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Desktop app freezes while opening any file in one folder

Hi guys! I have got a problem with my dropbox. While I want to open any file in one folder in my dropbox app in Windows, it freezes and then drop down. I have tried to restart computer, dropbox and even to reinstal dropbox and nothing works out. Really struggling with this.

Thank you for your advises!

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Jane

Hey @Lukaskotas,

Welcome to our Forum & thanks for checking in with us here on this inquiry, I'm just checking back with you on the prgress of your inquiry, have you been able to resolve that?

-Firstly, let’s locate the source of the discrepancy. Can you make sure that you’re running the latest Dropbox version (48.4.58) on your desktop & it’s running correctly in the background (i.e. all Dropbox-related icons are loading correctly for you :white_check_mark:/ :arrows_counterclockwise:)? Also, have you made all latest OS updates locally?

-Additionally, are you getting any error messages when you’re trying to open your files? I’d appreciate it if you included a screenshot (omitting personal info) of what you’re seeing in your next message here, so that we check the case & send over the most relevant next steps.

I’ll be awaiting your next reply & I’m wishing you a lovely week ahead!

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Mark

Is it just one folder or them all?

What version of the app are you using?

Rich

@Lukaskotas wrote:
While I want to open any file in one folder in my dropbox app in Windows ...

And just to be clear, the Dropbox app doesn't open files; your operating system and the application for a specific file type do. How, exactly, are you trying to open the files, and what application are they opening in?

Jane

Hey @Lukaskotas,

Welcome to our Forum & thanks for checking in with us here on this inquiry, I'm just checking back with you on the prgress of your inquiry, have you been able to resolve that?

I’ll be awaiting your next reply & I’m wishing you a lovely week ahead!

sfclevenger

My new Surface Pro has Windows 10. I downloaded the Dropbox app and I can see my files, but dropbox freezes if I try to open anything. It is very frustrating because I am writing a paper and I can't access my previous work. Can anyone help? Sharon

Walter

Hey Sharon ( @sfclevenger) - sorry to hear about this cumbersome situation - I'll try to help!

Let's take a look into this together!

First off and to make sure we're on the same page, can you please let me know if you are running the desktop app or the mobile application on your Surface Pro?

If you're running the desktop app and you're fully synced then you should see a tick followed by the words “Up to date” when you mouse over the app's icon (in your taskbar). If you do not see this then, can you please let me know what the message being displayed there reports?

In the meantime, mind that you can always download any files you might need for quick access via our website ( no larger than 20 GB).

If this persists, please try re-installing our app using the offline installer and let me know how it goes.

Finally, if you notice this behavior with only specific files or files of a specific type, do let us know.

Let me know what you find and we'll take it from there Sharon - thank you!

sfclevenger

Thank you Walter! I think I am using the regular desktop app for Windows 10. It says up to date when I hover over the icon on the toolbar at the bottom of the screen. When I click on the dropbox icon, it opens a file with all of my Dropbox items in it. I can open pdf and photo files (I just found that out!) but no word files. Word is open on my desktop, but it doesn't matter if it is opened or not. Any ideas? Sharon

Walter

So you have these Word files inside your Dropbox folder but when you try to open them nothing happens? Are you getting any errors by any chance @sfclevenger? Mind sharing a screenshot?

sfclevenger

Hi Walter, no error messages. It just freezes and never corrects. Sorry. I wish I could give you more information. I can open the files if I go to the online Dropbox but not from the icon or folder on my computer. Weird.

Walter

Can you open these files when you're not running our app at all? To help isolate this issue, could you please try quitting the Dropbox application by using the following steps:

Click the Dropbox icon in your system tray
Click on the gear icon in the Notifications panel and select "Quit Dropbox"

Should this persist with Dropbox closed, the cause is related to something outside of the Dropbox application. You may want to check other applications or components of your Operating System that could be causing this Sharon.

Let me know how this goes please.

sfclevenger

I do not have an icon in the system tray, but I was able to right click on the desktop icon and select Quit Dropbox. The problem continues. Should I delete the dropbox program and reinstall? I hate to do that because it takes FOREVER to upload all of the files again.

Walter

Sorry to hear this @sfclevenger!

If you're still unable to open the files in question when Dropbox is not running, then the issue lies within the file(s) themselves and/or another program on your computer. Note that as Rich said above the Dropbox app doesn't open files; your operating system and the application for a specific file type do.

Also, have you been able to reproduce this behavior with any other files of this type or only a specific one?

Last but not least, remember that you can always log a ticket with our support team and ask for assistance - they'll probably be able to look further into this with all of our tools available.

Thanks for your patience and cooperation so far!

PS: In regards to your upload speed, take a look here.

GD116

Hi, I have exactly the same problem. Did you find a solution to yours?

I can open all Dropbox files from the desktop app, but when I try to open any folder or file in Windows explorer, it freezes.

I have Windows 10 on a Surface Pro laptop.

Anyone could help?

(I tried reinstalling dropbox, but no change.)

Thanks.

Guy

Walter

Hi @GD116; thanks for joining our Community and sorry to hear you're also having this issue.

Assuming that your device's OS is up to date and since re-installing didn't improve things at all for you, the next step here would be a clean, advanced re-install.

Can you give it a go and let us know if it helped at all?

Thanks!

GD116

Thank you very much for your reply. However, I did the step you suggested and it did not help.

(I uninstalled, rebooted, then looked for the folders to delete in the specidied locations - there were not there anyway - then I reinstalled. ) But exactly the same issue has remained. When I click in file explorer any file in the dropbox folder (or any subfolder), it just freezes. I don't have a problem accessing the files from the Desktop app.

I use Microsoft Surface, Windows 10 Home, Version 1909.

Would be grateful for further help.

Many thanks,

Guy

TFPC

I have the same problem, did anybody found the issue/solution ?