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I have too many Dropbox log files. What is their point?

While looking for something else on my 2 Windows 10 PC's, I noticed that there are several hundred log files located at the path:

C:\ProgramData\Dropbox\Update\Log

These range from 2018 dates to current, and sizes from 800K to 2K. As these are NOT normal text files, and I cannot see any options within the Dropbox program itself to read these, please explain what their function is. As see NO sync issues, I assume that I can get rid of them, as it seems pointless keeping them, unless of course there is some sort of "telemetry" that Dropbox is doing, that we, as users do NOT KNOW ABOUT?

It would be really useful if your product had an option to delete this "log history", say over 1, 3, 6 or 12 months old files, in a user setting, to stop this unnecessary clutter.

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Walter

Hi @td47; thanks for posting in Community and happy Monday!

When you have the desktop app installed and running on your computer, the app updater service's logs are stored in the app's data folders; not within your Dropbox account or Dropbox Folder.

You should be safe to delete them without affecting the app's functionality at all.

As for your suggestion in the end of your post, I'd recommend posting it in the relevant section of our Community so other users who find it useful can up-vote it to show their interest,

Let me know if you have any other questions!

All comments

Walter

JNBX

Hello:

Actually I'd love to remove the log files from the Update\Log folder but they ask for admin authorization although I'm an administator. No way to clean them away. They weigh 20M, 615 files and increasing any time...

cindy t.3

I have the same access issue - I could delete everything before mid-2020, but everything after is demanding admin authorization, even though I am the admin. Very irritating.

Rich

@cindy t.3 wrote:
... everything after is demanding admin authorization, even though I am the admin.

Being an administrator means nothing if the security on a file doesn't grant access to administrators. Being an admin also doesn't automatically grant you access to every file and folder on your computer. It just means you have the ability to change the security or take ownership of every file or folder, and that's what you would need to do.

The security on those log files is System/Full Control, meaning the System account, which is the highest level account on your computer even above Administrator, has full control to the files. No other account is listed as having access, not even Administrators. The System account is also the owner of the files, so you can't even view the permissions without first taking ownership of them. Once you do that, you can add Administrators/Full Control to the security list and then you'd be able to delete them. The only file you won't be able to delete is the most recent one, as it will likely have a lock on it for being open in the updater service.

cindy t.3

And for those of us who are the ONLY account on our computer? Why can't I get to these? Deleting old log files really shouldn't be an issue.

Rich

@cindy t.3 wrote:
And for those of us who are the ONLY account on our computer? Why can't I get to these? Deleting old log files really shouldn't be an issue.

You're not the only account on your computer, even when you're the only user. There are accounts used by the operating system, such as System if you're on a Windows computer, and these accounts are used by the operating system to manage the computer. In particular, System is the highest level account, even higher than Administrator, but it's not an account that you can use. It's strictly used by Windows. This is the account that owns those log files because the Dropbox Updater service runs as the System account, which many services use.

As I explained above, you certainly can delete the log files, but you need to do a little work before you're able to. This isn't anything to do with Dropbox. It's simply a function of Windows and how security works on files created by the System account. Take ownership of those files and then you can add yourself on the access list for them, and then you'll be able to delete them.

cindy t.3

Thanks for the info. I've always been confused by the Admin issue -- I didn't realize that Windows was the ultimate admin, but of course I should have!

td47

Actually, I CAN delete these old files if I need to, but cannot read them (as my normal user account DOES have some admin rights). When I first started this post, if I went through some hoops, I probably COULD try to look at contents (maybe using the actual Administrator account at the time), but I think Microsoft have increased security permissions for the system areas access now over the last year or so). As they are NOT text files, they are not useful to see any installation errors. I will probably go to the "suggestions" area and ask for a separate TEXT BASED 'install error log", and a "Dropbox error log" to ONLY log actual errors, and have these cumulative, for technical users to check every so often.

SuzanneT1

This is 2022 and I’ve been reading the issues with the log files. I’ve logged out of Dropbox on my phone and laptop. I have all the permissions to delete files but the message says “You need permission to perform this action”. I have the permission but can’t delete the log files or the folder the log files are in. Help. I need these files deleted.

Walter

Hey @SuzanneT1, sorry to hear you're having issues with this.

Can you send us a screenshot of the error you're getting and also clarify what kind of files you're trying to delete and from where exactly?

Thanks so much!

SuzanneT1

I’m not sure how to attach my screenshot. Please explain how to attach a pic from my camera. I’m trying to delete log files.

SuzanneT1

Sorry - I first responded on my cell phone. Now I'm responding on my laptop. this is a pic of the error trying to delete the log files.

Rich

@SuzanneT1 wrote:
I have all the permissions to delete files but the message says “You need permission to perform this action”.

Then you don't have the necessary permissions to delete the files. See my replies earlier in this thread about admins and the SYSTEM account. You may be the admin for your computer, but the SYSTEM account used by Windows is higher than an admin, and it's this account that has the only access to these files.

I need these files deleted.

You can delete them, but you need to do some work on the file permissions before you'll be able to. See my replies above.

SuzanneT1

I did read your statement and this is a copy of the system permissions. Is there anything else I should review:

[removed]

Rich

@SuzanneT1 wrote:
I did read your statement and this is a copy of the system permissions.

I removed your screenshot because it shows your full name and email address (or so it appears).

