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Forum Discussion
pmeier
7 years agoExplorer | Level 4
Mac slows down on starting with paid Dropbox.
I have to wait on my macs (27" and two 13" Macbook, three and four years old, newest systems) almost 10 to 15 Minutes until i can use other apps, as dropbox syncs so slow the list. After list is load...
- 7 years agoTo my mind, the most likely cause should be that files on one of your Macs are removed (i.e. using the Selective sync feature), therefore this has improved your overall syncing speed Josef (pmeier). That’s merely a guess of course, though would you mind checking back to see if this applies to your current setup on either of your devices?Additionally, I’d suggest having a look here for some tips to adjust your bandwidth locally, which will help you speed up syncing a bit when it comes to your files uploaded/ downloaded via the client.I hope that my advice is a bit more helpful. Let me know how you get on with these steps & we’ll take it from there Josef. Wishing you a wonderful week ahead!
Jane
Dropbox Staff
Hey Josef (pmeier), to help you diagnose the behavior, let me quickly ask you a couple of questions in regards to your current file structure & then advise on how to best resolve that!
For starters, it would be worth checking back on the files updated on your account on a specific timeframe Josef. If there was a significant number of changes, then Dropbox will scan your system & compare the versions, in order to update all your local files to your website view.
When Dropbox syncs your files it starts with all of the folders & then moves on to files from smallest to largest. Please be patient and the files will sync. In other words it will either say "all files up to date" or tell you how many files are left to sync and how long it expects to take. Please note that this is an "instant" estimate based on the current upload speed. This value can change if you check the value just a few seconds later.
In case you’d like to start all other applications on this device & then launch Dropbox manually, you could disable the autostart through the desktop application Preferences. (Dropbox logo on your menu bar> :gear: icon> Preferences> General> Uncheck the Start Dropbox on system startup box.)
From there, you could also utilize our Selective Sync feature that will reduce the overall load of the client & improve syncing.
Hopefully my advice is helpful & please do keep me updated on this discussion on how my pointers work for you!
pmeier
7 years agoExplorer | Level 4
Dear Jane,
thanks for the informations!
I wonder, why this problems after >Restart< happen not on the Macbook Air, but on the same old 27" Mac? Both have similar systems.
Is there a Tip?
Best regards
Josef
- Jane7 years agoDropbox StaffTo my mind, the most likely cause should be that files on one of your Macs are removed (i.e. using the Selective sync feature), therefore this has improved your overall syncing speed Josef (pmeier). That’s merely a guess of course, though would you mind checking back to see if this applies to your current setup on either of your devices?Additionally, I’d suggest having a look here for some tips to adjust your bandwidth locally, which will help you speed up syncing a bit when it comes to your files uploaded/ downloaded via the client.I hope that my advice is a bit more helpful. Let me know how you get on with these steps & we’ll take it from there Josef. Wishing you a wonderful week ahead!
- Nick_zz6 years agoHelpful | Level 6
I am sorry, I don't see how this answer solves anything.
I have the same problem. My desktop mac (older, but running High Sierra, 32G memory and decent disk space) becomes almost unusable for 10-15 minutes following startup.
I am pretty sure it is Dropbox, because the disk crunching and the slowing down goes away if I turn off Dropbox (or just the sync).
Just now, I know for a fact that *nothing* changed in my files between the time I logged out and then logged back in after ~1 hour. Yet, the whole sync circus started again.
It seems to me that Dropbox simply downloads and uploads every single file if it thinks something changed. Or at least, it does so with way more files than are actually in need of syncing.
Is there anything that can be done to improve this? (I use selective sync as much as possible. ) I do have a lot of files (300Gb), I use this for work. I pay something, I am not sure what level that is. I can't search my email because my computer is stuck with Dropbox syncing ...
(Also, the Dropbox icon has been stuck on "Starting ..." for about three years, but I gave up on that.)
- Jane6 years agoDropbox StaffHey there (Nick_zz), just to take it from where you’ve already left off on your end, I’ll try to follow-up on your description as closely as possible; thanks for checking back with me here on this matter!Now as you mentioned that you’ve already checked what’s happening within a specific timeframe, I’d suspect that there’s an underlying syncing issue that has manifested itself just recently from what I gather from your description:
the disk crunching and the slowing down goes away if I turn off Dropbox (or just the sync)
Have you monitored the Dropbox performance on your Activity Monitor perchance? What have you found there if you don’t mind me asking?From there, it would be worth mentioning that we recommend avoiding the use of Symlinks &/ or storing a large number of files in your Dropbox folder as a rule of thumb, since it can affect your syncing speed. I’m also wondering whether the amount of files you’ve currently synced on your Mac (despite utilizing Selective Sync) is surpassing the recommended 300,000 files soft limit.Please include as much info as possible on this discussion here & I’ll make sure to check back with you & send you the best next steps to tackle this behavior. Thanks for posting us on the Dropbox Community & enjoy the rest of your day until we talk again!
- pmeier3 years agoExplorer | Level 4Thank you for the tips. Meanwhile the 27 Mac had 10th birthday. The books do fine with loading. Only the 27 takes about an hour to load. The Dropbox is 260 GB with lots of photos. The system is refreshed - since then it is 15 minutes more. For this I do not expect a solution anymore. That's computer life. In earlier days, it was much more complicated.
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