DropBox won't allow use of SD card

Forums › Laptops and mobile computers › DropBox won't allow use of SD card

PSLog

291 posts

Ultimate Geek

#120921 18-Jun-2013 16:37

OK. Here's the set-up:

I have a desktop computer and an HP Envy X2 hybrid notebook.

I need to be able to share a couple of 5+ Gig folders between the two computer so I have copied those folders to DropBox.

When I install DropBox on the Envy, it puts the local copy on the system drive, a smallish SSD drive. This is not ideal as I'm going to run out of space pretty quickly.

So I have installed a 64Gb SDXC card, which I intend to be a permanent fixture, to give me plenty (!) of storage space, labeled "E:drive".

However, DropBox (and Google Drive) will not allow me to install their local folders on this (removable media) E:drive.
Has anyone come across this before and have a solution to it?

(I'm sure Geekzone will be more responsive and helpful than the DropBox forum) .

ajobbins

5052 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#838788 18-Jun-2013 17:02

Is the main drive formatted as NTFS?

If so, you might be able to set an NTFS mount point to point to your SD card. This might trick Dropbox

Twitter: ajobbins

muppet

2566 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#838789 18-Jun-2013 17:04

Search the web for "Flip Removable Bit" and see if you get anywhere. This only "hacks" the problem though, there is no proper way to do this.

Drives marked as Removable aren't supposed to be supported by apps that are expecting to have their files reside on a permanent drive.

Good luck.

nathan

5695 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#838817 18-Jun-2013 17:55

try mounting the E: onto c:\SD, that will probably work

PSLog

291 posts

Ultimate Geek

#838860 18-Jun-2013 19:16

Hmmm the Flip Removable Bit searches have scared the pants off me. I can see me ending up breaking stuff .

But the mounting thing looks not too scary.. At what stage of the boot does the mounting occur because I found this from the DriopBox site

Your Dropbox folder must be available when your computer boots and before the Dropbox desktop application starts. Some USB drives, for example, take some time to mount before your computer recognizes them. The Dropbox desktop application could start before such a drive is ready and get confused. You will receive an error and Dropbox will give you the opportunity to relink your Dropbox account or exit if it is unable to find your Dropbox folder.

Would that be an issue?

nathan

5695 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#838864 18-Jun-2013 19:18

I've not tested it, but I'd be surprised if it doesn't work

it will mount before you can login, and Dropbox starts

PSLog

291 posts

Ultimate Geek

#838874 18-Jun-2013 19:28

Thanks Nathan
I'll do some research and find out how to do that and have a go when I'm fresh.
Couple of extra questions...

Will this work on Windows 8?
Do I have to start up or install NFS?

nathan

5695 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#838876 18-Jun-2013 19:31

yes Windows 8. no NFS reqd

In Disk Management, locate SD card, right-click it, and choose Change Drive Letter and Paths. Then, in the Change Drive Letter and Paths window, click Add. Click Browse next to “Mount in the following empty NTFS folder” to find C:\SD and add it to the paths that are attached to that drive.

Equinox IT

Cloud spending continues to surge globally, but most organisations haven’t made the changes necessary to maximise the value and cost-efficiency benefits of their cloud investments. Download the whitepaper From Overspend to Advantage now.

PSLog

291 posts

Ultimate Geek

#838880 18-Jun-2013 19:35

Thank you very much.
Very clear instructions :-)
I'll still have to have a clear head before I try it, though.
I'll let you know how I get on.

PSLog

291 posts

Ultimate Geek

#839029 18-Jun-2013 23:46

Just checking:
The SD Card is exFat format. Will that still work?

PSLog

291 posts

Ultimate Geek

#840295 20-Jun-2013 14:26

OK. I mounted the SD Card drive onto the C:Drive as detailed above.
It worked fine, showing as a folder (with different icon) on the C: drive.

I then went to move the DropBox folder from its position on the true drive to the SDCard folder on the C drive, using the DropBox Desktop application but got an error message (after a box saying "Moving ....." flashed up) saying "The DropBox folder could not be moved because it is in use by another program. Please close all programs that could have your DropBox folder open and try again."

I rebooted and tried again without opening anything else first: same result.

The message suggests the problem is NOT to do with the SD Card destination folder, but with the current DropBox folder. I wonder if there is a way to disable the "liveness" of that folder, before I try to complete the move. I suspect then, though that DropBox when livened up again, would just re-create the existing folder in it's original loaction.

ajobbins

5052 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#840600 20-Jun-2013 20:28

Maybe try re-installing Dropbox and select a folder inside the new destination during install, rather than trying to 'move' the current folder?

Twitter: ajobbins

PSLog

291 posts

Ultimate Geek

#841076 21-Jun-2013 14:41

Thanks for your help Nathan and AJ.
It all seems to be sorted now :-)