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How to permanently stop the auto-backup of USB connected temp drives (W7)

Dibrom

How can I permanently configure DropBox to NOT try and backup every single USB drive I connect to the computer and thus depositing its little .dropbox.device file into the root folder without permission?

I've been right through all the settings of the desktray application and there appears to be no conventional way of stopping this infuriating behaviour. Is there an undocumented switch on startup or registry key I can manually enter to permanently kill this annoyance? I will never want to employ this feature and never asked for it, so any permanent solution would be greatly appreciated.

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Megan

Hi @Dibrom, I hope you're doing well!

If you open your app's Preferences, and then click the Backups tab, do you see the settings there?

If you don't want to set-up the new feature, you should click on 'Don't ask me again' and then 'Not now'.

Thanks!

Dibrom

[quote]If you open your app's Preferences, and then click the Backups tab, do you see the settings there?[/quote]

Yes

Backup tab.png

[quote]If you don't want to set-up the new feature, you should click on 'Don't ask me again' and then 'Not now'.[/quote]

and therein lies the problem. There is no option of "Don't ask me again" neither outside nor inside the Backups tab. Nowhere.

Greyed out.png

Megan

Hey @Dibrom, thanks for the screenshots!

Since you've unchecked the "external drive backups" box, do you still receive the message when connecting a drive?

Dibrom

No I don't, but that's not what is causing problems. Whenever a portable USB drive is connected (of which I have a very great many), Dropbox looks at it immediately upon connection and deposits its little .dropbox.device configuration analysis file into the root directory which sometimes causes file system corruption forcing a file system check to clear the lost chains that result. This is highly annoying, unnecessary and irritating. I want it to stop doing this so it doesn't permanently damage my drives.

Dibrom

Do I presume from the lack of response that Dropbox know about this annoying behaviour with USB connected drives and have no intention of allowing it to be stopped?

Megan

Hi @Dibrom!

Your feedback regarding this has been very valuable and I will endeavor to make sure your voice is heard.

I will pass on your comments to the relevant departments since your needs are our priority.

Your comments on our external hard drive have been quite helpful, and I will do everything I can to ensure that your voice is heard.

If you need anything, I'm here.

Dibrom

So that's a firm NO then? There is no way currently to stop the Dropbox app from doing this everytime a new USB drive is connected? Not even a registry key or a hidden backdoor switch that will disable the interference with connected USB drives?

Until Dropbox decides to provide a way for the user to stop it attacking temporarily connected USB drives, I have found that dropping a zero byte file called .dropbox.device into the root folder of the drive does trick Dropbox into thinking its own POS file is already there and thus stops it recreating its own. Not ideal, but better than nothing.

dbur

What a rude thing to do. Pisses me off it started by itself and won't quit. Had to use task manager to kill all dropbox entities. Now how do I get all that useless backup data out of my account since I don't have space for it.

Dibrom

You can't is the short answer. Dropbox is much the same as Microsoft, Google, Apple etc. these days in that your computer or 'device' is not yours to use as you wish. You are just renting it temporarily for as long as the 'service providers' like Dropbox deign to let you use it, until such time as they decide you need to pay more money and then they cut you off.

You will use Dropbox only as Dropbox want you to use it and in no other way that is not to Dropbox's advantage, and if you don't like that, well, the door's over there.

This is why I'm still using Windows 7, the last paid for version of Windows that you can still configure to be your own and use as you want it to be used, rather than gifting all your personal data freely to Microsoft via Windows 10/11's forced telemetry.