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Why am I getting a 'Couldn't start Dropbox' permission error?

Here's the message that I get:

Couldn't start Dropbox.
This is usually because of permission error. Storing your home folder on a network share can also cause an error.

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Accepted answers

Kaz

This often happens with users who may have migrated old data and settings from another Mac to their current computer.

Operating system permissions prevent files from being viewed or edited by unauthorized logins. Permissions can be set any number of ways and can be restored manually through a fairly simple process. Please note that it is very important to follow these steps specifically as failure to do so may result in other issues. On a Mac OS X you can do the following:

1) Make sure the Dropbox desktop application is running

2) Click on the Dropbox icon in your menu bar and then click your profile picture or initials

3) Select 'Preferences'

4) Click on the 'Account' tab

5) Hold down the 'Option/Alt' key

6) Click on the 'Fix Permissions' button (make sure you're still holding down the 'Option' key.

This will allow Dropbox access to your home folder, Dropbox folder, and any required settings.

All comments

Guy L.

Hi I can't start dropbox on my laptop. I get this message

"Couldn't start Dropbox This is usually because of a permissions error. Storing your home folder on a network share can also cause an error."

I had a previous version running fine. so I uninstalled it and installed the latest version from dropbox website. Then it told me the folder dropbox already existed and it will be renamed and I clicked install. That's all I know. It has also referenced a log file and I have pasted the contents of this below.

Please help I just upgraded to a pro account earlier today

bn.BUILD_KEY: Dropbox

bn.VERSION: 3.0.5

bn.DROPBOXEXT_VERSION: 24

bn.is_frozen: True

pid: 2308

cwd: u'C:\Users\Guy\AppData\Roaming\Dropbox\bin'

real_path=u'C:\Users\Guy\AppData\Roaming\Dropbox\bin'

mode=040777 uid=0 gid=0

parent mode=040777 uid=0 gid=0

HOME: u'C:\Users\Guy'

appdata: u'C:\Users\Guy\AppData\Roaming\Dropbox\instance2'

real_path=u'C:\Users\Guy\AppData\Roaming\Dropbox\instance2'

mode=040777 uid=0 gid=0

parent mode=040777 uid=0 gid=0

dropbox_path: u'C:\Users\Guy\Dropbox'

real_path=u'C:\Users\Guy\Dropbox'

mode=040777 uid=0 gid=0

parent mode=040777 uid=0 gid=0

sys_executable: 'C:\Users\Guy\AppData\Roaming\Dropbox\bin\Dropbox.exe'

real_path='C:\Users\Guy\AppData\Roaming\Dropbox\bin\Dropbox.exe'

mode=0100777 uid=0 gid=0

parent mode=040777 uid=0 gid=0

trace.file: 'C:\Users\Guy\AppData\Roaming\Dropbox\bin\Dropbox.exe\dropbox\client\ui\common\boot_error.pyc'

real_path='C:\Users\Guy\AppData\Roaming\Dropbox\bin\Dropbox.exe\dropbox\client\ui\common\boot_error.pyc'

not found

parent not found

TMP: C:\Users\Guy\AppData\Local\Temp

TEMP: C:\Users\Guy\AppData\Local\Temp

tempdir: u'c:\users\guy\appdata\local\temp'

real_path=u'c:\users\guy\appdata\local\temp'

mode=040777 uid=0 gid=0

parent mode=040777 uid=0 gid=0

Traceback (most recent call last):

File "dropbox\client\authenticate.pyc", line 1285, in authentication_thread

File "dropbox\client\authenticate.pyc", line 404, in finish_dropbox_boot

File "dropbox\sync_engine\sync_engine.pyc", line 484, in mount_dropbox_folder

File "dropbox\sync_engine\block_cache.pyc", line 35, in init

File "dropbox\sync_engine\block_cache.pyc", line 41, in compute_max_size

File "dropbox\sync_engine_file_system\windows.pyc", line 182, in wrapped

File "contextlib.pyc", line 35, in __exit_

File "dropbox\sync_engine_file_system\util.pyc", line 94, in convert_error

File "dropbox\sync_engine_file_system\windows.pyc", line 182, in wrapped

File "dropbox\sync_engine_file_system\windows.pyc", line 442, in get_disk_space_info

FSInvalidArgumentError: [Errno 22] The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable.

John D.97

I've just installed dropbox and got the same error message when I tried to start it.

Kaz

This often happens with users who may have migrated old data and settings from another Mac to their current computer.

1) Make sure the Dropbox desktop application is running

2) Click on the Dropbox icon in your menu bar and then click your profile picture or initials

3) Select 'Preferences'

4) Click on the 'Account' tab

5) Hold down the 'Option/Alt' key

6) Click on the 'Fix Permissions' button (make sure you're still holding down the 'Option' key.

This will allow Dropbox access to your home folder, Dropbox folder, and any required settings.

John D.97

Sorry Kaz, I don't understand you answer. I can't open the Dropbox application so I can't get past step 1 in your instructions.

Kaz

@ John, could you try the following? It is another way to repair your permissions:

1) Select your home directory (the folder named after your computer's login) and press Command-I to "Get Info"

2) Scroll down to the "Sharing & Permissions" section at the bottom of the Get Info window

3) If everything is grayed out, click on the gold lock at the bottom right of the window. You'll be prompted for your login password. You'll need admin access to edit the permissions. If you are unable to unlock these privileges, talk to your system administrator to give you access to this folder.

4) Your name should already be on the list of sharing and permissions. If you aren't listed, then add yourself by clicking the + button.

