Multiple DropBox Instances on Windows 7
At Semi-Legitimate Software, we use and highly recommend DropBox for file sync, backup, and collaboration.
We recently had a need to run two DropBox instances concurrently on a few of our Windows 7/Vista workstations (if you are running Mac or Linux there are alternate methods to do this documented here. If you are running an older version of Windows, this may work for you. We've not tested either of these alternate methods so can't vouch for them.).
Before we start working on our second DropBox instance, make sure you do a normal install and setup your primary DropBox account with your primary windows user first. Just use the normal default install method for this.
Next, we need to either create a new Windows user or pick an existing one already setup on your machine that you'll use to run the second DropBox instance. This alternate user account does not need to be an administrator or anything, just a normal user is fine.
Now log on to your machine as your new user. Once logged in, download and re-install DropBox as the new user (you may have to enter an admin password here if your new user isn't an admin himself).
Go through the entire setup process and sync out the DropBox repository to a location that will be accessible to your primary user account. Something like c:\dropbox works just fine.
Log off your new user, and back on as your primary user.
Now we need to create a custom shortcut to the alternate DropBox instance. On both Windows 7 and Windows Vista, the DropBox executable is stored under the local users AppData directory. Something like:
C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Dropbox\bin\Dropbox.exe
For this example, my user is named "sls" so my path is:
C:\Users\sls\AppData\Roaming\Dropbox\bin\Dropbox.exe
Navigate to the DropBox executable under your alternate user account. (the AppData directory is hidden by default, either type it in your address bar or set Windows to show hidden files). Once you find the executable, right click it and click Send To > Desktop (create shortcut).
Now right click the new shortcut on your desktop and click "Properties." In the "Target" text field append the following to the beginning of the command that is already there:
runas /user:USERNAME /savecred
For this example (USERNAME is sls):
runas /user:sls /savecred
The final contents of the "Target" text field will be something like:
runas /user:USERNAME /savecred C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Dropbox\bin\Dropbox.exe
For this example (USERNAME is sls):
runas /user:sls /savecred C:\Users\sls\AppData\Roaming\Dropbox\bin\Dropbox.exe
Click OK to save the changes to the shortcut and then double click it to run. If your alternate user had a password, you will be prompted for it at this point.
You will now see your second DropBox icon appear in your system tray.
Congratulations, you are now running two instances of DropBox concurrently as two separate Windows users!
Comments (108)
Dear Sir,
I have good reason to use two drop boxes - namely for two different jobs that I want to keep separate. Colleagues in each job know me by the respective work email and therefore share folders with me through that email. Each email has a dropbox account. One will soon be full, at which point I will pay for more space.
However, I would like to thank you for the instructions. I followed them carefully on Windows 7 (one job) having already use a different method on mac (other job). I am please to say it seems to be working fine.
All the best.
Hi, i´m trying to unistall dropbox but it ask me administrator password, i already tried some possible keys but nothing have resulted.
Hi again, i just want to say thanks for don´t answer me, but i have news also, the password i was talking about is "admin" that dropbox create by deffect, thanks anyway for nothing
Followed each step but it does't work.
I run Dropboxes 1.2 on both "Admin" and "Temp" Users (WIN7) but whenever I add new files in the newly created dropbox folder (c:\dropbox\) this second dropbox tray icon only sais "indexing XX files... Can't sync filename. access is denied."
This works equally well in XP which also supports the runas and /savecred switches. The only step which changes is due to the fact that XP has no "Roaming" Folder in individual user accounts. To make the desktop shortcut, instead go to :\Documents and Settings\\Application Data\Dropbox\bin\" where you will find the relevant "dropbox.exe"...
whoops, my tags disappeared in the pathname. You obviously need the releveant drive letter at the beginning and username in between "Settings\" and "\Application". In my case this was "C:\Documents and Settings\Dropbox2\Application Data\Dropbox\bin"
Hmm.. I'm getting the extra dropbox in the tray but when i tell it to open i get nothing. any ideas?
That is one limitation with this method.
Make manual shortcuts to each Dropbox location on your desktop or someplace and use those instead. The tray icon link when running two instances isn't dependable.
