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Forum Discussion
Linux - Unable to change Dropbox directory
I'm using Fedora Workstation 25 with GNOME.
Trying to change the Dropbox directory results in the utterly useless message "Unexpected errors occurred. Your Dropbox is ok!".
Steps to recreate problem:
- Dropbox directory is currently ~/Dropbox
- Start Dropbox application by running ~/.dropbox-dist/dropboxd
- Right click sys tray icon and select Preferences.
- Click "Move…" button under Account > Location
- Select directory /local on which my user has write permissions.
- The message "Unexpected errors occurred. Your Dropbox is ok!" appears.
Observations:
- The directory /local/Dropbox is sucesfully created.
- One of the directories in ~/Dropbox is created in /local/Dropbox/ It's empty. Deleting that directory from ~/Dropbox before attempting the move doesn't help.
- Selecting other directories on which my user has write permissions results in the same behaviour.
- Permissions and ownership of my Dropbox directory and user's home directory are OK. (Troubleshooting advice for Linux at https://help.dropbox.com/desktop-web/move-dropbox-folder is pooly written. sudo is not needed on all those commands. "Internet menu" is not a thing in all (any?) desktop environments.)
- There's a log file in ~/.dropbox/logs/1 but it's a binary blob so useless without something to make it human readable and I can't locate such a thing.
- Deleting all my files from ~/Dropbox/ waiting for sync to complete and then attempting the move doesn't help.
- When attemping the move after deleting all my files from ~/Dropbox/ /local/Dropbox/.dropbox.cache/ is succesfully created. It's empty.
- Pausing syncing before attempting the move doesn't help.
- There don't seem to be any options that can be passed to ~/.dropbox-dist/dropboxd to get more info. (Adding --help prevents it running!)
I was having this same issue. I found a fix in creating a Dropbox folder in my home directory prior to connecting my account. This caused the installer to throw an error about a Dropbox folder already existing that prompted me to either delete the Dropbox folder or select a different location. Eureka! (for me at least...)
Guys solved, and the solution was the easiest and logic.
I expose my situation:
sda1 300GB --> /
sda5 8TB --> /home
As I explained, I wanted to install Dropbox below /home directory, but playing as "root" user, by default, it forced the installation on /root
So I just installed the daemon using the user who owns the home directory I want and it works properly, just remember to add the "user" to the root group.
If you need more details, don't hesitate to ask.
wrote:I was having this same issue. I found a fix in creating a Dropbox folder in my home directory prior to connecting my account. This caused the installer to throw an error about a Dropbox folder already existing that prompted me to either delete the Dropbox folder or select a different location. Eureka! (for me at least...)
This didn't work for me, but I did find a similar solution! I created a "work" dropbox account and set up a fresh installation of dropbox with that account, which places the "work" Dropbox folder in the defaut ~/Dropbox. I then deleted everything in ~/.dropbox* (with rm -rf ~/.dropbox* ), reinstalled dropbox and set it up using my personal account. Now since the folder in ~/Dropbox already contains the dropbox for the work account, I got the prompt that allowed me to either delete the Dropbox folder or select a different location for my personal account. Somehow this worked when simply moving the folder within dropbox wouldn't... I hope this helps somebody! (using Fedora 27 btw)
Hi,
The following workaround applies to Ubuntu 18.04 and 16.04. I am using a Dropbox account that is SAML federated with a business account. In that case you have to logon to the Dropbox website with the business account first from a browser. Install the Dropbox client for Ubuntu. The Dropbox client will install the Dropbox daemon and open a URL to login to Dropbox. If that opens in a different browser (as in my case) copy/paste the URL into the browser that you used to logon to the Dropbox website. The Dropbox client will login and start to synchronize with a folder in your home directory. If you try to change that location you get the error. Quit the Dropbox client and launch a terminal:
#cd to your home directory $ cd ~ #Remove all permissions on the just created Dropbox folder in your home directory: $ chmod a-rwx <name-of-the-Dropbox-folder-in-your-home-directory, say ./Dropbox> #Remove the Dropbox configuration folder from your home directory: $ rm -rf .dropbox #The Dropbox client will not merge folders so you have to remove an existing Dropbox folder in the target location #As always double check the path before a sudo rm -rf! $ sudo rm -rf <absolute-path-to-the-Dropbox-folder-in-the-target-location, say /tmp2/user/Dropbox>
Launch the Dropbox client again. After login it will now raise an error because the Dropbox folder in your home directory is not accessible, and it will let you choose the target location.
Regards,
Gijsbert
Your reply is written as though I'm using macOS when I clearly stated I'm using Linux.
I stated in my post that I had tried deleting everything in ~/Dropbox/ prior to attempting to change the Dropbox direcory locaton and the error still occurs. The presence of symlinks in ~/Dropbox/ can't be the cause of the error if the error occurs when ~/Dropbox/ is empty.I don't have any symlinks in ~/Dropbox. I avoid using symlinks in stuff that I backup in Dropbox because I know symlinks won't be preserved.
Is there any way to get the Dropbox client to produce detailed error messages?
Is there any way to change the Dropbox directory location except using the GUI?
I've tried modifying the path value in ~/.dropbox/info.json (having first made sure no Dropbox processes were running), and then putting a copy of ~/Dropbox at the path I'd specified. On starting the Dropbox client the value of path in ~/.dropbox/info.json got changed back to what it was before. The only other suggestion of how to move the directory without using the GUI I can find online is to move the directory then create ~/Dropbox as a symlink, which is basically a bodge and not an acceptable solution.
Same issue here. I am on Fedora and want to move the Dropbox folder from the default location at my SSD (with only 128gb) to another internal HDD. I use the Dropbox Desktop App graphical interface, it actually creates the Dropbox folders and the first level folders insided it, but do not move any file and show the error "Error moving Dropbox: Unexpected errors occurred"
By this time I am sure it is a bug. I just opened a ticket.
Hello fellows:)
My question is about Linux OS (Debian in this case) and I'm trying to figured out how to change the default directory (that right now is root ˜ )
I followed this official guide: https://www.dropbox.com/install-linux
And downloaded the dropbox.py to handle it. It works everything.
Now the issue: how can I move everything to "/home/user"? Symlinks is not a solution because I set home directories to a raid partition of 8TB, so I need it there. Actually root is only 300GB and I have more data than that.
I've been looking for a relaiable solution but nothing..
Please help <3
Thanks in advance
