You might see that the Dropbox Community team have been busy working on some major updates to the Community itself! So, here is some info on what’s changed, what’s staying the same and what you can expect from the Dropbox Community overall.
Forum Discussion
Dropbox for Windows 11 Virtual Machine (Parallels) on Macbook M1 (Apple silicon) -- can't install
I'm trying to use Dropbox in a "Windows 11 Pro" virtual machine (under Parallels) on Macbook M1 (Apple silicon). When I attempt to install, I get an error message "Couldn't start Dropbox. Your device...
Thanks to both you and Hannah. I think I may have found a work-around while searching the developer forum. I'll pursue that for now.
Jay
Dropbox Staff
Dropbox StaffHi TomFuller, as the Silicon chip used by Apple is actually an ARM chip, for the full Dropbox app, this is not supported for any installation of Windows, so only the S Mode app can be installed.
Since you're using Windows 11 as a VM on that hardware, this is why you can only install that version of the app.
Thanks to both you and Hannah. I think I may have found a work-around while searching the developer forum. I'll pursue that for now.
As an FYI, if you don't share what is your working solution, you're not assisting others with the same problem as they'll wonder "OK, what are you doing to solve it?"
Simple solution is to install Dropbox on your Mac and then make a mapped drive using Parallels so that it maps your Dropbox in Windows 11. Then you get to use the M1/M2 native app for Mac to work on your PC.
Oh yes. When I have a working solution, I'll be glad to share it! I re-loaded Dropbox again on the Mac side, but I'm still hitting some bumps with it.
This is the solution I am using...find it a bit slow but it does work.
Tom Hamp
Medicine Hat, Alberta
My apologies...the method I use is as recommended by others...map the Dropbox folder on the Mac side to a drive on the VM...and use that for Dropbox on the Windows side.
Have clarified with Dropbox Support today that this issue is apparently not related to the M1 ARM processor, but rather due to permissions settings or errors that will arise with the user profile to install Dropbox via a virtual environment.
Thankfully the workaround describe in these messages (using Dropbox drive on Mac side shared to the Parallels VM) provides a good solution.
Thanks everyone!
Cheers,
Tom
This thread has been very helpful. I plan to try the mapping solution. So far, my workaround gets me by, but is far from elegant. I deleted the newest Dropbox app (that places the Dropbox folder in "Locations") and re-installed the earlier version that place the Dropbox folder under "Users". That folder is mapped to Z:\ on the Windows 11 side, and that works with my programs now. I still use USB drives for some backup functions. These should be eliminated as I fully implement the recommended solutions.
Thanks again to the several respondents!
Tom Fuller
This thread has been the most useful ever, to understand and solve this exact issue, for which I have been in contact with customer care services from Dropbox, Microsoft, Parallels and Apple, each with different answers and bouncing me to each other.
I was about to remove and re-install Windows 11, because I thought the "S" mode was a WIN OS installation problem within Parallels, when I realised the issue is with the Dropbox app (running on Win 11 environment, on Parallels, on a M1 or M2 powered Apple).
The ultimate workaround solution, as suggested in this thread, is using the full Dropbox app on Mac (with selective sync and all that), saving all files in the Dropbox folder on Mac, then "pointing at" that folder from Windows 11 by using the "files sharing" function in Parallels. If you need help with this, here is a Parallels article where it is well explained: https://kb.parallels.com/en/6912
It works beautifully and has the added value to save storage space: before I used to duplicate the Dropbox-synced folders (one set on Mac, one on Windows), in order to find them in both partitions. Now I have only stored them on the Mac side, and I can access them from Windows too -- opening and working on them with Windows programs.
Hoping you have good luck cause this "new" location thing is a PAIN !
