Saturday, May 19, 2012

HowTo: Install Dropbox using Repoforge on CentOS 6.2 / SL 6.2

Dropbox is a Web-based file hosting service that uses networked storage provided by Dropbox, Inc to enable users to store and share files and folders with others across the Internet using file synchronization.

The good folks that maintain the Repoforge (also know as RPMforge) repository have added packages for Dropbox.

What does this mean? No need for workaround for using Dropbox's Fedora repository on CentOS / SL / RHEL.

This post assumes that you already have a Dropbox account, if you don't get one here.

If you're running a 32 bits system:
  1. $ su
  2. # rpm --import http://dag.wieers.com/rpm/packages/RPM-GPG-KEY.dag.txt
  3. # rpm -Uvh http://pkgs.repoforge.org/rpmforge-release/rpmforge-release-0.5.2-2.el6.rf.i686.rpm
  4. # yum install nautilus-dropbox

On the other hand, if you have a 64 bits install issue the following commands:
  1. $ su
  2. # rpm --import http://dag.wieers.com/rpm/packages/RPM-GPG-KEY.dag.txt
  3. # rpm -Uvh http://pkgs.repoforge.org/rpmforge-release/rpmforge-release-0.5.2-2.el6.rf.x86_64.rpm
  4. # yum install nautilus-dropbox
  5. # echo '-b /usr/libexec/dropbox/' >/etc/prelink.conf.d/dropbox.conf

Users of 64 bit systems are required an extra step otherwise Dropbox will fail after reboot because prelink 'optimises' executables during bootup, however Dropbox has issues with those optimizations.

As part of installing the rpm package you'll be forced to restart Nautilus, afterwards point to Applications -> Internet and launch the new Dropbox entry.

A series of Dropbox installation windows will guide you during the rest of the setup.

To wrap-up add the username(s) that will use Dropbox on /etc/sysconfig/dropbox. For example, if the users that will use Dropbox are john and jane:

  1. # vim /etc/sysconfig/dropbox
  2. DROPBOX_USERS=john,jane

Now be patient, in a matter of minutes you'll have a synchronized Dropbox folder :)
at

4 comments:

  1. froggercat01 June, 2012 19:14

    I'm following these instructions on CentOS 6.2 on a 64-bit machine. When I enter the command:

    yum install nautilus-dropbox

    I get the following output:

    Loaded plugins: fastestmirror, refresh-packagekit
    Loading mirror speeds from cached hostfile
    * base: mirrors.seas.harvard.edu
    * extras: centos.omnispring.com
    * rpmforge: mirror.hmc.edu
    * updates: mirror.steadfast.net
    Setting up Install Process
    No package nautilus-dropbox available.

    I've also tried using nautilus-dropbox.x86_64 and nautilus-dropbox-0.6.7-1.el6.rf.x86_64.rpm, figuring that perhaps the problem was that I needed to use the exact names on the RPM repository.

    My questions: a) Why doesn't this work? b) Alternatives to try?

    I expect to have Dropbox syncing soon, but on the off-chance that someone else has the solution or the same problem in the future, I figured I'd post this in the comments here.

    ReplyDelete
  2. tangram02 June, 2012 00:39

    Hi,

    There must be something wrong with your yum configuration.

    # yum info nautilus-dropbox
    Loaded plugins: fastestmirror, refresh-packagekit, security
    Loading mirror speeds from cached hostfile
    * base: ftp.di.fc.ul.pt
    * elrepo: mirrors.coreix.net
    * extras: mirror.ate.info
    * rpmforge: ftp.heanet.ie
    * updates: ftp.dei.uc.pt
    Installed Packages
    Name : nautilus-dropbox
    Arch : x86_64
    Version : 0.6.7
    Release : 1.el6.rf
    Size : 172 k
    Repo : installed
    From repo : rpmforge
    Summary : Sync and backup files between computers
    URL : http://www.dropbox.com/
    License : Proprietary
    Description : Dropbox is software that syncs your files online and across your
    : computers.

    The commands in the HowTo were taken from my terminal so there is something wrong at your end.

    If you aren't able to use the repoforge/rpmforge repository then have a look at http://linux-bsd-sharing.blogspot.pt/2012/04/howto-install-dropbox-on-centos-62-and.html.

    Regards,
    tangram

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous16 November, 2012 13:55

    Shouldn't it be:

    DROPBOX_USERS=john,jane

    ?

    ReplyDelete
  4. tangram16 November, 2012 14:01

    Yes it should. Thanks for noticing ;)

    All fixed.

    ReplyDelete