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Forum Discussion
Dropbox External Drive Backup - Changing Computers
I’ve just found out when you change Laptop / Desktop you can’t continue to use the same external hard drive with Dropbox Backup. This is absolute madness. If you want to continue to use that hard d...
I'm currently testing this workaround.
I changed the default Dropbox sync folder to be on the drive that I originally
wanted to use Dropbox Backup on. I'm dropping the unpolished backup system and
changing how I interact with my files.
I already had a local copy of my Dropbox folder on my external drive (D:\)
I started with changing the default sync folder to D:\Dropbox. That folder
already existed because I had manually copied the entire folder earlier. I
renamed D:\Dropbox to D:\Dropbox.1. After that, I updated my sync settings and
let Dropbox recreate the D:\Dropbox folder. Once that happened, I copied all the
files in D:\Dropbox.1 back into D:\Dropbox. I cut and paste them, overwriting
all existing files.
Once the sync finishes I'll test this on my home laptop. I imagine I'll have to
rename the Dropbox folder again, change the sync path, then cut and paste all
the files back. My hope is that the sync will continue where it left off.
I'll bookmark this page and update here. It will take 3-4 days for my sync to
finish. After that I can test it.
Rich
Super User II
Super User III changed the default Dropbox sync folder to be on the drive that I originally
wanted to use Dropbox Backup on.
If you mean that you moved the Dropbox folder to an external drive, be VERY careful. With the Dropbox sync folder on an external drive, data loss can occur under the right conditions. If the drive were to become disconnected while Dropbox was running, or if Dropbox starts before the drive is connected, Dropbox could see that as a mass-deletion of your files and will sync that change to your account.
Also, if your plan is to move that drive between computers and use the same Dropbox sync folder on multiple computers, you'll most definitely have issues. The index of your files (the database that Dropbox uses to keep track of your files) exists outside of the Dropbox folder. That means changes that you make on one computer won't be known by the other computer when you move the drive over. Like before, this could cause sync issues resulting in lost data.
Oh my goodness. I'm going to reconsider the original plan and invest in a dedicated backup service.
Thank you Rich. You're experience likely saved me a week of false hope and the likely my data too : )
