Van Halen – 2007-12-22 Oakland, CA (Silver Stallion)

Here are a some tips I have learned from using Dropbox that some might find useful:

Tip #1

I turn on the Dropbox syncing program only to upload or download a show from my account. Most of the time I leave the syncing program turned off. It’s default setting is to always be on, and start up when Windows starts up, but you can change that under preferences. The syncing program is the key to using Dropbox, because it acts like a torrent client, and insures you get all the bits of info. If your Internet connection is interrupted, it is not a problem, because the syncing program will resume your download, or upload, so there will be no need to start over. By using the syncing program there is absolutely no need to zip any files, you just place the folder or file into the Dropbox folder on your computer, and you’re done.

Tip #2

You can transfer a file larger than the space you have available into your account. For example, you have a 2.5 GB account, someone gives you a link for a 5 GB show, you can transfer the entire file into your account instantly by clicking on the “Download” button in the upper right hand corner, and then choosing the option “Add to my Dropbox”. The file will then instantly transfer to your Dropbox account. Then turn on the syncing program Dropbox installed, unless it is already on, to download the file to your computer.

Tip #3

Don’t put files in the Public folder, create your own folders. Another benefit of creating your own folders, is that you only need to pass out one link for the entire folder. It doesn’t work that way with the public folder.

Tip #4

Get your family and friends to sign up to gain extra space. They don’t even need to use the service if they don’t want it. They can even remove it after they have installed it. I signed up my elderly mother, and she doesn’t even understand what it is.

If you have other computers in your house, like I do, just create, or use another email address for yourself, and invite yourself to sign up, and install it on your other computers. Just make sure when you sign up for a new account you use a different name, a nickname, or other family member. Dropbox doesn’t recognize you’re the same person, if you’re on another computer.

Tip #5

Dropbox remembers files you delete, and you can restore those files. For example, you delete some files from your account, you can instantly restore them without uploading them again. There is a little trash can at the top of the main screen, click on that to show all deleted files, you can pick and choose which files to restore if they are in that list.

I delete and restore items all the time, especially when I turn on the syncing program, and I don’t want to upload or download something for no good reason.

Dropbox also remembers files you have had in your account at some time in the past, and if you decide to upload the same file again, it will upload much faster, because Dropbox will verify the file is the same, and restore it to your account, instead of just uploading the entire file from scratch.

Tip #6

Dropbox will suspend your account 3 days for suspicious activity if more than 20 GB is downloaded from your account in a single day. I no longer post public links to keep control over who, and how much is being downloaded from my account.