After a few trial & errors... I finally figured it out and it works great~~!!!! I am so happy to see two drop box icons on the tray~!!!
thank you~! thank you~~!! thank you~~~!!!
For those of you who is having a problem or claiming this method is not working:
READ EVERYTHING~~!!!! I MEAN EVERYTHING~~~~!!!! FOLLOW EXACTLY AS NOTED IN THE INSTRUCTION~~~~!!! PAY ATTENTION TO EVERY DETAILS & VOILA!!! KKK
Hi,
How did you get the second icon in the tray to open?
This does not work. The new dropbox does not open and does not sync
Try this instead. http://www.bustatech.com/run-multiple-dropbox-on-your-pc-at-the-same-time/
It works!
Several thousand users say this solution DOES work... :-)
(I'm personally running two instances of the latest Dropbox software as I type this)
AND the solution here doesn't require you to install a (not necessarily trusted) custom Dropbox package as the solution in that link requires.
Though you have to download a portable app, it is indeed a sweet solution, a lot more flexible I would say.
All process done and in the last step, when I enter the password of my new user the numbers are no typed on the "screen" but I press enter and nothing happens. any one can advise what to do?
I should say my initially Dropbox account is not mine is from the NGO I'm working to (so it was not me who created it), and the new one I'm trying to set up is mine..
Anything I must take in consider?
Please advise, I'll be really grateful
When you type the password in for the secondary account, it's actually normal for the keys to not show up on the screen. Just type it in, hit enter, and double check to make sure you don't see two dropbox'es running (you should).
in my windows 7 it doesnt show the appdata folder in the users/username folder please advise.
To fix this, you will need to make sure that you are logged in as as Administrator:
1. First, click on your Window's start button and open your "Control Panel"
2. Click on "Folder Options" (If you don't see it right away, then go to the dropdown in your upper right and change the view from "Category" to either large or small icons, then click "Folder Options")
3. In the Folder Options Box, click on the "View" tab
4. Look for the "Hidden files and folders folder, and then click "Show hidden files, folders, and drives
Once you have done that, start the process above where you left off, refresh the screen, and now you should be able to see the "AppData" folder that you couldn't see earlier. Good luck!
in my windows 7 it doesnt show the appdata folder in the users/username folder please advise.
When I click the new shortcut the command prompt comes and goes quickly and nothing happens. Any thoughts as to why this might be?
I got the two dropbox icons in my systemstray. and my task manager also shows the two dropboxes being run
but the alternate dropbox doesnt open. the mouseover says 40 files loading, but the window with all the files doesnt open. But my primary dropbox account does open.
Should i wait for the files to load?
I'm way behind on creating multiple instances of Dropbox, so my apologies if the question has been answered, but I couldn't find it above. Maybe I'm reading the instructions incorrectly but I'm a bit confused as to which username (primary or secondary) is implied in which instance by "USERNAME" ... should this all pertain to the primary account? Thnx in advance!
You'll have two windows accounts and two dropbox accounts. Setup your primary dropbox account on your primary windows accounts as normal.
Then... go through the above process to install dropbox on a secondary windows account using the secondary dropbox credentials. In the above instructions, when it says to enter "USERNAME" that would be your secondary windows account username.
@Johnny:
Yep, you should put the modified shortcut in that folder, the one where is the original Dropbox shortcut.
The thing is, you should only leave the "/user:USERNAME" and "/savecred" parameters. That way the shortcut gets executed at startup when you log in your account(you may see the cmd window briefly) and after everything is ready, you'll be able to see the two dropbox tray icons.
I'm running Win7 x64 Professional.
This works absolutely great.
Yet, I tried to make it even more automatic: I've placed the modified shortcut (with all the 'runas' stuff) inside the "Start" folder -property of my main account- just like the original Dropbox shortcut. This start folder is useful to run certain programs at startup.
I rebooted, and then just the original Dropbox started, I'm forced to manually run the other dropbox shortcut. Any ideas to automate this? Of course, via Windows.
GREAT GREAT GREAT!!!
WOW you saved my life with your article. Thank you so much.
BIG THANKS FOLKS!! you've solved a pretty big problem I had trying to keep private and professional life tidy from a files and folders standpoint, with my two pay DB accounts.
