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Can we have more folder options like custom folders or sub-folders to add to Computer Backup?
Right now, the automated backup option in Dropbox allows me to sync my Documents, Desktop and Downloads folders. By far the biggest - and most important - folder on my computer is the Music folder though. I can imagine for other people it's Pictures. Could we have a way to automatically backup those folders too?
To be really ambitious: would we be able to clone our computer on Dropbox? I used to have an Apple Time Machine that allowed you to do just that. If your computer broke down or was stolen, you could buy a new one, let it download the clone, including not just your documents but your applications and presets too, and you'd be good to go!
Please let Dropbox be the new Time Machine.
That's correct, it doesn't (and it never fully supported those in the first place). And, doing the symlinks in reverse (target inside one of the supported folders, link in an arbitrary loaction) defeats the purpose of the entire exercise, and causes additional headaches (at least in Windows). Long story short, there is no way to productively use the feature in many cases. That's what we call a "misfeature"…
For me being able to back up just the pictures and videos folders would be amazing. Those are currently just used to store pictures from vacations in the past and while I back them up to an external hard drive for safekeeping having them in dropbox would be another layer of not losing precious memories.
Also for me the contents of those doesn't change much except for large additions once every few months (though none lately).
For Dropbox Backup I suggest the option to backup also other subfolders, like Pictures, Music and Public from the user's home folder.
Currently one can only select the folders Desktop, Documents and Downloads.
Please add the option to choose which folder to backup... I should have gone with the Test Version first. This backup ist pretty useless this way.
Moving the default locations of the user's folders (Documents, Desktop, Downloads etc.) is a very common practice especially with hybrid disks, where the SSD disk houses the OS and HDD houses User's libraries. Dropbox only backs up user's libraries when they are in the default location C:\Users\username. So when a user moves the libraries to an alternate location (D:\), even when the Dropbox library in the same alternate location, an error message results. This way Dropbox automatic backup options prevent backing up these folders
Can this be solved? Shouldn't be difficult? Otherwise keeping the 2 TB storage capacity plan for annual (not quite symbolic) fee is ludicrous
Thank you
I just came here for this exact same dilemma. All of my Windows data directories have been moved from their default locations (Documents, Downloads, etc) to my D: drive, where my Dropbox folder is also located. However, there's no way to change the Dropbox Backup settings to scan alternate directory paths.
This is either a very odd oversight, or born from the same skewed logic that only lets the Dropbox install on my tablet run on its internal storage (instead of the SD Card).
Completely agree, but for slightly different reasons: I'm on a mac and the autosync feature allows Desktop, Documents, and Downloads folder. I use Dropbox to store all my music and would like it to mirror non of these: I'd like it to mirror my iTunes music folder so anything I buy or add automatically transfers to my Dropbox library. I have friends that are photographers and videographers and would like the same. Being able to click a folder and autosync it so it's constantly backed up to Dropbox would be so useful.
If you want to call this a "Backup" feature you must let us tell it what files / folders to back up and where the files / folders are located!! Instead, you are telling us we can only back up three folders (Documents, Downloads, and Desktop) and that they must be on the C: drive!! Really? Do you people at Dropbox keep all your data in just those 3 folders on your C: drives? I don't think so.
You need to get this fixed soon or I won't continue paying for 2 TB of storage that I can't use. Come on guys, you can do better!
Please give us the ability to backup the folders we want to be backed up.
The current backup functionality doesn't make sense to me personally.I remember when Dropbox was easy and intuitive sync service…now it is turned into terrific UX nightmare! There are floating windows, ads, push messages for everything. It’s overkill…but most important – I decided to try their “backup” computer option for my Mac....well, it’s turned out it’s a classic sync (both direction, so forget for backup!!!) for just 3 system folders such as Documents, Downloads and Desktop…what exactly backup is that? That’s just a normal sync, but you don’t need to drag your files to the Dropbox folder…how pathetic is that, calling this computer backup?!?!
If you have to use such a "backup" (aka sync), you better go with another provider - for example pCloud gives you the option to sync ANY folder from your computer, not just preselected 3 folders...also you don't need to move anything you want to sync to dedicated folder...but as I mentioned already - this is not a true backup. Cloud storage providers gives you sync, not a true backup. Of course, you can sync any folder to the cloud and then simply stop sync (remove it as a task), so you are free to delete files localy, the won't be deleted on cloud, thus you can keep them as backups.
Yeah Dropbox has encouraged me to move my stuff in /dropbox and just make junctions as needed, but some apps simply don't play well with DB.
I program I wrote crashes if it runs in /dropbox. I know I should rewite it but that's not how it works - you're not supposed to interfere. I also have a work related critical software that uses Foxpro and they hacked internet in it - because of this it does why my program does - repeaded sequential writes to a file without checking, cause it's ITS file - and as a result steps on the toes of Dropbox that reads the file, cannot get an exclusive lock and crashes.
An installer that performs an in-place upgrade of critical software that crashes mid upgrade is a bad day at work. I have to QUIT DB. Pausing it will stop uploads but not the meddling.
So I moved some critical structure outside of Dropbox (!) so now only secondary files are backed up - main files are copied in every 24 hours via robocopy making the databases the program maintains NEWER than the software backed up.
And since I don't expect to see a "delay" setting on Dropbox so it won't jump on files the millisecond they have been written, my best bet is to copy files in via backup.
I wish the junction thing didn't go away but we do what we can.
Not having to robocopy the files, delete and maintain, jump through hoops would be great. It'd be even greater if you could tell DB to delay uploads but here we are.
