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Install the Dropbox desktop app on a different drive. Is this possible?

Is there a way to choose your own installation location for the dropbox program? My OS drive will otherwise drown (seems like 60Gb is not enough for only windowss 7). Or do I need to switch to a different cloud service?

Yes I know how to move the sync folder, that is quite easy (and I now how to use google), I am not interested in that, I want to change the program files.

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Sanchez

Hey @Jongcruz, welcome to our forum!

Our app is capable of moving your Dropbox folder to a new location, including a different physical drive. However, the file system on that drive must support extended attributes. Have a look here for more info.

Cheers

[This thread is now closed by moderators due to inactivity. If you have a similar or new question, you could post it in the Find Answers section here. ]

All comments

Mark

Hi Evert_k

You can use the advance install to move the Dropbox *folder* (ie. the one being sync'd) to another drive, however, you cannot move the installation folder I'm afraid. It will automatically default to the Programs folder.

Evert_k

Thanks for the quick reply, seems like I have leave dropbox for now. I even tried to find older versions to see if they still had that option and update aftwards but I wasn't succesfull.

Sanchez

Hey @Evert_k, welcome to our forum!

@Mark is right. You can also move the Dropbox folder after it has been installed, by using our desktop app’s built-in tool.

I can confirm your suspicion that a 60GB drive, realistically, is too small for Windows. I’m curious though, as to how moving to another cloud storage service will help. Are their desktop applications more light weight than ours?!

If you don’t necessarily need our desktop app installed, you can just work with our web interface. That way, you can uninstall our app, and free up some drive space.

If the Dropbox folder is the actual issue (and not the space used by our app’s installation files) moving it to another drive will do the trick. You can also use our Selective Sync feature to sync only folders you want to your computer, while having everything available online.

I hope this helps. Let me know when you get the chance.

Thanks

JeroUK

Hi @Sanchez

I have the same problem - smaller SSD OS drive, large internal data and non-OS install drive. It's Dropbox's install size on this drive that's the problem.

I've done a re-install which has reduced the footprint temporarily, but I suspect it will shortly grow again as DB files away operational data.

The only two programs I've noticed so far that *insist* on installing on C: are Dropbox and Google Chrome. It's a real PITA for me and presumably others with this (not uncommon) set up.

The option to install to a specific internal drive is, IMO, essential. If you want to throw up a ton of caveats at the point of install saying "Don't install to an external/removable drive" then please, by all means do, but please let us choose.

Cheers

CGardner51

Some what connected to my prior post is the issue of an initial install. My desktop system was configured with a 250G C drive which is basically used for OS and application software installs. The D drive has 500G which is used for user data even to the extent of movie the OS files for that to the D drive. When you do the initial install, it does not even prompt you for a drive or directory location. It immediately starts loading it to the C drive even when it would not all fit on that drive. So like nearly all other software in the world, the install process should prompt you for a location (showing the default). Its clear you have a link path and hold on to that location. My new system is going to have a will have a SSD drive for OS and app exec's only and the D drive will be the 1-2 T drive. improves performance for the OS related activities and no place to write user folders.

Jane

Hey @JeroUK,

As per your request, kindly note that currently this option is not available, though I understand that you'd like to avoid installing Dropbox on your C:\ drive altogether, so I'll make sure to pass your comments along to the team.

You may keep in mind though for the time being, that you could save up some space by clearing the Dropbox cache & applying Selective Sync locally on your device.

I hope this helps, please let me know if you need more assistance!

JeroUK

Thank you for your clear response.

If I could afford a larger SSD drive to run off, that would be great :-) ... but that's not an option sadly :-(

I sincerely hope the dev team take this on board. It's an ongoing frustration and as far (as my research shows) an unnecessary restriction that is, looking at the many posts about this very subject for both Dropbox and Chrome, winding up a lot of customers.

Cheers

Jane

Hey @JeroUK,

I can clearly see your point, since space limitations may prevent users from using the app altogether.

I have to admit that it's a popular feature request & it has already been passed as feedback up the ladder.

I appreciate your constructive & informative remarks here, I’ll make sure these are promptly transferred to our team of experts for further consideration.

Of course, we’re always here for you if you need help.

Hope you have a great weekend ahead!

