Resolved Reconnect unsupported Leopard/Snow Leopard Macs to Dropbox

[eyoungren]

1-27-2019: This thread has now been unstickied. When I started it, my intent was to provide a workaround for the fact that Dropbox abandoned us. Well, others stepped up and we found alternate ways to get around this problem. Eventually @Czo even went to work for us in reverse-engineering the app.

Unfortunately, there has been no update to the app for over a year now and since quickly finding a current Dropbox app was the sole reason to keep the thread stickied there is now no longer any justifiable reason for it.

Like all things, there is a time. Dropbox for PowerPC came to an end over a year ago. We had a good run and I wish to thank Czo for keeping us relevant for at least two years past the time Dropbox cut us off.

I can only hope all of you are finding your own way to continue to use Dropbox. For myself, it's the original solution I posted this thread for. I have an always on PC laptop that sits as a bridge for my PowerPC Macs. I've even placed a direct Dropbox shortcut to my laptop in my Home folders.

Good luck to all of you and thanks for participating! Dropbox for PowerPC is dead. Long live Dropbox!

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TIGER USERS, THE PROVIDED POWERPC DROPBOX APP DOES NOT WORK WITH TIGER. IT IS LEOPARD/SNOW LEOPARD ONLY.

***How this works.***
Go to post Post #168. Download the app from the link. Unzip the app and move it into your apps folder (overwriting the old app).

Czo updates the app periodically but the link to the update remains the same. Just redownload and recopy whenever there is an update.

You can track new updates below as I update Post #1 whenever Czo releases a new update.

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EDIT: 6.2.2017. Updated. Post #168.

EDIT: 4.8.2017. Update! Post #168.

EDIT: 12.16.2016. @Czo has updated the Dropbox app yet again (Thanks Czo!). Post #168.

EDIT: 9.14.2016. @Czo has updated the Dropbox app. Same link as before, see edit below this one.

EDIT: 12.08.2015. @Czo to the rescue again! Post #168 for the updated version! Note that the link at post #118 should also work as it's the same.

EDIT: 11.14.2015. Beware! Dropbox now seems to be detecting older versions! Hopefully @Czo can fix this.
--ADD: 12.06.2015. @Salumbre reports in post #159 that the warning may be erroneous and that Dropbox keeps functioning past the deadline.

--ADD: 12.08.2015. @Salumbre reports in Post 166 that Dropbox has stopped working for him.

However @Czo is currently working to release a new patch. I will update when the patch is live. UPDATED: See above for link!



EDIT: 09.22.2015. NOTE! Dropbox is now censoring links to this thread in their community forums! Took them long enough

EDIT: 07.27.2015. TIGER USERS!!! None of these solutions seem to work for OS X 10.4.11! The APIs that Dropbox is currently using for Snow Leopard are close enough to allow Leopard (10.5.8) users to continue using Dropbox, but the differences between Tiger and Snow Leopard are such that the fix does not work under Tiger.

If anyone wants to help Czo with coding for Tiger they are welcome to do so, but for right now the fix only works on Leopard!

EDIT: 07.08.2015. Updated download of Czo's solution at post 118.

NOTE! EVERYTHING BETWEEN THIS LINE AND THE NEXT NO LONGER WORKS!!! YOU CAN CHANGE THE SYSTEM VERSION BUT DROPBOX NOW CHECKS FOR THE VERSION OF DROPBOX. SEE THE ABOVE UPDATES FOR A LINK TO THE CURRENT WORKING VERSION!

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Note that the link in Post 71 is corrupt, use the link in Post 118.
EDIT: 05.25.2015. See Czo's solution at post 71. Czo has created a version of Dropbox that directly fakes version information to fool Dropbox. This makes modifying the SystemVersion.plist file unnecessary. Note that this makes the interface reflect the newer version and therefore you will have some icons that are clickable but do not function. To get to Preferences hold down OPTN when you click on the Dropbox icon in the menubar. All regular Dropbox functions are unaffected.

EDIT: 05.20.2015. See NathanJHill's solution at post 43. Note that Dropbox only seems to check for system version if you have been disconnected. Reconnecting using NathanJHill's solution will survive quitting Dropbox and it will survive a restart.

You will only need to do this again if you disconnect your Mac from Dropbox.

As Dropbox says, Happy Dropboxing!

I am marking this as resolved.

EVERTHING BELOW THIS LINE WAS PRIOR TO THE SOLUTIONS POSTED ABOVE. I HAVE LEFT IT HERE FOR THE RECORD
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Before you shoot me and say that this is a lame solution and anyone could have thought of it - just consider that this post is not THE solution to the problem, but just one of probably many that can be tried.

Also, I'm not saying it's a GOOD solution but it does seem to be one that will work for me. It's also pretty simple, but you do need an Intel Mac in the mix.

First, get an Intel Mac that you are comfortable leaving on all the time, or at least most of the time. For me, it won't be my new MBP (it's not even part of this) but another Mac. Or you can use a PC with an OS that Dropbox still supports

That Intel Mac (or PC) needs to be hooked up to Dropbox. That means this Mac (or PC) has to have internet access.

