Dropbox dropping syncing

LQParsons · 08-17-2018, 11:09 AM

Is anyone else getting this message:

Code:

Just to let you know, on Nov. 7, 2018 we’re ending support for Dropbox 
syncing to drives with certain uncommon file systems. 
The supported file systems are NTFS for Windows, HFS+ or APFS for Mac, 
and ext4 for Linux.

My Linux is XFS, which is the default for RedHat, and CentOS (I'm CentOS), and been so for some time. I'm in conversation with Dropbox now, "Are you REALLY saying XFS is uncommon"?

I'm not really sure how to retrograde my systems, and LinuxVM, to EXT4 (my WinVM is OK with NTFS); but I'm pretty sure I don't want to! ;-)

So, I'm casting about for an alternative. I have several iPHones, an iPad, a MBP laptop, a win/7, a win/10. I think I have an Android tablet that I rarely use.

I mostly use this to transfer data, as well as keep data I want/need from multiple platforms. I'm mostly personal, with a very small business, mostly myself with occasional collaborations.

Seems to me pCloud is a great alternative that suits my needs and runs on all the platforms I regularly use. SpiderOak seems right up there as well.

Question One: What's up with Dropbox, and is anyone else getting this crap from them?

Question Two: Those not using Dropbox (exclusively), what are your thoughts, if you're abandoning Dropbox, where do you go?

Thanks.

scasey · 08-17-2018, 11:19 AM

I have not received any such notice from Dropbox. When did you get it, from whence did it come?

dolphin_oracle · 08-17-2018, 11:38 AM

saw this on the linux news yesterday. they are dropping some linux support in stages.

LQParsons · 08-18-2018, 06:38 AM

The "Dear John: I'm leaving you!" message isn't all that obvious.

Whenever I reboot my linux, one of the 'automatic' things that happens is DropBox is synced.
During that time, this message flashes. It took me a couple of reboots to remember to watch for it, then do a little research to find out what it's all about.

Watch for it next time you reboot.

syg00 · 08-18-2018, 05:27 PM

I don't use dropbox, but doesn't it just use a separate folder for sync ?. Why not create a separate filesytem for it ?.
KISS.

LQParsons · 08-25-2018, 07:28 AM

Syg00 -- Can't KISS as you've suggested because

I don't know how to affect KVM/QEMU to give me another file system in my VM,
nor how to get my VM to understand more disk is available to it
nor how to get it configured to EXT4 instead of XFS like the rest of my stuff,
and I'm not sure I like having an entire File System just for DropBox to sync.
it appears there is more updates necessary -- will share later.

All those things I either don't currently know how to do, or I last did it so long ago I've got to look it all up, are in fact, very doable; I just need to do the research and do it, perhaps more than once to get it right.

The reason I started experimenting with KVM/QEMU so long ago was to create a dynamic product to which just things like this can be done way after install, as the client's situation changes and/or grows. Those plans didn't work out.

So, I can figure out how to do it, just it's not a simple solution for me.

I think my KISS is to pick another cloud system that supports all my OSes, has APS per and the tools to convert from Dropbox. DropBox's competition has had the chance to see what can be improved as well as observe how people use it to create a more elegant, probably better, solution.

CentOS, which comes from RHEL, which comes from Fedora, is way behind the system requirements (Dropbox no longer supports older than a certain version of Fedora).
I didn't know how far behind CentOS is from Fedora until all this made me do the research; it's probably better to move on rather than fight to stay on.

Thanks again, all for help and suggestions.
My next post will be the latest from Dropbox in case anyone else is beginning to experience the same or similar problem.

LQParsons · 08-25-2018, 07:33 AM

Final word from Dropbox:

Code:

This fall, we’re changing the system requirements for the Dropbox desktop app for 
Linux.

Beginning October 15, Dropbox is ending support for Ubuntu 13.10 and below, and Fedora 20 and 
below. You must be using glibc 2.19 or higher to continue using the Dropbox desktop 
application. Please update to a supported Linux operating system (Ubuntu 14.04+ or Fedora 
21+) or meet the new system requirements.

As of November 7, the Dropbox desktop app for Linux will only support the ext4 file system. 
Dropbox will continue to sync with supported file systems that are encrypted via full disk 
encryption (e.g. LUKS). Please note that ecryptfs is not supported. To ensure your files 
continue to sync, your Dropbox folder will need to be on a hard drive or partition that meets 
the new file system requirements.


Devices that do not meet the operating system or file system requirements will not be able to 
use the Dropbox desktop application.


Don’t worry—your current files aren’t going anywhere. In addition to supported Linux 
operating systems, you can still access files from Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android apps, or 
through dropbox.com.


What to do next:
You can find more information about updating your operating system on the Ubuntu and Fedora 
websites.


To move the location of your Dropbox folder to a supported file system or for more 
information, please visit our help center.

So I guess I'll move off Dropbox this Fall.

Best to all.

BW-userx · 08-25-2018, 07:40 AM

this is the one I got

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dropbox

Hi .....,

This fall, we’re changing the system requirements for the Dropbox desktop app for Linux.

Beginning October 15, Dropbox is ending support for Ubuntu 13.10 and below, and Fedora 20 and below. You must be using glibc 2.19 or higher to continue using the Dropbox desktop application. Please update to a supported Linux operating system (Ubuntu 14.04+ or Fedora 21+) or meet the new system requirements.

As of November 7, the Dropbox desktop app for Linux will only support the ext4 file system. Dropbox will continue to sync with supported file systems that are encrypted via full disk encryption (e.g. LUKS). Please note that ecryptfs is not supported. To ensure your files continue to sync, your Dropbox folder will need to be on a hard drive or partition that meets the new file system requirements.

