Proxy setting not saving 2

Question

Funny how this thread:

https://www.dropboxforum.com/t5/Dropbox-installs-integrations/Proxy-setting-not-saving/td-p/163531

"is now closed by moderators due to inactivity."

while there are many others still open that are much older... and it was never resolved. Why?

Anyway, on that same subject of Dropbox not allowing you to change your proxy settings.... I had the same issue as described in that post where I have installed the latest instance of DB (offline version too) but it continues with "You are not connected to the internet" & while I can tick the check box at No Proxy in settings, when you click apply, nothing happens.

I realize that was many years ago but one of the users mentioned using Windows 10.

Our corp. installed Win 10 on our machines and since then I have been blocked at every attempt to get DB working again. We are on Windows 10 Pro Version 21H1.

While I am now a security analyst, I also worked for more than 5 years as a desktop support and hardware / software analyst. So I know my way around Win 10 a tiny bit. Still this problem continues for months. I even asked our helpdesk techs to look at it and they thought it was the Network team blocking our access through Symantec or a gpo. This turned out to be incorrect.

The problem is that the DB app keeps saying it is connecting but you cannot change any settings that will actually be saved.

And you cannot sign in because it is stuck on "Starting".

Finally after much searching and not finding answers, I went back to an old trick I learned in 2010. I went to the application executable and changed compatibility mode to win 7. Immediately the application stopped trying to connect and connected. I was presented with the window to sign into Dropbox with my account info. Didn't matter what the proxy preferences were set to.

And since then everything is working great.

Sorry this likely wont help any MAC users. But if you are stuck since Windows 10 update on a corp machine, try it. Won't cost you anything. Odd thing is I have 5 other windows machines with Win 10 Home and they had no issue after upgrade. Only the Pro version has this issue. And it may only be the corp. version we are using. I have no other Pro Win 10 version to test.

My exe is in C: Program Files (x86)/Dropbox/Client/Dropbox.exe

Right click the Dropbox.exe / Properties / Compatibility / change mode to "Run this program in compatibility mode for Windows 7.

Sup. Info. =

Version 21H1

Installed on 4/17/21

OS build 19043.1466

Experience pack 120.2212.3920.0

Hope this helps some.

Sincerely,

Fellow DB user.

waac

waac · Answer

I am using the latest version, just downloaded it yesterday. 139.4.4896.

I do not know if Dropbox versions have changed since we upgraded Windows to 10 pro. But I have been trying with the "latest version at the time" for the last 6 months or more. Each version would be respective to the month I tried again....and again...etc.

"Also, have you checked if this is caused by any third party apps, such as antivirus programs or firewalls etc?"

Yes, as I stated in my original post, we walked through all of those things because that is what I first suspected. I thought it was the antivirus for sure. I cannot uninstall it because it is a corp. machine. But I disabled it completely. Then we asked out Network team if that could still be the cause and they said no. And they gave us several tests to walk though to prove it which I did successfully. I also though it could be the firewall. It was not the firewall. The problem only exists if I run it without compatibility mode turned on for the .exe. However, the moment I put it in compatibility for Win 7, the issue disappears and all is well. Performed it on two devices in our network. Several others have the same issue and I am glad to tell them how I was able to get it working for me.

Walter · Answer

Hey @waac - thanks for posting on our Community and sharing your walk-around this issue.

I appreciate your detailed report, but could you clarify the version of the desktop app showing this behavior as well?

Does this happen with the latest, stable version found here?

Also, have you checked if this is caused by any third party apps, such as antivirus programs or firewalls etc?

Keep us posted!