, overloading it. It also would do that when Dropbox unlinked with my external drive. I don't have enough time in my life to undo the damage that causes.

Once you plug the external drive to your computer, do you receive a prompt by Dropbox to back it up?
I am afraid (based on past experience) of setting up the desktop app. The main folder I would like to backup is my 1.4 TB photo library. Could you tell me how to set this up so Dropbox won't start duplicating this huge file to my little internal drive? Including the few times I start the system and perhaps the Sandisk is off-line. This happens on occasion when the external drive doesn't boot in time. Back when I used the Dropbox app this anomaly caused chaos.

[Nancy]

If your Dropbox folder is now located under ~/Library/CloudStorage, then the only way would be to use selective sync, as mentioned above, so that you have enough space to sync some of your folders locally, and keep everything else in the Dropbox cloud (online). 

If you wish, please check these steps, and let me know if you have any questions.

As per your second question; if you enable external drive backup, then your files will only show on the Dropbox website (via dropbox.com/backup/all), and not locally (so, they won’t take up hard drive space from your internal drive). All you need to do is to connect the drive, and then Dropbox will show you more prompts on how to complete the process. Here's a Help Center article as well, with all you need to know about this.

Now, if you’re concerned about your external drive not connecting in time, when you launch your device, you can manually start the Dropbox app each time, instead of having it set to start automatically, after you’ve made sure the system has recognized your external drive. This is the option you’ll need to uncheck in this case. 

Hope this helps a bit more.

[S2B]

I can't use iCloud storage for Dropbox. My iCloud account does not have nearly enough space. It is the reason I use Dropbox. I have 3TB in Dropbox.

I would prefer my Desktop App Dropbox files reside on a physical local drive.

So before I get to your second step in the process I need to know how I set up the the app to reside on an external drive. And be assured this will not default back to overloading my sad small internal drive.

s.

[Rich]

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@S2B wrote:

I can't use iCloud storage for Dropbox. My iCloud account does not have nearly enough space. It is the reason I use Dropbox.

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Nancy isn't suggesting that you use iCloud. What she's asking is, what is the current location of your Dropbox folder?

The File Provider API that Apple uses now forces cloud storage services, like Dropbox, to store their sync folder in the ~/Library/CloudStorage folder on your internal drive. This doesn't mean it's stored in iCloud. CloudStorage is just the name of the folder in the Library.

If the Dropbox for macOS on File Provider update has already been installed on your computer, then it's no longer possible to move the Dropbox folder to an external drive.

[S2B]

Thank you, Rich, for the clarification. Yes, there is a Dropbox sync folder in my CloudStorage folder.

This helps me understand what Nancy is saying a bit more. It helps me understand selective sync. I am pretty savvy about this stuff, but I find the current Dropbox tough to follow. I guess I am used to cloud solutions that allow the user more control over where synced files live. The old Dropbox was super easy to use and more aligned with the sophisticated cloud solutions I am familiar with in the large file video business.