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What makes me use Dropbox? Minbox: when Dropbox is too slow Turn on the virtual machine

Cloud data storage is very popular these days. They provide the client with a huge amount of free space for storing various kinds of files with subsequent easy access to them - it is enough to have a device with Internet access at hand. On the one hand, this is very convenient, you will never lose the information you need and will always have the opportunity to edit files, but on the other hand, what is the price of this convenience and is there a security guarantee that no one except you will have access to confidential information? This, and in particular Dropbox, will be discussed in this article.

CloudApp and Dropbox

Dropbox's main competitor is a similar cloud service called CloudApp. Identical functions, a high level of reliability, ease of access and ease of use are all that both repositories have in common, but the cheese is free only in the mousetrap - you have to pay for it. Initially, Dropbox gives you 2Gb of free server space, which may be enough for you to store photos, screenshots and small files. But if you wish, you can sign up for an annual subscription for $99 (in my opinion, MobileMe is better for the same money), and the free space will increase to 100Gb. CloudApp has unlimited space and a free account, but the cloud loses in terms of the number of downloads per day - 10, and the file size should not exceed 25MB. Dropbox offers you 250MB per day, with no file limit. A more attractive option than CloudApp offers us.

As you can see, both clouds have both their pros and cons. For an annual subscription, CloudApp will also give you a short URL to which you can send your files, and Dropbox will significantly increase your personal space on its server. Dropbox also has very convenient applications for iPhone/iPad, and they are absolutely free. Cloud2go asks $2.99 for its application, which only exists on the iPhone/iPod Touch.

Why Dropbox?

Because this is the easiest way to store files. You can upload photos from your library into it at any time and then open it all on your computer without unnecessary pain. 2Gb of free space, of course, may not be enough, but who forbids you to create another account? Dropbox also supports any type of file, you won’t have any problems with it. You can install it on any OS - it is compatible with Windows, Linux, Mac, iOS and even .

Another important advantage is that if you work on a local network with several users and a lot of files, then Dropbox is for you. Automatic updates are also supported. You can add a file you like to your favorites for later offline viewing. It’s very convenient if you need to read/watch something urgently, but you won’t have access to the Internet in the near future.

Dropbox, in my opinion, is the best cloud for storing data and accessing it “on-the-go” - a minimum of unnecessary things, a maximum of functions, convenience and respect for your health - you don’t have to worry about the information, it’s in good hands, on reliable servers .

Cloud data storage ( online cloud storage) is a model for storing data online, that is, on the Internet, on distributed servers owned by the service provider. Thus, the owner of the cloud storage provides clients with a data storage service, where the user pays only for the data storage itself, and the service owner is responsible for infrastructure support, server maintenance, security issues, access speed and reliability.

The operating principle of dropbox is based on synchronizing user files located in a specific folder with a remote server using an application installed on the user’s computer. Once files are uploaded to the server, they are automatically synchronized with all other user devices. The list of supported devices, in addition to computers and laptops running Windows and Linux, also includes tablets and smartphones running iOS and Android. Dropbox saves file modification history for the last 30 days, allowing you to restore an accidentally deleted or modified file. It is also possible to additionally purchase the function of saving unlimited history.

It is possible to use the service for free with a storage limit of 2 gigabytes. This limit can be expanded to 18-22 gigabytes or you can purchase a paid subscription. Prices start at about 300 rubles per month for 100 GB.

Also, if you register using a referral link from a user with a free account, then 500 MB will be added to the starting 2 free gigabytes, but if you register using a link from a user with a paid account, you will receive an additional 1 GB. You can use my paid account referral link if you want to sign up for Dropbox.

Just like many other online services, you need an email address to create a Dropbox account. To reset your password, you will need access to this account. This process helps us maintain the security of your account and protect it from unauthorized access.

If you no longer have access to the email address associated with your Dropbox account, we won't be able to help you get into your account. However, there are several ways in which you can try to enter it yourself.

Sign in to your Dropbox account if you remember your password

If you no longer have access to the email address associated with your Dropbox account, but you remember your password, .

Sign in to your Dropbox account using your email provider

If you no longer have access to your email address, we recommend contacting your email service provider (ESP) for assistance. Only your email provider can help you get back into your inbox. Dropbox is not an email service provider and cannot contact your provider on your behalf.

Logging into your Dropbox account after automatic password reset

As part of the security measures for your accounts, Dropbox sometimes resets existing passwords. To see if your account is affected by this, try again and compare the error message that appears with .

