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No context menu on windows 10. Selective sync also doesn't work.

Hey All,

Originally I had the issue, that my dropbox doesn't sync properly to one of my machines: a Windows 10 PC. It looks as if one of my folders is selectively synced (90% of its contents are unavailable on my machine), while no selective sync is set up in the preferences - and the missing folders do show up in the relevant preference pane.

While looking for a solution, I tried to see if setting some files offline or online via the right-click context-menu commands in Windows Explorer helps, but it didn't. I have the latest version of the desktop app installed.

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Rich

@dnemes wrote:
While looking for a solution, I tried to see if setting some files offline or online via the right-click context-menu commands in Windows Explorer helps, but it didn't.

Is the Dropbox application running? Check your system tray for the Dropbox icon and if it's there, check its status by hovering your cursor over it. If it's not running, files won't sync and the context menu options won't appear.

dnemes

It was of course running, and it is my bad that i didn't explain well enough.
The context menu didn't help, because I don't have the context menu. At all.

dnemes

So I see now that the whole issue is in need of some elaboration.
My Setup:

I have Dropbox (Basic Plan with 9.6 GB of data) installed on 3 devices.
- A Mac: this is the main install, and I have been using it since 2011. This has all my files, and most folders were originally created here during the years. No issues, works as expected.

- An iPhone: this also works and all files can be accessed from it, when online. I have a lot of them set to offline access as well. No issues, works as expected.

- The third install was made to my Windows 10 PC, recently. There I have two issues.
1st: To this PC, for some reason, only part of my files are syncing. I have a huge folder (Egyetem), with roughly 5 gigs of data, and 20 or so subfolders. Only 3 of those subfolders sync to my PC. The app still says that all my files are 'Up to date'. I have fiddled with the selective sync preferences, and all folders are set to being stored locally (I have no Online only files, and the default is Local). Nevertheless, the missing folders don't show up. I did an advanced reinstall, and redownloaded all my files from the cloud, but still, my 90% of my (Egyetem) folder don't show up, they are still missing.

2nd.: While I was researching ways to solve the 1st issue, I have happened on the second issue: It seems that the Explorer Extension, that Dropbox is supposed to install, doesn't work on my PC. I have no Dropbox commands in my right-click context menu, and no little file badges in Explorer.

Any ideas on those fronts?

Nancy

Hi from me as well, @dnemes! About the folders that don’t appear locally on your Dropbox app, have you also double checked their names to make sure they don’t contain any of the characters listed here?

As for the issue with the missing context menu options, did you recently update your computer’s OS? If not, I’d like you to take a look at these steps and let me know if they help resolve this.

dnemes

It seems that most of the affected folder names contain a colon ':'. I'll try renaming, and then see if that resolved it. Thanks for the suggestion. I'll check back in any case.
Considering the context menu, I'll try a reinstall and modifying the registry, and let you know how it went.

Megan

Great @dnemes!

Keep us posted in any case! 😀

dnemes

The registry order seems fine, in the sense that the Dropbox items are among the first 15.

So that approach won't work, probably.

dnemes

The overaly icons are still missing as well.

dnemes

The renaming of the folders worked however. It is now syncing the missing folders to my Windows 10 machine.

Nancy

That’s great to hear, @dnemes!

As for the context menu options, you didn’t have any recent updates when it comes to your Windows OS, correct?

I’m asking so that we can determine the next step.

dnemes

No, there were no OS updates recently.

dnemes

I've found a new development in the meantime: It looks like I get Dropbox commands in the context menu, most locations in Windows Explorer. But not when I navigate into the actual Dropbox location. Curiouser and curiouser.

Jay

Hi @dnemes, do you have any other cloud providers running on your machine, which may have their own sync icons?

Are you using any virtual machines or remote logins? Is this a personal or company-managed device?

dnemes

It is a personal machine. I did use remote login (with the default Windows Remote Desktop app), but not anymore. I still have the app I used for VPN (Cisco AnyConnect) installed, but it is not running. I use tailscale on occasion, and it is usually running in the background. But none of those have their own icons to my best knowledge.

Hannah

Hey @dnemes, thanks for keeping us updated on this.

Can you hover over the Dropbox icon in your system tray and let us know the exact sync status and version of the Dropbox app?

dnemes

Hannah

Thanks, @dnemes.

Can you also follow these steps, to see if they help?

Verify that the Windows UAC levels are set to default levels. This can be changed in your Security settings in the control panel.
Uninstall the Dropbox app (No need to remove the Dropbox folder or any files).
Download the newest version of the app.
Once you have downloaded the install file, double-click on the file to run the installer. Please do NOT launch the installer by right-clicking on the file and selecting "Run as admin" as this will lead to incorrect install permissions.
During the installation process, you may be prompted for the Admin username and password of your computer (not Dropbox).
Finally, when prompted, enter the email address of your Dropbox account and if needed, check the advanced preferences to apply any Selective Sync settings.

dnemes

A question first. Is my app not the newest version? I have reinstalled it four times already, in the past two days. I'd be surprised if it wasn't.

Hannah

You do have the latest version, it's just that reinstalling is part of the process above, that's why it's listed.

dnemes

I have followed the steps above, and there are no changes, regrettably.

Hannah

Hmm, thanks for trying, @dnemes.

In that case, can we send you an email, so we can take a closer look internally?

dnemes

Yes of course. Feel free to send me an email.

Jay

Thanks, I've sent you an email, please could you reply to it when you get a chance.