That screenshot is showing the permissions of your Dropbox icon (to launch the application); not the location of the log files. You need to do that same thing on the Log folder that contains all the log files, then you'll see that only the System account has access.

SuzanneT1

Okay - I selected the permissions on the log folder. My laptop has permissions. But if I give the permissions to the user - i get this error

Rich

@SuzanneT1 wrote:
Okay - I selected the permissions on the log folder. My laptop has permissions. But if I give the permissions to the user - i get this error

You're trying to change the permissions on the Update folder (and everything it contains), but it's failing to update the permissions on the Log folder and all of the log files because you don't have permissions to do so. You need to take ownership of not only the folder, but all the files within it, before you can change the permissions.

Quite honestly, if this isn't something you understand or are comfortable with, then you should just leave it be. You can break things if you apply the wrong permissions to certain files or folders, and this really goes beyond the scope of the support provided here. There's very little data stored here and none of it is human-readable. If this is an attempt to save disk space, you're not going to gain much space at all from deleting the log files.

SuzanneT1

I do understand permissions. I have an IT background but I’ve never run into a app like this. It does not matter if it’s the update folder the log folder or the log files. It will not let me have permissions. So last question. If I uninstall this app will these files go away.

Rich

@SuzanneT1 wrote:
... I’ve never run into a app like this. ... If I uninstall this app will these files go away.

I don't know if Dropbox will clean up the files during an uninstall, and to be clear, it's not Dropbox that's doing this; it's your operating system.

Dropbox has services that run in the background, like many other applications, and these services need a user account in order to run. In most cases, you're not going to create a separate user just to run a service (though some apps do), so Windows runs these services under the System user. Since the service runs as System, it's System that owns and has permissions to any files created by the service.

Take ownership of all the files so System doesn't own them, change the permissions on all the files so you have at least Modify access, and then you'll be able to delete them.

SuzanneT1

You've been very kind and I truly appreciate it. I've worked with a lot off apps and this is the first one I cannot delete logs. I like how the app works but I don't want my laptop being filled with logs I cannot control. I know it's just a small log file but eventually it will not. I think I'll consult my other IT firends to see if I'm missing anything from the last information you provided. Have a great week.

sodaspop

For years, after a DB update, I get in an ProgramData folder update log files and in an AppData Local, other log filed that contain either Chinese or Japanese characters. (NOT the file names, the file content) They used to be 400+K in size, loaded with these characters. Of recent time, they are about 5K. A search on line for info reveals NO returns about this. What are these files and why the Asian characters? Am I the only one getting these?

Megan

Hi @sodaspop, happy Tuesday!

Would you be able to send me a few screenshots of these logs, in order for us to have a visual of this too?

Keep me posted, and we'll take it from there.

td47

@MeganIf you read this post from the begining, you will see what this isue is actually about. The issue with these repeated and unwanted log files is why OTHER users are complaining about the same thing. That is, log files building up, that become very old if not deleted, and the DropBox product does NOT do any cleanup. I would therefore guarrantee that the post you are askinf gor information about is EXACTLY the same issue that I originally reported, and these files will be at the path:

C:\ProgramData\Dropbox\Update\Log

You can go to ANY Windows 10 PC with Dropbox installed, and go to that path with File Explorer and see for yourself.

sodaspop

I have screenshots and an actual file.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/n975qcfb7k8z4mx/AADdMsUgb8Jt2qI6iTqzDH9Ga?dl=0

When DB runs, the 10MB .tmp file is created in the AppData number 1 or 2 folder. After DB closes, that file is replaced by a 312KB no extension file (attached) Open that with Notepad. Been doing this as far back as I can remember. Am I the only one who gets these strange files?

Hannah

Hey @sodaspop, thanks for this, but would you mind attaching the screenshots directly to your next reply here?

To do that, click on the little camera icon right above the reply box.

Thanks!

sodaspop

I also have an actual file of screen shot

sodaspop

I've been doing searches for years trying to find out why Dropbox update logs in [c: ProgramData Dropbox Update Log] path contain regular log files , but also creates 2 folders containing Japanese or Chinese characters, and I'm not referring to the files names, but the file content. The 2 folders are named 01 and 02 and are in [{user} appData Local dropbox Logs] folder path. These Asian character files used to be about 450K in size. Lately, they are smaller, like 5K, but still appear. I often delete the regular log files and these strange ones, but over time, more appear. Searches for this issue yield zero results. Can anybody help? I can supply files or screen shots.

td47

@sodaspopThe reason the files have odd characters, is they are compressed or encoded in a proprietary format that ONLY the Dropbox app or its install routines understands. I see NO use for them, as they can be quite old unless you manually delete them. They are NOT readable for users, with any known app, and there is NO normal text (plain-text ) in them.

sodaspop

It just seems like a lot of work to create a file format using Asian characters (I don't know Japanese from Chinese) rather than encrypted binary. And in this case, since it's so unusual (I've never seen it used before), you'd think DB would have a searchable FAQ that explains it. First time I saw it years ago, I thought, "Is that some kind of virus?"

td47

@sodaspopI think you are misunderstanding what is going on here. Notepad or Wordpad, when used to try to display compressed or encoded log files (or even binary files), will do its best to "interpret" what it detects/thinks are extended character sets that might be in the file. These extended character sets will most times come out as Asian character sets, it is NOT Dropbox trying to use Chinese or whatever, it is just their own proprietary format. I agree, they are of no use to users though, which is one of the main points of my initial post on this.