Thanks,
It works for me! I am testing it with two PAID accounts.
For Mac, this worked great for me: http://www.joyofmacs.com/software/dropboxencore/
There is another method but I couldn't get it to work:
http://wiki.dropbox.com/TipsAndTricks/MultipleInstancesOnUnix
This seems a bit more complex than necessary. I installed it in my Windows 7 standard user account and linked it to my first Dropbox account, then right-clicked on the Dropbox shortcut in the Start menu and selected Run as Admin. That took me through the setup process again, so I could just put in the details of my other Dropbox account and put the folder wherever I wanted (i.e. right next to my first one). This can be repeated an unlimited number of times (or so it seems) for another Admin acct, though it doesn't work with standard user accts. You could then put shortcuts to the folders (not the application) if you want. If you need to modify one of the accounts you just right-click on the corresponding icon in the taskbar.
This seems a bit more complex than necessary. I installed it in my Windows 7 standard user account and linked it to my first Dropbox account, then right-clicked on the Dropbox shortcut in the Start menu and selected Run as Admin. That took me through the setup process again, so I could just put in the details of my other Dropbox account and put the folder wherever I wanted (i.e. right next to my first one). This can be repeated an unlimited number of times (or so it seems) for another Admin acct, though it doesn't work with standard user accts. You could then put shortcuts to the folders (not the application) if you want. If you need to modify one of the accounts you just right-click on the corresponding icon in the taskbar.
Any way to do it on Mac?
http://www.dropboxwiki.com/Forums_FAQ/_Running_Multiple_Instances_Of_Dropbox
Thanks for the tutorial :-)
BTW you can also add your password to the executable:
runas /user:USERNAME /password:PASSWORD /savecred C:\Users\sls\AppData\Roaming\Dropbox\bin\Dropbox.exe
works like a charm on Win7
Done. Thanks!
I have Vista Ultimate. Do I have to double-click the Desktop Shortcut every time I restart my computer or will it auto-run both Dropboxes?
FYI: My password-prompt didn't "respond" or display the text I was typing, but I typed it, hit Enter, and it worked.
Thanks!
Me too John, I got this working fine first time around but since reboot its added more to the beginning of the Target and its no longer prompting me to enter a password.... so I'm getting 'Cannot sync become of permission to file XXXX' error on the 2nd dropbox icon. Trying to figure out why now, if anyone else is having this problem let me know.
Hi,
When my second icon appears I can not open the dropbox folder from it. I can do it going to "C", but Dropbox menu does not appear there and, for instance, I can not share a folder.
Any suggestion is welcomed,
Thanks in adavance
Hi,
I have the same problem. I have a second dropbox icon, but can't open folder. If I navigate to C:\ I can open them but I do not have the dropbox menu in order to, for instance, share a folder
Any clue?
Something I wonder, shouldnt I share the folder in my "new user" account?
Thanks a lot,
Lupe
If you haven’t gotten Dropbox, get it now. Dropbox is a backup tool that lets you sync your files between multiple computers. You simply install the software on all computers you want to sync your files on. Then simply drag and drop your files into a folder that Dropbox software creates on your desktop and voila the files are now also on your other computers. No more need for a usb stick.
Sync your files online and across computers with @Dropbox. 2GB account is free!
It should be noted that the /savecred parameter is not available on either the Home (I'm guessing that this includes Home Basic AND Home Premium) or the Starter editions of Windows Vista/7 -- meaning that this will still work, but you'll have to enter your password every time you run the command.
As you type the password in the 'runas' box, it actually doesn't echo anything to the screen but it IS working. Just type out your password and hit enter and you should be set.[/quote]
That's it! Thanks a lot!
As you type the password in the 'runas' box, it actually doesn't echo anything to the screen but it IS working. Just type out your password and hit enter and you should be set.
Nice idea! Unfortunately, doesn't work for me - nothing happens.
Have you guys tried using the on screen keyboard?
Having the same problem as Gesa; keyboard does not respond when attemting to enter password at command prompt.
Can you advise on how to address this?
Thanks!
Hi, thanks for the tutorial. When asked for the password (Vista 32) my keyboard does not respond and I cannot enter the password - any idea? I don't have any general problems with cmd prompt. Thanks for advise.
