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download large file using browser fails before end

Using Firefox have downloaded 7.4GB of a 7.9GB file. Resume continues the process and shows the duration remaining but after a few minutes it stops again with message "Failed - dropbox.com". Have repeated this for many days with no improvement. The target folder shows <file-name>.part file with 7.49GB size. During the resume the <file-name> shows with zero size. Have tried with IE also but with similar results. Am downloading to a local drive to avoid any LAN issues.

Can anyone advise how to solve this problem and download the whole file please?

Thanks.

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Comments

Gwyn G.

There definitely seems to be some sort of problem going on over the past few days with file transfers through the browser. For several days, I haven't been able to upload any file larger than 1MB to my online folders, either through the advanced uploader or the basic uploader. I very much doubt that it's an issue with my computer -- I have exactly the same internet speed now that I had in the past when Dropbox last performed as it should, I haven't noticed similar problems with other websites (since I'm able to download files from other sites), and I've performed a thorough tune-up on my computer (updated the operating system, updated the anti-virus software, scanned the computer for malware, cleared out the junk files, removed obsolete entries from the registry, defragmented the hard drive, etc.). I've submitted a help desk ticket to Dropbox but haven't heard back from anyone yet.

When I try to upload a file larger than 1MB, everything is fine for a couple of moments and the file seems to be uploading at a reasonable speed, but before it can finish uploading, the progress bar suddenly goes back to a much earlier period and the upload speed drops way down to the point that it initially says even a file just over 1MB will need more than ten minutes to upload (which is crazy, since that implies the upload speed has decreased to just bits rather than bytes per second). After a couple of rounds of this, the updater quits and gives me an error message saying "something went wrong with the advanced uploader" (no...really???). The basic uploader is no better -- it says that it's uploading the file but never finishes. It's ridiculous for Dropbox to need more than half an hour to upload a file of only 1.5MB...even a dial-up could do better than that.

John S.65

Jeff, I'm having the exact same issue. I have a large folder cut into 2 gig rar pieces. Where previously, I could download 4-5 files simultaneously, I now can't seem to have more than one downloading, and even then sometimes the single file download fails at some point in the download process. Sometimes I can resume the download, other times I hit resume and it starts the download from the beginning again.

I'm using firefox 42, and it says it's up to date. I changed virus scanners recently, so just to eliminate that from the equation, I completely disable my AV, but I still get the same errors.

I hope this gets fixed soon, as it's very annoying.

John S.65

Any update on this? I've tried chrome and have the same issue there. Why is it so difficult to download a file through the browser?

Paul W.64

Had this problem for sometime. Have a 13gb vid file in my d online that I need to download. Download seems to work fine until 3-GB then fails repeatedly. Might have to get a refund and take my business elsewhere. Anyone have any ideas how to fix this?

Daniel S.126

How can we get an official response on this? I've just used 3gb of mobile data watching 3 attempts to download a 1gb file download the entire file then fail at the last minute. Repeated on another computer and another internet connection. I'm not in a position to be able to sync as I'm travelling and just had to format my linux laptop and that one zip file "backed up" to dropbox is my work environment.

Gwyn G.

I received an official reply to my help desk ticket on November 6 (nearly a week after I originally sent it) but frankly, I'm disappointed with the level of service I received.

If anything, the first response gave me the impression that the technical support person actually hadn't paid much attention to what I originally wrote since one of the questions he asked me was "which files aren't syncing" even though my help desk ticket clearly stated that this was not a problem which involved their proprietary software application but rather one encountered using drag-and-drop to upload files through the browser. (I tried using the application at one point but syncing files automatically is not a priority for me and I don't particularly want to keep most of these files resident on my system...that's what I have Dropbox *for*, to serve as a place to store files so that they're not taking up space on my hard drive.)

The follow-up response (which I received three days later in response to the answers I gave to his questions) was also disappointing since it implied that the problem could not possibly be related to Dropbox and must therefore be Firefox's fault. He suggested that I clear the cache even though I'd already stated quite clearly in response to one of the questions from his first response that I'd subjected my computer to a fairly comprehensive tune-up -- which included emptying the internet cache (as well as updating the operating system and anti-virus software, scanning the computer for viruses, clearing the registry of obsolete entries, defragmenting the hard drive, etc.). He also suggested disabling the plug-ins even though I had the same plug-ins installed on Firefox when Dropbox was still performing the way it was supposed to several weeks ago. One of his final suggestions was basically "well, use some browser other than Firefox to upload files or else use our software application".