Devices that do not meet the operating system or file system requirements will not be able to use the Dropbox desktop application.

Don’t worry—your current files aren’t going anywhere. In addition to supported Linux operating systems, you can still access files from Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android apps, or through dropbox.com.

What to do next:
You can find more information about updating your operating system on the Ubuntu and Fedora websites.

To move the location of your Dropbox folder to a supported file system or for more information, please visit our help center.

Below are some devices you might need to update:

slacurr.ent.org, Unknown, unknown version, ext4

You can see a full list of your connected Dropbox devices at the bottom of your account’s security page.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. For additional information, please see our help center.

Best,
The Dropbox team

I'm keeping mine I have ext4 , web access is still there.

hydrurga · 08-25-2018, 07:44 AM

I agree with svg00. I'm not sure how Dropbox will recognise the file system, but if it is only the synchronised Dropbox folder that needs to be on ext4, and not the app itself, perhaps creating a small ext4 partition on your disk for the Dropbox folder may get round this. All you need to do is mount that filesystem into your normal XFS filesystem hierarchy. Even if it's also the app, you could try installing the executable to that ext4 partition. I'd say it was worth some fiddling around before dropping the software altogether.

scasey · 08-25-2018, 10:32 AM

The notice finally showed up in my email. I only have one desktop in CentOS, and I'm only syncing one file, so I'll just do something manually (dropbox.com?)...Yes, it looks like that will work. It wants to use MS Office to open the file, but it will allow me to download the file to the desktop, and open it from there with LibreOffice.

I'd have more right to object if I were paying anything for the service. I agree that it's an unwise decision on their part.

LQParsons · 08-26-2018, 02:06 PM

Code:

hydrurga
I agree with svg00. I'm not sure how Dropbox will recognise the file system, but if it is
 only the synchronised Dropbox folder that needs to be on ext4, and not the app itself, 
perhaps creating a small ext4 partition on your disk for the Dropbox folder may get round 
this. All you need to do is mount that filesystem into your normal XFS filesystem hierarchy. 
Even if it's also the app, you could try installing the executable to that ext4 partition. 
I'd say it was worth some fiddling around before dropping the software altogether.

OK, maybe I was getting whiney, I'll look into it when I get a moment, since both you and svg00 know more than I. It'd be interesting to learn.

And I'm glad you've the same question:

Code:

I'm not sure how Dropbox will recognise the file system

nor why it'd care -- isn't that sort of the point?

And I agree with

Code:

scasey 	
...
I'd have more right to object if I were paying anything for the service. 
I agree that it's an unwise decision on their part.

Can't complain too much about something that is free (and good).

I will, however, continue to ponder, perhaps this is a nudge to get a better solution.

Thanks again to all.

hydrurga · 08-26-2018, 02:11 PM

If you remember this thread and can come back on to let us know how your attempts to get Dropbox to work with a separate ext4 partition go, I for one would certainly be interested in the outcome.

LQParsons · 03-04-2019, 01:42 PM

Hey, since the last post was report back to group how did it all work out, here it is.

I decided NOT to create another partition, just to have ONE that was EXT4 instead of XFS, thereby essentially dedicating a whole partition just to DropBox.

Besides, they were mostly dropping CentOS/7 because it's based on an older version of Fedora (reading between the lines), and there were so many other things 'out of date/out of spec' in their view.

I researched and eventually chose another service I like, that was free (until I need some of its paid features), ran on Windows, Linux, Mac, mobile devices: I have all, and that's my main need, so I can easily get stuff from any & all, as I'm out and about).

As I've been with Dropbox since the beginning, I was emotionally bonded so I didn't really want to go through the hassle to change, besides it worked on all systems save my Linux, so I mostly sat on it--hence the delay in finally choosing and posting.

Recently I decide I couldn't wait any more, so reread and redid some of my research of months ago to confirm nothing has happened to change my decision.

I went with pCloud.

It generally came up high on the 'best of' lists. Dropbox has my files local, and syncs them up to the cloud--I was more commfortable with this, though that means you immediately take up lots of disk space when you put dropbox on another machine and its making a local copy.

pCloud doesn't keep things local. Over time, internet is more and more ubiquitous, AND, the speeds are nearly always there (wherever THERE is), that I was comfortable with this.

pCloud also lets you assign local folders to it that'll sync if you need access to files when offline.

Installation on my Win/7 and Win/10, iMac, iPhone, iPad were all effortless. Linux was a bit of a hassle because they don't give an 'install', just the executable, so you did things by hand to set things up. It's been done for me for so long, it took me longer than it should have to get it all right. ;-(

Its default encryption scheme good, can buy feature for better, etc.
Sharing of files: a feature Dropbox had but dropped; is easily done, sharing folders for collaborative work is easily done. Etc. It seems well thought out.

I can recommend pCloud.

hydrurga · 03-04-2019, 01:53 PM

Thanks for the feedback, LQParsons. I have to admit that personally I would shy away from software that stores my data purely in the cloud, I'd at least always want to have my files synced locally. However, if it works for you that's great.

LQParsons · 03-05-2019, 06:39 AM

Yeah, Hydrurga.

Install pCloud and you'll get the pCloud "folder" that gets "mounted" to the cloud space.
You can use it if you'd like.

You can create your own folder, myCloudAvailableFiles, on your system(s) and tell pCloud to 'sync' it, either when you tell it to so do, or give it the schedule you'd like.

You can do it one way, or the other, or both.

Syncing also. 'On the Schedule' will update my local folder from the cloud, will update the cloud from my local folder, on a 'whenever' basis;
but if I've put something in my 'local' space that I'll need more immediately (put it up on this machine before I walk over to that machine) I can 'sync now'

I think it'll work for you, Hydrurga, the default options are good, and it's easy to over-ride.

Enjoy.