It does not need to be introduced - it allows you to automatically synchronize local files with cloud storage. Describe the process of registering and installing client software, I believe, is also not necessary. The process is simple, well-documented, and there are numerous reviews of Dropbox features available online. Instead, we will focus on less obvious things.

Launching a Second Dropbox Instance

The creators of the service proceeded from the assumption that the user launches only one Dropbox client during a session with the operating system. It’s hard to blame them for this - it’s hard to imagine the situation of simultaneously connecting to the service with another account, and with one it doesn’t make sense at all. Nevertheless, discussions of this issue often arise in the forums, so let's try to figure it out.

The Dropbox client is launched in Windows as a regular user program using a shortcut placed in startup. Simply changing the working directory does nothing, and the only way out here is to make a copy of the shortcut to run it as a different user. An account must first be created through the control panel.

On Windows XP it looks like this

The method has another interesting application: if several people work on the computer with different accounts, then they can use the installed Dropbox instance independently of each other (there is no need to change the properties of the shortcut).

When you try to launch the client program for the first time, it asks you to enter your Dropbox login and password. All configuration steps are standard here, but you should pay attention to the choice of the directory for synchronization - by default it will be in the profile of the user on whose behalf you run the client. If this does not suit you, then instead of automatic configuration (Typical), you need to select manual (Advanced) and specify the directory yourself.

As a result of simple manipulations, we got two instances of the Dropbox program, working simultaneously and with different service accounts. There are also two directories for synchronization - in the My Documents folder and on the desktop.


Two Dropbox client instances and two directories on Windows XP

There may be nuances with file access rights, but for home users they are not critical, since they work on the system with administrator rights and have full access to the disk. Another issue is autorun. For example, in Windows XP, it was not possible to find a regular way to automatically start the program on behalf of another user using a shortcut. The issue is solved by third-party utilities, of which there are many.

Sync files outside of the Dropbox directory

Dropbox is purely for syncing files over the network and doesn't know anything about app data (unlike some proprietary services like iCloud or Ubuntu One). In addition, it works with a special directory on the local machine and cannot synchronize data outside of this directory. On Linux, the problem is solved by creating a Dropbox folder inside - let's try to do the same on Windows.

The most interesting question here is how correctly Dropbox for Windows will perceive a soft link, which is an independent object of the file system, somewhat reminiscent of a shortcut. The screenshot shows that everything went well - the program perceives the symlink as a directory and uploads its contents to the server.

You can achieve similar results in other ways - by creating hard links to files or, say, by mounting partitions inside the Dropbox directory. As for these applications, there are also options here: for example, you can make a symbolic link to the Thunderbird profile in the synchronized folder - and a backup copy of your mail will be in the cloud.

The easiest way to access two different Dropbox accounts is to download the app for the primary account and log into the secondary account through a browser. The web version of Dropbox will give you access to all the files in your secondary account, and will also allow you to use the basic functions of the service, such as uploading files and creating folders.

Of course, this method is not very convenient. In addition, you lose synchronization in the background. But if you need to use an additional account only occasionally, then this is the easiest solution.

Use shared folders

The downside to this approach is that Dropbox doesn't allow sharing of the root folder. You will need to place all files in a shared folder that will take up space on both accounts. In this case, you will not be able to get additional space, but you can avoid trouble with your personal and work account.

1. Create a second Windows user (if you don't already have one). If you're only creating this account to bypass Dropbox restrictions, don't link it to a Microsoft account.

2. Sign in to an additional Windows account without leaving the main one. To do this quickly, just press the Windows + L buttons.

3. Download and install the Dropbox for Windows app. To log in, use the username and password from the second account.

4. Return to the main Windows account and go to the "Users" folder. By default, it is located on the same drive as the operating system.

5. Then go to the folder of the user you just created. In the window that appears, click "Continue" to access your files with administrator rights.

6. Go to your Dropbox folder. For convenience, you can create a shortcut to this folder and place it on your desktop.

Please note that in order to synchronize your account with the Dropbox server, you will have to sign in to a secondary Windows account each time, and then return to the main one again.

1. First, make sure you've downloaded, installed Dropbox, and signed in to your main account.

2. Then create a new Dropbox folder in your personal Home folder. For example, let's call it Dropbox2.

3. Open the program (use Spotlight in the top right corner if you can't find it). Click Process, then Select.

4. In the "Library" submenu, scroll down the page until you see the entry "Run shell script". Drag the entry to the right window.

5. Copy the script below and paste it into the text box. Replace Dropbox2 with the name of the folder you created earlier.

HOME=$HOME/Dropbox2 /Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/MacOS/Dropbox &

6. Now click "Launch". A new copy of the Dropbox app will appear, allowing you to sign in to a secondary account and set it up.

The article will be useful to those who do not use this cloud storage. You may not even have installed it. Dropbox can be installed along with other applications. As a result, it constantly starts up, takes up disk space and interferes with the normal operation of the PC.

We offer simple instructions on how to remove the Dropbox cloud from your computer. And recently we wrote OneDrive pre-installed on the "top ten".

Universal way

This method is relevant for all Windows users. You need to go to the Control Panel and find the "Programs and Features" section.

But we will do it easier. Press the key combination Win + R and write the command in the line appwiz.cpl. The desired section of the panel will open automatically. Here we need to select the "Uninstall a program" menu.

We act as follows: we find the Dropbox program in the list, select it - and click "Delete".

Through Windows 10 Settings

Users of "tens" can remove the application from the standard settings. You can enter them by pressing the key combination Win + I.

Third party software

Special uninstallers will help you remove the Dropbox cloud. We have the popular CCleaner installed. We go into the program, select the "Service" section. We will immediately see the "Uninstall programs" tab.

Then we proceed as usual: we are looking for a program, click on "Uninstall". It is important to choose this item. If you select the usual "Delete", then the program icon from the list will simply disappear, and the application itself will not be deleted.

You can use other utilities to remove programs: Revo Uninstaller, IObit Uninstaller, Uninstall Tool, etc. Read more about such utilities.

Note. In all three cases, after clicking "Delete" (or "Uninstall"), the uninstaller will start. You will need to click the "Uninstall" button and wait for the uninstallation to complete.

Deleting a Dropbox folder

After deleting the application, the data folder still remains. Delete it too. Don't be afraid to lose your files, as they are still stored in the cloud and tied to your account. You can restore deleted content at any time. The folder is usually located on the system drive C in the user folder (C:/Users/user_name).

That's how easy it is to delete a Dropbox cloud that you don't use. Read more about uninstalling and installing applications. Also, don't miss the article where we tell you how to from the Microsoft Store.

Dropbox is a popular cloud storage service owned by the company of the same name. With this service, users store their files on a remote server, synchronizing them between different devices.

Dropbox can be accessed through any browser; To do this, you only need to know the username and password. But there is also a special program for Windows and OS X, which is installed on a computer and allows you to enter the cloud storage and work with the data in it. We will talk about this program; in particular, consider the question of how to remove Dropbox from your computer.

Uninstalling a program

To get rid of Dropbox, you must know how to uninstall the program on Windows 8 or earlier OS versions from Microsoft.

Method one - "Control Panel"


Method two - program uninstaller

If you have already deleted Yandex Disk from your computer, you should understand that all files will remain on the cloud storage itself, even after you uninstall the program. To clear the "cloud", you need to open it through the browser and delete all the data on it.

You can also use third-party uninstallers. For example, you can install Revo Uninstaller - this utility is good because, after removing programs, it cleans their tails, ridding the registry and system folders of entries, files and directories that are no longer needed.