Share the Dropbox folder so it's accessible on your network.

Forward AFP (port 548) to the Intel Mac in your router. This is so we can still access Dropbox outside of the network that Mac is on. If that network has a dynamically assigned external IP you'll have to keep track of the IP address. For PC, you want ports 137-139 and 445 for SMB.

Using the PowerPC Macs you want to still have access to Dropbox, connect to the Intel Mac (or PC), mount the Dropbox shared folder and make an alias to it. You may want to do this from outside the network so the alias is not referencing the local address.

If you have not figured this out by now, what's happening is that we are mounting the shared Dropbox folder from the Intel Mac (or PC) to our PowerPC Macs via file sharing. Anything we drop in there directly will reflect up to Dropbox through the Intel Mac.

Of course there are downsides. We'll probably have to use the web interface to get a Public sharing link for a file, but at least this keeps some syncing going on. And of course Dropbox won't be in the menubar anymore any you lose the functionality of that. But the primary purpose of Dropbox is maintained.

Again, I know it's not a perfect or even great solution but it works well enough for me (I've tested it).[/B][/b]

 

[bunnspecial]

Sounds doable, although not as seamless as the current dropbox is on PPCs(I know, that's asking too much).

Now I guess I need to hunt for an Intel Xserve or two. From what I've seen, they're not terribly expensive. With that said, an older Mini would use a lot less power, so maybe I should consider that. The Minis seem to hold more value than older Xserves, though, so that's a consideration. In the long run, though, the Mini would be cheaper to run.

I've actually never owned a non-portable Intel Mac...

A Macbook can probably fill my needs for my work computer.

 

[eyoungren]

Reconnect unsupported PowerPC Macs to Dropbox

Sounds doable, although not as seamless as the current dropbox is on PPCs(I know, that's asking too much).

Now I guess I need to hunt for an Intel Xserve or two. From what I've seen, they're not terribly expensive. With that said, an older Mini would use a lot less power, so maybe I should consider that.

A Macbook can probably fill my needs for my work computer.

Yeah it's just applying two simple concepts.

1. We know that Dropbox will still continue to work on Intel Macs.
2. File sharing the folder that the Dropbox service uses to sync.

Because 1 is true, and we are using 2, any file dropped in will sync to Dropbox. Dropbox makes no distinction about WHERE the file is coming from. I.e., Dropbox is not saying the file has to be dropped in locally from a supported Mac (or PC).

This should also work with a PC as well, not just an Intel Mac. So maybe if someone wants to set up an old but still supported PC just for that purpose that would work too.

I am constantly dropping stuff into Dropbox though and being forced to use the web interface is just not going to work.

 

[Allograft]

What is happening with Dropbox?

 

[nebo1ss]

What is happening with Dropbox?

From reading the thread it looks like they are dropping support for non Intel Macs. Of no consequence to most of us.

 

[eyoungren]

What is happening with Dropbox?

Dropbox will be ending support for PowerPC Macs at the beginning of May.

Instead of just ending development for PowerPC and then letting things fall as they may however, Dropbox intends to disable the functions of the Dropbox app on PowerPC altogether.

So, this means that as of May 1, 2015 the Dropbox app on PowerPC Macs will no longer work. You will only be able to access Dropbox in the normal manner on an Intel Mac or a supported PC.

PowerPC Mac users will be relegated to using the web interface.

 

[bunnspecial]

From reading the thread it looks like they are dropping support for non Intel Macs. Of no consequence to most of us.

Bear in mind that this thread is in the PPC forum...

It IS a big deal to many of us who frequent this forum.

 

[eyoungren]

From reading the thread it looks like they are dropping support for non Intel Macs. Of no consequence to most of us.

It is of GREAT consequence to PowerPC Mac users.

You were aware that you are currently responding in a thread on the PowerPC Mac section of MacRumors correct? You are in the wrong forum if this is of no consequence to you.

 

[roadbloc]

Too much of a hassle for me. Once Dropbox is gone, I'll return to syncing my files via my BlackBerry.

 

[eyoungren]

Too much of a hassle for me. Once Dropbox is gone, I'll return to syncing my files via my BlackBerry.

I get that. It's not a solution for everyone.

In my case I use Dropbox so much that I just sometimes forget it's there. I'm trying to give myself the option of still being able to use it no matter where I am. At Starbucks or at home. As long as I can connect to that shared Dropbox folder I can drop in files and sync.

For me it's simply the difference between double-clicking an alias versus clicking on the Dropbox icon in the menubar.

I routinely drop in files from 1mb up to 2GB or more. Sometimes it's MANY files. I want to maintain the access I currently have from any device.

But I understand that what works for me is not what is going to work for everyone else. I'm just putting this out there.

 

[MysticCow]

Has anyone seen the new Dropbox as a beta? Just curious, as we are approaching May. Maybe there will be a workaround. Or maybe it will wind up completely borking PPC.

