Can anyone please advise how I set up external drive auto backup? I originally saw the box pop up, asking if I wanted Dropbox to automatically back up the drive, but I clicked No. Now I've changed my mind, how do I set this up? Thanks in advance.
As I understand it, DropBox can only synchronise files in the main Windows libraries (My Documents, etc), and the DropBox folder must be located on the same drive as these libraries, (usually the System Drive).
I run a Windows 2016 file server which has separate physical drives for my data. I really wouldn't want to keep everything on the System Drive even if that was physically possible. This way if the System drive fails I can swap it in a few minutes without losing a single file. However, I cannot get DropBox to synchronise the contents of my secondary drives, (D:\ F:\ S:\ and so forth).
I have created new libraries pointing at secondary and network drives, but DropBox cannot see these and will not synchronise them. I am told by support that if I move my DropBox folder to (say) \ drive I can then synchronise with that drive, but that rather defeats the object, and will double the space taken on that drive.
What we need is a utility to synchronise independent drives with DropBox wherever the DropBox folder is located on the machine, and not relying on Windows Libraries.
This idea is going to need a bit more support.
We've updated the status to encourage more users to back you up!
Hey @Helen J.3 - thanks for posting on our Community!You should be able to adjust your external drive backup settings through the app's preferences, under the Backups tab. Let me know if you have anything else to ask!
Thankss for your reply. I have tried this, but the only folders showing in Backups > Set up > are... Desktop / Documents / Downloads / Music / Pictures / Movies. My external drive isn't showing. Any further advice, please?
Thanks, Helen
Same issue here, the drive is AFPS (Mac). I selected no when I first plugged the drive in but use-case has now changed but there doesn't appear to be an option to add it. The backup tab gives five options: This Mac, External Drive Backups, Photos, Devices, Screenshots.- This Mac allows for user files (desktop, downloads, etc.) - External Drive Backups is just a tick box (tried selecting/de-selecting tickbox, ejecting/connecting ext- The others don't seem relevantAm I missing something?
Hey there, @91281, how are you today?
Can you share with me the usage and the capacity of your drive?
Keep me posted, and we'll take it from there.
Hi Megan
Thanks for your reply to my enquiry recently. I have another related query...
I bought a new MacBook Pro and when I first plugged in my external drive (the same one as I referred to in my original enquiry), a box popped up asking if I wanted Dropbox to automatically back up my drive!
So it seems the backup feature is compatible, it's just that if you opt out when that box first pops up, there doesn't seem to be a way to switch it on again, as the drive doesn't appear in the Backups tab in settings.
Is there another way to set it to back up automatically, after initially selecting not to do so?
The drive is a Sandisk Extreme SSD 1TB.
Hi Megan,
A bunch of drives - I have an internal 1TB SSD through an external SATA/USB cable, a Sandisk Extreme 500GB and a Western Digital External 2.5" @ 1TB.Two of them are pretty full the other mostly empty.Is that the kind of info you need from me?
Thanks for the clarification, @91281 & @Helen J.3!
Can you check to make sure you haven't disabled your File System Warnings?
Please go to Preferences > Account tab and try re-enabling them by pressing the Option/Alt key.
Thanks for your message. I have tried doing that, but it doesn't make any difference.
I clicked the Option key on my Mac, then clicked reset file system warnings.
I then went to Preferences > Backups > Set up > then a window appears asking me to select folders, but the external drive is not shown as an option to add.
I know it can work, as it does work on my new laptop, as per previous message.
Any idea how I can get this set up on my iMac (24-inch, M1, 2021), running Monterey 12.2.1
Helen
This has led me down a different rabbit hole - my dropbox application menu bar isn't showing (macOS) so I can't access preferences! I'll continue to try getting that to work but do you have any other options for me in the meantime?
Hello! Has anyone found a solution to this problem? I've tried all the posted solutions but never-ever get the prompt to sync my external drive. I'm on macOS Big Sur 11.6.5.
I've tested with 2 different drives as shown below. Thanks!
Well, I have clicked on Dropbox Preferences --> Account (option key) --> Reset File System Warning Options. I've also verified that System Preferences --> Notifications --> Dropbox --> Allow Notifications is ON. Yes you may email me. Thanks!
I have Dropbox Plus running on a MacBook Air with M1 processor. I have the Desktop app but I cannot get to "Preferences". Whenever I open the App I am just taken to my DropBox folder. Please help!
My OS is macOS Monterey 12.2.1
I can get to preferences by clicking on the Dropbox icon in the top-right (menu bar) of the desktop. It drops down a type of dashboard shown below. Then I click on my account icon in the top-right of the dashboard - a tiny saxophone in this example. That will open up a dialog that has preferences in it.
Thanks very much Steve D. I am sorted now!
As a new user of Dropbox backup I am struggling. I now find that since I implemented automatic backup I am unable to manage my files. I no longer have the ability to rename or delete files in any of my folders. It also means that I cannot move a new version of software into my Applications folder. Obviously I cannot operate like this! A reminder that I am on a MacBook Air with M1 processor running MacOS Monterey Version 12.2.1. Help please.
This thread is for problems related to setting up an external drive to be backed up. Is that what you are talking about, or are you talking about automatic backup of Mac folders such as Desktop, Documents, and Downloads?
I'm talking about automatic backup of folders. Should I create a new thread?
Hi @JohnDawson, how are you today?
You should be able to find out more in regards to Computer backup in this Help Center article.
If you need to disable it, follow the steps shown there and that should do the trick.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Hi Megan. Thanks I am fine. The link you gave me didn't work. My point is that I DO wish to automatically backup my data to Dropbox but I still need to be able to manage the files on my hard drive.
Hi John. Yes, a new thread might help other people down the line, but I suppose a moderator can weigh in on that. You said you are fine, so I presume you have unchecked the boxes for backup and Dropbox put things back the way they were. At this point, I recommend that you test with a folder that you don't care much about to see how things work before going all in. For me, the Downloads folder was good for testing since I don't use it as a permanent home for anything. You should be aware that when you select a folder for backup, Dropbox actually moves that folder to the Dropbox folder (yikes!) and creates an alias in the original location presumably to make the move transparent to you and other apps that use the folder. These new folders in the Dropbox folder are hidden, but you can see them by showing hidden files in finder: shift-cmd-dot(.). The folder is named .Mac or something like that (don't remember). You can do a "Get Info" on the standard folder (such as Downloads) in your home folder to find out that it is not a "real" folder, but rather a pointer to the one in the Dropbox folder.