Hi, thanks for the tutorial. When asked for the password (Vista 32) my keyboard does not respond and I cannot enter the password - any idea? I don't have any general problems with cmd prompt. Thanks for advise.
You're right it would. But I hopefully plan to not use a lot of space on the secondary account. Otherwise the primary would indeed go over the quota.
Hey Barry, but wouldn't this eat up your dropbox space even faster? oh well, to each his own...
Well, as I see, it works because u have it saved to drive C:/ and you're using usernames with no spaces...
Does somebody has any other configuration, such as using a space in their name or installing in a slave drive?
thanks
Hey Suresh,
I have my primary windows account (name: "BarryBostwick") with a dropbox account saving to C:/Dropbox.
My secondary windows account (name: "Dropbox") saving to a directory inside my primary windows account. (C:/Dropbox/2nd account/Dropbox).
The reason I did this is so I could have my friends and I use the 2nd account I set up, while my primary dropbox account would still sync those files to my computers because it's inside the primary account's directory. This lets me use two dropbox accounts even when I'm on another one of my computers that has only my primary account set up, such as my laptop.
Hope this helps!
Hey Barry, did you install this on your secondary slave drive (drive D:/ or E:/ for example)
Also, I would like to know which username do you use in your computer, I've been doing some trobleshooting and i think that it will not work if your username has any spaces on it. My PC username was "Bandi Tech" and did not work, but when I re-formatted my PC and wrote is as "BandiTech" it worked.
Has anyone encountered this, or can confirm it?
This is perfect! Thank you very much for the easy to follow tutorial on how to do this! I am forever in your debt.
(my current version: 1.0.20)
Has anyone tested this with the new 1.0.10 version?
Also, has anyone had any success running this while having ur dropbox folder on drive D? (or any other slave drive)
Thank you so much! Very handy, should be placed on the official dropbox website, they'd certainly be sure to get more customers! Thanks :)
Fantastic reference. Works great. Thanks so much! :-)
no funciona con 1.0.10? :(
dont work on 1.0.10? :(
Yes, it works just after appears second icon go to my second dropbox at C: and can store there content and works fine! A little more steps but works too! will make a direct access to start menu and that's it
I got the same proplems that the second Dropbox icon does not open the folder. But it still works! I have saved my second dropbox at C:, and if you navigate there you can open the second Dropbux just fine. Why the icon doesnt open ... no idea ...
Hi,
I made all steps, I have a second dropbox icon, I can see last updated files, go to dropbox website but can't open folder ?? in my second dropbox account??? I am running Windows Vista. Anybody can help me?
thx
Great work, just perfect ! :lol:
Ahh cool cheers Joel, I didn’t see Mostaza’s method. Yes that is indeed a cleaner way of doing it as you’re not displaying an unencrypted password. However according to the help files it doesn't work with Windows 7 Home or Starter.
Hi Chris, It actually seems like Mostaza's comment right below yours works quite well to accomplish the same thing while not requiring any install of additional tools.
I had verified that a while ago... just haven't had time to update the blog.
I've now added the 'savecred' switch to the above procedure.
Thanks both Chris and Mostaza for your input/feedback on this!
If you dont want to type in a password each time do this:
Follow the method in this guide then do the following
1) Download this and extract to system32 folder (make sure you uncheck read only in properties) http://download.sysinternals.com/Files/PsTools.zip
2) set the 'Target' on your shortcut to:
C:\Windows\System32\PsExec.exe -d -u USERNAME -p PASSWORD c:\DROPBOX FOLDER EXTENTION\Dropbox.exe
3) Test it works, then add to your windows startup folder.
If you add /savecred it will ask the passowrd only the first time, then it´ll remember the pass.
runas /user:sls /savecred C:\Users\sls\AppData\Roaming\Dropbox\bin\Dropbox.exe
I´ve missed the files status icons too, anybody fixed it?
Rgds!
I got this working using a 2nd account, installing DropBox as a 2nd user.
I then created a .bat file and passed the password with PSExec from Sysinternals.com.
Works perfectly, dual DropBox accounts :)
Fantastic tutorial. Just got it working on Win7-64.
