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Dropbox asking if i want to backup external drive?

Saw a Dropbox notification just now asking if i want to sync one of my external drives to dropbox. I use backblaze for my external drives and don’t want them backed up on dropbox (they are gigantic).

Anyone know what Dropbox settings I should look at that would be causing this?

Thanks!

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Hannah

Hey @Christian K.13, thanks for reaching out to us.

If you click your Dropbox icon, then on your initials/profile pic, then on "preferences" and then on "backups", you should be able to see a "show setup notifications when a new external drive is plugged in" option.

By unchecking this option, the pop-ups should stop.

I hope this helps!

All comments

Doug F.7

Here's the Dropbox notification - Screen Shot 2021-06-12 at 12.00.50 PM.png

Megan

Hey @Doug F.7, I hope you're doing well!

It seems this is a beta product, which means our team is still working on it.

You should be able to find the backups under your app's preferences.

Click the Backups tab and you should see the settings related to this there, right?

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

chuckleamon

I am having this "problem" as well. I'll NEVER backup an external drive to my dropbox. My external drives are my backups! Why would I want to backup my backups? Stupid idea.

I have checked "Don't ask again", and clicked "Not Now", BUT every time I connect a different external drive it asks me again. I just want to turn this feature off FOREVER.

If this is a "beta" product, I'd like to be asked if I want to participate in your beta testing rather than having is shoved down my throat.

Rich

@chuckleamon wrote:
Why would I want to backup my backups? Stupid idea.

Not everyone uses their external drives for backups. Many use them as their primary storage, and having backups of those drives is actually very smart.

I have checked "Don't ask again", and clicked "Not Now", BUT every time I connect a different external drive it asks me again. I just want to turn this feature off FOREVER.

Then turn it off in Dropbox Preferences.

I'd like to be asked if I want to participate in your beta testing rather than having is shoved down my throat.

I don't know if this is still considered a feature in beta, but you control your own beta inclusion. It's a setting in your account called Early releases.

chuckleamon

Thanks for the reply, I saw that setting, but it wasn't clear if "hiding the notifications" meant that it would just go ahead to perform the backup without telling, or that it was disabling that feature.

Also, I have the setting disabled to be included in Early Releases. So, why did I get this feature (it was called beta by another person (Lori) in this thread).

Yes I know, people use their external drives as primary storage, as do I. BUT I have around 24 TB in total, and at least 75% of that is backups.

Rich

@chuckleamon wrote:
Also, I have the setting disabled to be included in Early Releases. So, why did I get this feature (it was called beta by another person (Lori) in this thread).

What version of the Dropbox app are you running? If the middle digit is a 3, as in 127.3.4263, then you're on a beta release. Once you install a beta you'll remain on the beta channel until you uninstall and reinstall a stable release (and ensure the early releases option is off). If the middle digit is a 4, then you're on a stable release and the backup feature is not (or no longer) a beta.

chuckleamon

My version is 126.4.4618. What is the latest stable version (for mac)?

Taleya

I'll agree that "Hide notifications" is very weasel worded and I do not trust it. I don't want to hide notifications, I want to disable it entirely. I do not want dropbox looking at anything but the folder it's defined as - and we should be able to set that hard limit in the settings.

PaulC2

This feature is no longer labelled as 'beta', but Dropbox continually asks me to backup USB keys

Even ticking 'Don't ask me again' does nothing, it will prompt me everytime

It's in Dropboxs interests to get you into backing up devices, so I'm quite sure they know the 'don't ask me again' feature does not work properly.

Personally I'm just so tired of companies where the support team tells you one thing, yet it's in complete contrast to how the software actually behaves.

Lets just say it like it is.

It's not confusion or miscommunciation, it's just straight up deceit for commercial interests.

Walter

Hey @PaulC2, sorry to hear you're having issues with this.

It's weird that you're still getting prompts to backup your external drives (like USB keys) to Dropbox since you've toggled on the relevant button in the
app's preferences.

Could you try reinstalling the app and let me know if you notice any difference?

PaulC2

Hi Walter, thanks for the reply.

This is a brand new PC which I only received 2 days ago (and installed DropBox on the day it arrived).

I'm not convinced a reinstall will change anything, but I will of course try as you suggest to see if it fixes anything

Thanks

Walter

Hey @PaulC2, happy Monday!

Do you have any updates perhaps?

PaulC2

Hi Walet,

Thanks for the folllow up. I reinstalled the Windows client, but was seeing the same problem again with it prompting me to backup USB devices.

It's no longer an issue though. I'm migrating from Mac to linux, and stopped off at Windows along the way. I've now ditched Windows altogether. I'll let you know if I see similar issues once I install the linux client

Thanks

Paujl

Walter

Thanks for keeping me in the loop, Paul!

See you around the Community and have a lovely week ahead!

Christian K.13

Hi,

I find it so annoying that each time I connect an external hard drive to my computer, Dropbox asks me if I want to save what's on it in Dropbox! I never want that - if, I would tell Dropbox to do so. And you even need to be quite creative with the options, because Dropbox only offers "do it later" as an option, not "never do it", what I want!

This is a bit too much caring for my taste and I really want that to stop!

Best wishes,

Christian

Hannah

Hey @Christian K.13, thanks for reaching out to us.

By unchecking this option, the pop-ups should stop.

I hope this helps!

Christian K.13

Thank you so much, that helped, yes! Could have found that myself before getting angry, sorry! 😉 Thank you for your patience!