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Problem transferring files from desktop Dropbox folder to an external drive

Lee D.

I've used Dropbox for 2 years without issue. My files are located in the dropbox folder on my computer. It has worked flawlessly. Suddenly, when I try to transfer a file (located within dropbox on my computer) to an external drive, I get an error message:

"Property Loss

Are you sure you want to copy this file without its properties? The file "Doc" (for example) has properties that can't be copied to the new location."

If I transfer a file not located in the dropbox folder to an external drive, it transfers without this message.

Help?

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Razvan Boxifier

Hi Lee,

This happens because your external drive uses a different file system than your internal drive. Your internal drive (where your Dropbox folder is located) uses NTFS, while your external drive most likely uses FAT32. The NTFS file system can store additional properties with a file, while FAT32 cannot do that. Dropbox uses this feature of the NTFS file system to store additional properties for the files in the Dropbox folder.

When you try to copy a file from the Dropbox folder to the external drive you receive that warning because the file system on the external drive cannot store additional properties. Therefore, those additional properties cannot be copied to the external drive.

You will not see that warning message when you transfer a file which has no additional properties (like most of the files outside of your Dropbox folder).

However, you can safely ignore this message because those additional properties are relevant only in the context of the Dropbox folder and only for the Dropbox application.

Hope this helps.

Razvan

All comments

Razvan Boxifier

Hi Lee,

You will not see that warning message when you transfer a file which has no additional properties (like most of the files outside of your Dropbox folder).

However, you can safely ignore this message because those additional properties are relevant only in the context of the Dropbox folder and only for the Dropbox application.

Hope this helps.

Razvan

Wolfgang B.1

Hi,

2 additional questions:

Which kind of NTFS file information is added by Dropbox and for which purpose?

How can I remove these additional file properties except copying to a FAT32 partition and back again?

Thanx for any information!

Chupo_cro C.

The message apparently could not be just ignored because after transfering the photos (.jpg) from desktop Dropbox folder to the external FAT32 storage (USB stick), the photos are not anymore recognized by my TV (invalid media error). Because of that, if I plan displaying the photos on TV set I have to keep two copies of the photos - one (original) copy that has never been inside the Dropbox folder (to be able to display them on TV set) and another copy inside the Dropbox folder.

Gail64

Hi,

I have ebooks stored in dropbox and i copy ebooks to my eboook reader device and some files pop up the message that the property will be loss. I use Window 7 . And I checked the type of my device is FAT32. So this is the same problem? and how would I resolve this. Once I clicked OK then the file cannot be read on the device.

Please help

Bogdan F.1

OK, but if I copy a TIF file of 250 Mb, will it change it's rexolution when it is printed, for example?

Josh W.9

I can't solve the photo-specific issue, but my crude but effective solution for that damned dialog is a 7-line script. Whenever the dreaded dialog appears, the script presses Alt-A for "do this for all", and Alt-Y for "yes, lose the properties."

If you can bear the risk of downloading an .exe file, get it at http://www.filedropper.com/stop-copy-dialog, and add it to your Startup Folder (step 4 below). ...but there have been a lot of bad programs hiding as AutoITscripts, so it's safer to take a 10 minutes and compile it yourself. It's free and not terribly hard:

1. Download and install AutoITScript from autoitscript.com. (It's free and widely trusted alternative to VBScript. I used it because I've found VBScript unreliable in detecting Windows dialogs that are rapidly appearing/disappearing and modal, inactive, minimized, or otherwise odd. And, AutoIT is absurdly easy to compile to a standalone .exe, which I like.)

2. From the Github repository (https://github.com/joshwhitk/suppress-property-loss-dialog-during-copy-in-Windows-Explorer), save only the script file "stop-copy-dialog.au3" to your desktop. Open it in any text editor and read it carefully. When you're convinced it's harmless, rename it if you like and continue.

3. On your desktop, right-click this .au3 file. and choose "compile script (x86)" from the context menu (AutoIT added these). An .exe file (e.g "stop-copy-dialog.exe") will be created on your desktop. (You can uninstall AutoIT and delete the .au3 file now.)