 

[MagicBoy]

Couple of things crossed my mind as other possibilities :
1) Will dropbox LAN sync continue to work if it finds another supported Mac on the local network after support is dropped?
2) Again, if you've got a newer Mac with MobileMe/iCloud, Back to my Mac might allow more secure access to a Shared Dropbox folder.

 

[eyoungren]

Couple of things crossed my mind as other possibilities :
1) Will dropbox LAN sync continue to work if it finds another supported Mac on the local network after support is dropped?
2) Again, if you've got a newer Mac with MobileMe/iCloud, Back to my Mac might allow more secure access to a Shared Dropbox folder.

1) Not sure. But with my setup and they way I intend to use things there will only be one Intel Mac in any given location that I am at that is using Dropbox.

2) My newest Mac (presumably arriving today) is April 2006 vintage. SL only so I don't think it will be able to use Back to My Mac.

The MP at work could probably be used in that regard however as it's running 10.10.2.

 

[Thermonuclear]

Manual synchronization

Manual synchronization can be done between any two Unix-like boxes, not just Macs, and can be a workable alternative to cloud synchronization like Dropbox.

I have some Intel Macs and some PPC Macs. The Intel Macs have Dropbox, but the PPC Macs had Dropbox uninstalled a few months ago. Nearly all of the content creation is done on just one Intel Mac.

To ensure that my Dropbox folder is synchronized on a PPC Mac, I need only a one line command run through the Terminal application from my home directory on an Intel Mac connected to Dropbox:

rsync -e ssh -auv --delete Dropbox myppcmacname:.

See the man page for rsync for details.

 

[redheeler]

From reading the thread it looks like they are dropping support for non Intel Macs. Of no consequence to most of us.

For sure. But that's because I don't use Dropbox, not because I don't use PPC Macs

I already use network File Sharing on my Intel Mac mini, one of the man purposes is to get apps and updates to my PPCs and transfer files from them. I prefer this approach over cloud storage.

 

[roadbloc]

For those not wanting to deal with rsync, I found a cool utility I once used back in the days of Windows Briefcases ( R.I.P ). It's called FileSync and it'll certainly be my replacement for Dropbox since I plan to ditch the cloud altogether. It has some sort of server support too, so maybe it could work out for them not content with local syncing.

 

[MysticCow]

Manual synchronization can be done between any two Unix-like boxes, not just Macs, and can be a workable alternative to cloud synchronization like Dropbox.

I have some Intel Macs and some PPC Macs. The Intel Macs have Dropbox, but the PPC Macs had Dropbox uninstalled a few months ago. Nearly all of the content creation is done on just one Intel Mac.

To ensure that my Dropbox folder is synchronized on a PPC Mac, I need only a one line command run through the Terminal application from my home directory on an Intel Mac connected to Dropbox:

rsync -e ssh -auv --delete Dropbox myppcmacname:.

See the man page for rsync for details.

But why go to the Terminal when you can accomplish it all through an AppleScript? Change the Dropbox and myppcname variables (because it needs the pathways iirc) and save it as an Application. Two clicks and it's all done!

Just in case that doesn't open correctly, here is the exact command to paste into Script Editor:

do shell script "rsync -e ssh -auv --delete Dropbox myppcmacname:"

 

[Beavix]

If you're looking for a cloud storage service easily accessible from any Mac, try Box.com. It allows WebDAV access which works all the way down to Mac OS 9 (using Goliath) and possibly below that.

 

[bunnspecial]

Well, I bought a CoreDuo Mini yesterday, so once it arrives I'll set this up and start putting things into action.

 

[A.Goldberg]

This is a very clever solution I must say. For me, it's impractical, but you've uncovered a great workaround.

 

[Thermonuclear]

But why go to the Terminal when you can accomplish it all through an AppleScript? Change the Dropbox and myppcname variables (because it needs the pathways iirc) and save it as an Application. Two clicks and it's all done!

Just in case that doesn't open correctly, here is the exact command to paste into Script Editor:

do shell script "rsync -e ssh -auv --delete Dropbox myppcmacname:"

In my case, I also need to invoke synchronization from Linux machines and it's nice to use the same thing regardless of location. I use a keyboard macro anyway, so I don't have to type too much.

 

[bunnspecial]

I called Apple today and ordered a copy of Snow Leopard Server. BTW, for anyone curious, the unlimited client version is still $19.99-it's almost a no brainer to pick up a copy of it while they still have it. It's not available online-you have to call-but the person I talked to had no trouble understanding that I wanted the server version.

I have a CoreDuo Mini on the way, and with that and Snow Leopard Server I should be in good shape to put this into action.

 

[lowendlinux]

I'd probably just use a digitial ocean droplet then sync everything.

 

[Beavix]

I'd probably just use a digitial ocean droplet then sync everything.

Hey, that's not a bad idea!

 

[Czo]

I'm thinking about to write a small dropbox client to work on my PB12". I need only few functions, so if i really make it, it will be a very basic and minimal approach for dropbox.