Like others have mentioned, I can't open the 2nd dropbox folder from the tray icon, but a manual shortcut does the trick.
Also, if you are, like me, storing PDFs in your 2nd dropbox, make sure to share the folder among both user accounts involved. I initially got an "access is denied" message, but doing this seems to have cleared it up.
Thanks again for making my life easier!
It works!!! :) Thank you very much! :)
Gracias funciono de maravilla :lol:
Hi,
I couldn't get the shortcut to work either (using Windows 7 64-bit home edition, Dropbox 0.7.110) but it did work when I created a batch file (type the text into notepad and save as filename.bat) with the following commands, where 'bri' is my second user account:
cd C:\Users\bri\AppData\Roaming\Dropbox\bin\
runas /user:bri dropbox.exe
I wouldn't have got there without the help here, so cheers!
Everything just went fine! THANKS ;-)
That seems to be an issue with the current release actually. This happens for me too. I just made a manual shortcut to the second dropbox folder. The dropbox sync stuff works and everything but it seems that for whatever reason you can't use the tray icon these days.
Thanks for the tip.
I did everything you said. I got the 2nd dropbox in my system tray, but even after i double click on it, no window is popping up, hence I cannot access my 2nd dropbox folder. Any idea?
Not sure what to tell you... don't know how it switched for you. This trick still works fine for me. Maybe you're best off just reinstalling Dropbox and starting over.
so, when i initially followed this tutorial i had two instances of dropbox working under different users, and two icons in my toolbar.
for some reason when i try this now, i can only run ONE dropbox.exe (the other one opens and closes immediately).
my admin account dropbox.exe now goes to my secondary users dropbox account.. how did it switch?
I installed Dropbox on a Vista laptop with one administrator account and two non-administrator accounts. It worked fine on the administrator account, which IO don't use except to install programs, but was inaccessible from the other two accounts, and I couldn't install it on them without their being made administrator accounts, which defeats the security. Very poor installation procedure, much like Chrome. However, following the "runas" procedure above let me make it accessible from the other accounts. Thanks for the workaround!
Okay so I just read most of your comments and they look like bots so I wanted to say from one person to another that you did a really good job.
Having access to my personal dropbox and my project dropbox at the same time is great.
Works great thanks
How can you specify the user's password in the shortcut, so entering password is automatic?
My take away is that this trick is basically not practical for mer mortal PC users or am I missing something? Tom
It sounds like you are way past this, but just to be sure... is your "alternate" user's DropBox stored somewhere out from under that user's "user" directory? (aka it's not under c:\Users is it?)
I've not seen permission weirdness with this like you are describing though so honestly I'm just trying to throw out an idea.
The only way I could fix this was to open an elevated command prompt and use cacls to give both users control over the folders. Even then, as an elevated administrator, I got "Access denied" messages when trying to add the second user. I had to manually change back ownership of the directory structure to myself, and re-issue the cacls commands.
It's unclear to me at this point whether this is a Dropbox-related thing or just the vagaries of the Windows permissions system.
This seems useful and I have been able to get two running instances as you described. However, I'm not able to open any of the files in the second instance - I have all the proper permissions, and can navigate through the second dropbox directory structure successfully, but if I try to open any files I get an "Access is denied" message. This happens with images, text files - every file I have tried. I'm running Windows 7 64-bit.
I've double-checked them permissions, even logged back in as the secondary user and explicitly granted Full Control to the primary user for the entire directory structure.
It occurs to me that the latest DropBox client may lock the user's files for any user except the one running the instance, so user A cannot read the file's in user B's instance.
Any ideas?
I have the exact same issue with typing in the password into the command window no input is accepted. I did hand type in the command and received "RUNAS ERROR: Unable to run - dropbox ..... 5: Access is denied. I verified it is not a PW issue bc wrong pw gives 'bad password' error
Not sure... the shortcut and pasting the shortcut properties into a cmd Window should behave the same. Are you still having this issue?
Best bet is to open the "cmd" window (Start > type "cmd" in the search box and hit ENTER) and paste the full contents of your shortcut properties string in there and hit ENTER. This should generate the same result output as your shortcut but it'll stay on the screen so you can read it and figure out what's up. Post back what you find please.