If you don't see this error message, don't have access to your email address, or don't remember your password, we won't be able to help you get into your account.
If you see this is an error message and have already received an email from us, please reply to it and let us know that you are seeing this error message.

Sign in to your Dropbox account using another connected device

If you can't sign into your Dropbox account on the website or from one of your connected devices, check to see if you've connected your account to another device. For example, if you use Dropbox on both your home computer and your phone or tablet, you may still be signed in to your account on one of those devices.

In this case, you can use this device to transfer files to another account:

If you still have files from your Dropbox account on one of your devices, you can move them to another account. To do this .
If you have access to your Dropbox account in the phone app, you can transfer files saved in your account to your computer using the Dropbox software remote installation feature.

In both cases, you can also temporarily save your files in a folder on your computer or mobile device and then upload them to your new Dropbox account.

As stated above, if you do not have access to the email associated with your Dropbox account and do not remember your password, then for security reasons we will not be able to help you access your account. Only your email service provider (ESP) can help you access your mailbox. If your email provider can help you, please request an email from us with instructions to reset your password.

To complete the task we will need a virtual machine - I used WinXP under VMWare.

16 Gigabytes are given for inviting friends (referrals) from the invite friends page.

In total, you need to invite 32 people, 500GB each. Dropbox considers clients different if they have different mac addresses, and accordingly different mailboxes. These two conditions are enough to get the coveted gigabytes.

Mailbox registration

To register mailboxes, I decided not to look for services like 10minutemail, but to use Yandex mail. And the reasons are the most basic - when registering with Yandex mail, you receive 7 mail aliases at once:

@ya.ru
@narod.ru
@yandex.ua
@yandex.by
@yandex.kz
@yandex.ru
@yandex.com

Thus, we slightly speed up the process of obtaining additional space in the cloud.

Sending invitations

And we send invites to the prepared addresses, I sent them one by one to navigate the mailbox, but you can send them in a bunch.

Setting up a virtual machine

! all mac addresses must be different!

As a result you will get something like this

Turn on the virtual machine

And then we disconnect all network adapters except the very first one.

We go to our new mailbox on Yandex

For convenience, you can write everything down in a notepad: mailbox/link/password

Launching the client

We indicate that we already have an account.

Enter the details of the first invited account and click next.

Attention, we do not perform the next step, we simply close the client. Then no synchronization will occur.

This is enough to credit a bonus of 500MB.

Disable the active network connection and run the following

Then we go to the second box, click the link, register a new account and indicate new data in the client and so on in a circle, 7 boxes will take about 15 minutes at most.

If this is too difficult, then just order an increase in space from me

The service for increasing space costs 1000 rubles. Leave your contact in the comment and I will contact you.

Is everything as the developers say, or is it just marketing?

No, the app is actually fast. When I tried to download a 5GB file, Minbox readily accepted it and downloaded it at the fastest possible speed for my network.

And it's just a matter of speed?

Notifications by e-mail are another feature of the service. Has your file been downloaded or viewed? Has it finished uploading to the server? Does a cloud file expire? A notification about this has already been sent to your email. Considering that Mac users almost a priori use e-mail clients, messages replace standard notifications quite well.

So, now you don’t need Dropbox either?

Are there any downsides at all?

Among the shortcomings, of which there are very few in the utility, is the short shelf life of downloaded files. Moreover, the larger the data size, the less time it is available via the link. For example, the aforementioned 5 GB file would remain in the cloud for only 3 days.

In principle, this should be enough for the average user, but others can use the services of a premium account and extend the life of their data. Another drawback: for now, the service can be used either by those who are willing to constantly keep the web version open, or by owners of Mac computers. The application remains only as an icon on the taskbar, and you can download the file using a simple drag and drop.

Pro version. What does it give?

If you have an extra $19 per month, Minbox offers you the benefits of a premium account.

Benefits include: unlimited cloud storage; protecting files with passwords; encryption of information for greater security; deferred delivery of links to files to recipients; changing the period of time after which downloaded data will be automatically deleted; as well as wide possibilities for customization.

We're going to take branding to a whole new level. With Minbox you can use your own format for the links you receive and even change the domain itself. A personal page can be decorated with your company logo and avatar, and the background and display of buttons on the page can be easily customized to your personal preference.

Eventually:

Here we have one of the best, if not the best, cloud service for instant file sharing. High download speeds, no restrictions on data sizes and being free undoubtedly play into the hands of Minbox. And the shortcoming in the form of a short shelf life can be forgiven, given the fact that we often forget about the file we share the very next day.

Which cloud services are your favorites? Write about your preferences in the comments.