First of all, if his website is incompatible with a major (and popular) web browser like Firefox, most people would understandably interpret this as a problem which Dropbox ought to be taking steps to address rather than expecting other people to simply work around it. Secondly, not everyone wants to use their application or would even benefit from doing so since a major feature of the application is that it (supposedly!) keeps files in the cloud automatically synced with files on the computer...but not everyone cares about that. Some of us just want a place where we can store files that we don't use much or at all right now but might need or want later, files which we don't want taking up space on our hard drive.

Kevin B.3

I'm having the same problem. 2 failures over the last 4 days with 2 different files. Yup, using Firefox. I will try IE now I guess, even though I'm not a fan ... Come on Dropbox, what's the issue here? Seems like the fault is on your end.

Kevin B.3

IE isn't supported, guess I'll have to try Opera, or better yet, instead of Dropbox, I'll switch to Google Drive.

John S.65

I've tried FF, Chrome, and IE, all with the same error. Trying to download more than one file at a time causes the first download to fail. Pushing this back up to the top.

This was not an issue until a month or so ago, and multiple folks have tried different browsers.

Dropbox, why should people keep their service with you if you can't fulfill your promised obligations?

Kevin B.3

"Trying to download more than one file at a time causes the first download to fail. "

This isn't the case for me. *Anytime* I try to DL a large file, it chokes. Doesn't haven't anything to do with more than 1 file.

Stefan W.22

Seeing the same issue here.

3 users, tre different locations. 2 in sweden, one in india. Same symptoms. Are Dropbox people reading this? How do we get in contact with them?

Stefan W.22

Got a reply about this from their "support dept". The official word is that files over 1gb can not be downloaded? Surely this has worked before?

"You mention this is a file over 1GB. I apologize that the sentence in the previous email may not have been very clear in the limitations of web requests.

It isn't currently possible to download folders that contain more than 10,000 files or files that are larger than 1 GB via the web interface.

The best way to do so is by adding the files to your Dropbox and allowing them to download to your computer using the Dropbox desktop application."

Sidney: if you're reading this: i don't believe you.

John S.65

"Surely this has worked before?"

Oh, it's worked before, up until a month or two ago. At one point I've had 5-6 two gig files downloading at once, with no issue.

Kevin B.3

The 1G limit might be true. I just successfully downloaded a 345M file to test. But the files I've had problems with recently, all died about 1.4 to 1.6G. Maybe no matter how big they are, greater than 1 G, it will download most of the file, but then die before it actually finishes. See the very 1st post.

Greater than 1G used to work. So they changed that ... without letting us know. Definitely an added bothersome limitation!

Stefan W.22

Still, I had a user that managed to download a 1.77gb zip last week. I think something is broken and they're too lazy to fix it, or that their support guys simply never report anything to the dev people.

Anastasios p.

having same issue: can't download large files of several gb. this is unacceptable. what if I am on the go somwhere and need access to something? I surely won't be upgrading to paid version if ths continues.

Dropbox!!: bring yourself together... you arn't alone in this business...

Mark

you arn't alone in this business...

Isnt the free market brilliant? If it isnt working as you want it you are free to move to another service. Ta-da!

Kevin B.3

Right. When it's my choice, I use Google drive. There are a lot of things about dropbox that I don't like, and changing the file size download limit without telling us is just one more. Bad company, and poor service to their customers. I might have become a paying customer, but not now ...

Mark

They have not changed the file size limit - in fact it was recently upped to 10 gb. Zipping has always been problematic over about 2gb or with many files/ folders (I believe 10,000 individual was the key).

However, most of it relied upon your own internet being reliable. A single drop out and it failed.

Kevin B.3

For free accounts, they changed the limit. I used to be able to DL large files all the time, no problem. Not now. Read all the comments.

Hi Kevin

The file limit is on web. If you use the http://www.dropbox.com/downloading you shouldn't have problems to download/upload large files.

BMac

Kevin, I absolutly agree! Something changed about 3-4 weeks ago. Someone says something different they are FOS. I am a paying customer! I have had this problem escalated for about 3 weeks.