4. Move this .exe file to your Startup folder (where? press Win-R to run shell:startup)

Run it, or reboot, and you're done! It runs in the background forever. When this (or any AutoITS script) is running, you'll see a new icon in your tray. It's a small white tab with a green square on the left.

Obviously, this script is a crude workaround. I would LOVE IT if someone figured out how to suppress those dialogs in the first place!

Please update Github with a text note if you do know of a better way (ie a registry setting): https://github.com/joshwhitk/suppress-property-loss-dialog-during-copy-in-Windows-Explorer

cheers-

-Josh

Josh Whitkin

Oakland, California 94611

whitkin.com

Nadine M.5

For years I've created folders within dropbox and within the public file of dropbox at the end of the year when I close out files I transfer them to a thumb drive. I cannot do this anymore due to the error that says, "are you sure you want to copy these files without it's properties?' AND then if I do nothing exists within the folder. PLEASE HELP? I've been at this for three days and paid someone overtimes trying to take care of this issue.

Gail64

The dropbox support confirmed with me that's is the way suppose to be if you copy or drag files from dropbox to storage which is FAT32 , the message will pop up and you can ignore it. They said they put tag along every files that uploaded to dropbox. It won't show the message if your storage is NTFS.

I've been discussed with dropbox support team , they said it is not the bug from dropbox , it is the OS that we use that detect the dropbox's tag. ( I used dropbox service for years, it just happen a year back , this issue)

I closed the issue since dropbox push it to OS's side that it is not their bugs. So i am tired of argue with them. I have to live with the tags that they put to our original files that in dropbox's folders. When you download your files which are in dropbox , that tags still tag with you files forever.

I am so upset that the support teams seem to be ignorant and not try to develop the fix that the OS that we use not have to detect that stupid message up to users.

Gail

Serdar M.

Hello everyone,

I have found a temporary solution about this issue.

1. Firstly, I determined that Windows asked this question* for which files. It can be seen while transferring files.

2. I copied only these files from original location to storage location, when asked by clicking "Yes".

3. And, I copied the files whose properties lost from storage location to original location again.

So, I can copy those files like other files without problem. Here actually, since properties of files removed, they can be copied without prompting.

Note 1: Files in Dropbox were not used directly. Process was done by copying another place on computer files in dropbox.

Note 2: Do not forget to backup your files before trying.

*Are you sure you want to copy this file without its properties?

Stacy G.4

I have some mp3 files that I want to copy to a USB but when I do only a short cut copies and won't play from the USB. When I do the copy it say that it will copy without properties which I think is what causes the problem. I don't understand FAT and all the things mentioned above, all I want is my files to copy and I don't know how. Please help

Mike H.62

I got the same message (Are you sure you want to copy this file without its properties?) while trying to move JPG files from DROPBOX to my external drive. I selected YES while also checking the box to do this for all files selected. That seemed to work for me. I think that's what DropBox support is telling us to do.

The message only started appearing since I switched to Windows 10 and Office 2016 this year.

Rich

The message about copying without some properties is because you're copying a file from a partition that supports meta data for files (extended attributes) and you're copying it to a partition that does not support meta data. It's not a problem, as long as you know that any meta data associated with a file will not be copied.

Thomas78

I'm new to Drop Box and have found my way here because I'm experiencing the same message. The answers to questions here are quite conflicting. Some say the unspecified properties that will be lost are just tags that Drop Box uses to manage files and don't matter, others say that their files won't function / are not recognized once copied in this manner, and one says that it's "only" metadata that is lost, so it's not a problem as long as you know it will be lost(?)

Some of my files have metadata & tags carefully added for the benefit of my team, so saying it doesn't matter as long as I know about it is not helpful. "If you come ashore here we will cut off some of your toes. It's just something we do. It's not a problem as long as you know about it."

Can someone confirm exactly what these properties are that will be lost, and what the consequences are? Using Drop Box is not going to be a solution for us if it creates more problems than it solves.

[This thread is now closed by moderators due to inactivity. If you're experiencing a similar behavior, feel free to start a new discussion in the Ask a Question section here.]