[ @CGardner51 I have moved your thread here, since there is already an open discussion on the topic]

CGardner51

Too add just a bit to the issue of usb drives. I have used usb drives for many years. One is on my router as a access point drive and a system backup drive (dont use it now that I have dropbox). One is directly on my desktop system as a database test place. Never had an issue or a non-recoverable read/write error.

Also when i created a dropbox folder recently on my 1T drive it started out as drive D on my tiny laptop. then I added a password protection to the drive. That operation had the net effect of pushing the dropbox to drive E and the password exec's on drive D. When I started up dropbox, it said drop box folder unable to be accessed and then prompted me for a new location. I browsed over to E, selected the E drive and (bada bing bada boom ), dropbox went on its marry way. So some place in your code it kinda already does this location selection.

Also due to a surge a few months ago by TimeWarner carrier through the controller box of TWC, the surge took out parts of my old router and my desktop systems ethernet connection. My desktop is running with a usb to ethernet adapter connection to the outside world. (until I get that new system a friend is putting together for me).. Plus that connection works just as fast as I pay for 220 down and 23up speed)

nikkil

So, I want to make sure I'm understanding this correctly before I cancel my newly paid dropbox and move on to some other service. I bought a new laptop. It has a small SSD C drive and a 2 TB E drive. All of my files need to be in the E drive because there isn't room in the C drive. I want all of these files stored on dropbox. Because dropbox can only be installed in the C drive, I can't have my files uploaded to you? I'm not willing to be selective. I want all of my files up there. I just paid $99 so I could get my files up there.

nikkil

I can't seem to find how to move this on the desktop app? When I click on the dropbox icon, it only goes to the Windows File Explorer. There are no "built-in tools"? I can't have the files on my small SSD C drive. They have to be in the 2 TB "E drive" so that is where dropbox needs to be and in response to the suggestions to this person - I'm not willing to be selective and the whole point of having the dropbox account for my needs to is backup every single file I own, immediately, not manually one file at a time to the website. I'm not sharing a file with a co-worker, I'm saving my files in case the computer crashes.

Rich

nikkil wrote:
I want to make sure I'm understanding this correctly ...

You're not.

Because dropbox can only be installed in the C drive, I can't have my files uploaded to you?

The Dropbox application can only be installed on the C: drive, but the Dropbox folder, where your data resides, can be on another drive. The application is the part that handles the syncing of your files, among other things, and this will always install to your system drive. The Dropbox data folder can be moved to a different drive during installation of the Dropbox app (Advanced Options) or from within Preferences if it's already installed.

Rich

nikkil wrote:
When I click on the dropbox icon, it only goes to the Windows File Explorer.

Not the Dropbox icon on your desktop. The Dropbox icon in your system tray (near your clock).

https://help.dropbox.com/account-settings/change-preferences

nikkil

Thank you, I never got an "advanced options" option. It just installed it.

nikkil

Thank you! I never even thought to look there. It seems like if you click on a program, it should give you the options no matter where you go click on it.

Vyacheslav

Hi, i have the same issue. But disk space is not so important in my case. I suspect that if dropbox is installed to C: drive and sync folder is on

drive the following problem can take place. Let's imagine one day disk

will became nonfunctional and will not show up in the OS which is in the C: drive. The software will not detect the folder to sync and decide that folder is empty and delete all data on the server and i will LOSE ALL my data because disk d: is over and server became empty. Is my suspicion is wrong?

Sanchez

Hey @Vyacheslav, welcome to our forum!

In the event that the Dropbox app cannot find the Dropbox folder, it will not delete your online files. If the Dropbox folder is available for the app to access, then if files are missing from that folder, they will be removed from your online account.

Keep in mind that if you accidentally delete files or folders, you can recover them yourself online, or you can contact our support team for assistance.

Cheers!

Jongcruz

When I try to move the folder location to the D drive it says "The destination drive is incompatible with dropbox" .......So then????? Guys the software used to be great SOOOOO, why in the world you decided to make those clumsy changes like only auto drive C install and now this......any help????? Let me know to see if I keep our company subscription.

By the way I just find out GOOGLE DRIVE let me move my files to my D drive without any issue no like dropbox.

Sanchez

Hey @Jongcruz, welcome to our forum!

Cheers

[This thread is now closed by moderators due to inactivity. If you have a similar or new question, you could post it in the Find Answers section here. ]