Good afternoon,
Thank's for the great tutorial !
I went through the entire process but when I type in my password nothing happens. The second DropBox icon does not appear in my system tray.
Any idea ?
Once typed in, the information in the system window goes too quickly to be able to read it.
Thank's
Dan
great thing but i have a problem:
the shortcut dosnt work.
Target is
:runas /user:cgg C:\Users\cgg\AppData\Roaming\Dropbox\bin\Dropbox.exe
after pressing ok it is:
C:\Windows\System32\runas.exe /user:cgg C:\Users\cgg\AppData\Roaming\Dropbox\bin\Dropbox.exe
but it did not work
when id put
C:\Windows\System32\runas.exe /user:cgg C:\Users\cgg\AppData\Roaming\Dropbox\bin\Dropbox.exe
in cmd window the sec dropbox is there and works fine.
But why did the shortcut not work?
Just a little tip: if you want to run multiple dropbox accounts without writing manually each password, you could use PsExec from Sysinternals.com (now Microsoft) instead of RunAs. With PsExec you'll be able to pass the password as parameter.
thanks for your time/help joel. big help
!!success!! had to delete a space after app data. ok now have 2 dropbox icons in tray.
your the man
ok did it through cmd and it says unable to find file
That's just how the runas program works. Just type in your password (you won't see anything appear on screen) and hit ENTER.
at password prompt no keys seem to work except enter?????
i think we are getting there. I made the changes. Double clicked the shortcut (still not dropbox icon) and i am prompted for password. however when i type the cursor doesnt move and no characters are displayed. im trying again as we speak
Ah OK... so the user name is "Karen Dropbox" with a space in it eh? You'll need to quote things because the space is tripping us up.
Try:
C:\Windows\System32\runas.exe "/user:Karen Dropbox" "C:\Users\Karen Dropbox\AppData\Roaming\Dropbox\bin\Dropbox.exe"
I don't have a user with a space in it's name to test that with but I think that'll work.
Joel,
well lots of stuff came up. too much to type here but here is a screen grab: http://www.flickr.com/photos/23630970@N08/4328213024/
Ah ok... well it could be a couple things then. Best bet is to open the "cmd" window (Start > type "cmd" in the search box and hit ENTER) and paste the full contents of your shortcut properties string in there and hit ENTER. This should generate the same result output as your shortcut but it'll stay on the screen so you can read it and figure out what's up. Post back what you find please. :)
Joel,
no not literal, my username was displayed. any ideas?
I'm not sure how to get the little svn icon's working on the secondary dropbox either. Anyone have any ideas?
Just checking... but is that the literal text you've got in the target field? It should have actual username in it, not the string "USERNAME" (above we use the username "sls" in the example).
Please help. I followed the steps. However after I amend the target text field and press "ok", the shortcut icon changes from the dropbox icon to a windows exe. icon. I try to run it and a dos window flashes up for a second. I am not prompted for a password and no dropbox appears in system try. Also when I check the shortcut properties again the target is changed to : C:\Windows\System32\runas.exe /user:USERNAME C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Dropbox\bin\Dropbox.exe
This works great, except I don't get the sync status icons on individual files in the second dropbox (the green checks and blue arrows)
Anyone know how to fix this?
Great tutorial. This is a very useful hack.
Not sure if I'm misunderstanding, but the password you will need to enter is the password for the alternate account. (In this case this would be the password for "guest")
I know it's possible to set a password for the Windows "guest" account but you can't do it through Control Panel by default and it's a bit of a hack. Do you actually have a password setup for your "guest" user?
If you don't have a password for "guest" then you will need to make a new alternate account and define a password for it.
I wasn't able to type in my password after double clicking to open the shortcut. Am i not supposed to use the guest account as an alternate account?
The runas command actually requires a user ID that is password enabled.
As seen here: [url] http://blogs.msdn.com/aaron_margosis/archive/2004/06/23/163229.aspx#430666[/url]
So... you MUST add a password for your secondary DropBox user. Good question though, I've updated the guide above with this info.
i have a problem: my second windows user dont have a password so i just push enter, and then nothing happens. thanks and sorry for my english
Thanks for the guide. Works great!
8)