5) Once your user is added, click your name and then click the gear menu at the bottom middle of the window, and choose "Make me the owner". If this option is grayed out you can skip to step 6.

6) Click the gear again and choose "Apply to enclosed items".

Kathy T.5

I had the same problem after migrating data and settings to a new Mac. I tried to uninstall and then reinstall Dropbox, but still no luck. What finally did the trick was removing the Dropbox application settings. Instructions are in the Dropbox Help Center, under For Advanced Users:

https://help.dropbox.com/desktop-web/uninstall-dropbox

John D.97

Thanks Kathy - I tried that but it couldn't find the folder. Thanks Kaz, your solution worked fine.

Hi Guy

Could you please follow these steps:

On your Dropbox client (desktop version):

Click on the Dropbox icon and then the "gear" at the bottom right
Open the Preferences pane
Click the Account tab.
Hold down the Option key and the "Unlink This Computer" button will become a "Fix Permissions" button.
Click the Fix Permissions button and quit Dropbox.
Restart your computer.

This should fix the problem. If you're still having problems, please let me know.

Peter K.19

Respond to latest answer. My tab will not change, how long do i need to hold the option key? It stays in " Unlink this computer".

Dave B.51

@Kathy T.

Thanks

Worked for me

Steven J.5

I have the same issue. Your steps require Dropbox to remain open, but the error dialog is modal and prevents access to the Preferences UI. When you close the error dialog, the entire application closes.

Travis M.1

I have this issue too. The client will not launch

Could start Dropbox: https://www.evernote.com/l/AEH6CprAHDpIFoRW4_vdVregUExGriG4gB0

It is trying to launch from the path: '/Users/tRavI/Dropbox'

However the path it should be launching from is '/Users/tRavIs/Dropbox'

There needs to be an "s" in the "tRavIs" directory. How do I update this path?

Annalise H.

Thanks Kathy - worked for me!

Michael H.165

i followed Kaz' second suggestion and unfortunately after i chose "Make me the owner" i got over a hundred error messages about faulty extensions/permissions during the processing period (which was many minutes in duration). i tried repairing the permissions in disk utility after restarting holding command-r, the computer froze during the process, and now it won't boot up at all.

Jacob D.3

Ed - your solution is not useful for clients who "couldn't start Dropbox", as per the title of this thread.

I've encountered this error after changing the user folder shortname (and account names) of an OS X user. Now unable to launch Dropbox or reinstall as it repeatedly tries to follow a folder path that no longer exists.

I've cleaned all the preference files I could find, can you please let me know where to find the file that the Dropbox app is referencing for the bad folder path so I can simply remove it and reinstall.

Rich

See here:

https://www.dropboxforum.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/201456649-changed-home-folder-name-now-db-will-not-start#answer-200673079

Jacob D.3

Thanks Rich!

Michael G.63

This recently happened to me and I used Kathy T.'s post instructions from Feb 19 and they worked perfectly! Thank you

Jarad S.

Guys, I tried both the suggestions, however Kathy T's version was spot on! Resolved the problem. Superb.You guys are awesome. Thanks

Katharine S.2

I had the same error message and only got it to work after following the instructions below. Seemed a bit elaborate but worked like a treat - had to do it for all the ks folders (guess it had to do with the numerous attempts to reinstall dropbox)

https://help.dropbox.com/desktop-web/cant-establish-secure-connection

Camaul D.

I had the same problem on server 12 what i did was to just over install the software meaning install the application without removing the previous instillation that worked for me

Eric P.17

Dear all,

same symptoms ... but not of the remedies suggested by Katharine, Kathy and Kaz worked for me.

Here's the background of what happened :

In order to switch computers from a Macbook to a Macbook Pro, I backed up all my system via time capsule and restore it on the new computer. All data got imported correctly, most things work but some service do not, mainly the cloud ones (Dropbox, Google Drive, iCloud). I run El Capitan on both computers.

Any new suggestions ?

thanks,

Eric

a thomas b.

Instructions were perfect, but unfortunately, it still didn't work. And advice? I thank you.

Kevin M.42

Same here. MacBook air died. Apparently it did not like coffee like I do. MacBook Pro replaced it but no matter what I try I get the same error.

Dr T.

I had trouble getting Dropbox to start on the PC, apparently because of permissions error. I am using Windows 10.

Solution is to install Dropbox on the PC from the download, then open File explorer and locate the Dropbox icon i.e. in C:/Prog files(x86)/Dropbox/Client

The right click on the Dropbox icon and select 'Install as administrator'

It then starts no problem, and you just sign in.
I did previously set up the Dropbox facility using the web application.

Mike P.59

I had the same problem as Michael H. I followed Kaz' suggestions with adding permission and the final portion "Make me the owner" created all kinds of problems...I ended up rebooting and of course it just stayed at the loading screen so I had to recover everything. Thank God for time machine...otherwise I would have been screwed since I use my 17" for design. At this point, my drop box problem is still unresolved and it really sucks...

Johan

Had the same problem and tried all steps in above without success. The Mac said that I didn't have permission to do any changes. I think it is because I have migrated files across from a PC and I have seen similar issues before. However, I resolved it by in the home folders information section, instead of changing permissions unlock the folder in the general section at the top showing free space etc. and that worked for me.

jennyt

THANK YOU!

doangiahung

I had the same problem. I've already unlink and fix the permission. But the issues still happens.

http://prntscr.com/esisg7

Couldn't start Dropbox

Rich

The "error" in your screenshot isn't the actual error. It's the test file that contains the error message. Open that file in a text editor and past the content here.

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