I have used this service as a trial for about a year and now been a paying customer of a Business account for another year after the tests were successfull.

The majority of our files are simple DVD images.(ISO's). Not music or videos etc.. These worked just fine for almost 2 years with 0 complaints or issues. It is now Virtually imposible for us to DL the file over a regular network. Over a very fast network we can DL the 4.5G iso's in about 7-12 min every time without issue. If the dl is over 2hrs they will fail virtually 95% of the time.

There was a change! DropBox DID do something. We have the same users all over Canada using the same PC's, the same browsers, the same internets and what we have been doing for 2 years now no longer works.

I mean it is pretty simple. The problem is the support stinks. I have asked many times....why do you keep asking me the same questions, here is the link that use to work.....TRY IT YOURSELF then tell me why you cannot DL the file. Three months and they are still asking the same questions and recomending the same things.

Ed, you recomend that the Client is required?... I am missing something. I put a file up on the server. When an end user needs a file I send them a link. The file should downlowd as it always has. If DropBox can now longer provide a service for large files just say so. Maybe if Dropbox NOW has trouble being able to provide this service they could do what other large companies do, build a DL manager into the DL. As for Marks response, it is not clear whether he is jut being rude and suggesting if you don't like the crappy service you are free to leave, or I am just missing something.

As Kevin suggested, if your customers are complaining it is not the time to be buligerant, it is time to listen and ask questions and try to help.

For the DB support people, It should not be hard to look up my case and find my links.

MG2

Yes, had this same problem when downloading using Browser. Ended up clicking on the dropbox icon in the taskbar and then copy the file using Windows explorer works a lot better. The file that I had was 2.1GB and it took only few minutes to complete.

z3r0trust

Hi, I got same problem. When I download my zip file from dropbox, it failed to downloaded. I tried approximately 30 times. Then installed desktop application dropbox on mac, still exist problem. really getting angry. there are files that more than 1GB and less than 1GB. please can you help me? And you dropbox team. I really appriate it.

Jane

Hey @z3r0trust,

Thanks for getting in touch on the Dropbox Community!

Based on your description, you can't download the folder from the website, since it exceeds the 1 GB in total size. Because this should be resolved once you switched to the desktop version of the application, could you please let me know whether you’re receiving any error messages or unusual behavior?

Just to exclude the possibility of a syncing issue, could you please make sure that you are running the latest stable version of the Dropbox desktop application on your Mac?

Will be awaiting your reply, so that we have this resolved together!

Kind regards,

JaneA

JGRESTO

Hi Jane,
My files are smaller than 500MB and I can't download directly from the website. Only files up to 30mb on a connection of 150mbps.

Jane

Hey @JGRESTO,

Apologies for getting back to you in delay. Are you still experiencing this issue?

Have you tried downloading the file in an incognito browsing window, so as to see whether this helps you resolve this issue?

Please let me know here, I'd be glad to follow-up.

Warm regards,

JaneA

Hdhk

I also got stuck trying to download files or folder via the website.

It is quite frustrating as it used to work well in the past.

Some suggestions / questions:

1. Where can we find a clear guideline on file sizes and folder sizes downloadable via the website, according to subscribed plans?

2. In any case, shouldn't the user be notified if the file exceeds the limit before starting a transfer, as to not waste time with failed transfers?

3. Similarly, it would be helpful to have information on approximate folder sizes in the web interface, to identify folders that are downloadable via the web platform.

Ash123

Same issue happening for me

Jane

Hey @Ash123, kindly note that this discussion here has been inactive for a while. While it would be worth trying to re-download once through an incognito window/in private browsing window to see if you're getting the same results regardless, I’m wondering if the content is either more than 20 GB in total size or it contains more than 10,000 total files. As an additional step, would you mind clearing your browser's cache on this device & see if this does the trick for you this time?

From there, kindly note that I ran a search on our system, I located your open Support request there & I could see that my colleague replied back to you a few hours after you posted us here. As I understand that you’d need some additional assistance, I’ve made sure to include a copy of your comments on your ongoing correspondence & I’ve increased your support priority internally.

Please include all relevant details on that email chain or ping me back here with a screenshot of any error/diagnostic messages you’re getting on your end & rest assured that we’ll do their best to follow-up on the matter.

I hope that this is helpful to you Ash; please let me know how you’d like us to proceed here!