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I did an advanced reinstall of my Dropbox app, but now it won't start (Windows 11).

Hi,

I'm running a fully-updated Win 11 and had the latest Dropbox desktop app. As I'm in China I run Astrill VPN and have both Kaspersky and Malwarebytes apps for security.

Dropbox wouldn't load so, after disabling all services and restarting several times, I uninstalled and reinstalled according to this:

https://help.dropbox.com/installs/advanced-reinstall

After reinstall, I get error window 'Couldn't start Dropbox' and link to following info:

Dropbox error84 9v00.txt:

bn.BUILD_KEY: Dropbox

bn.VERSION: 229.4.5197

bn.constants.WINDOWS_SHELL_EXT_VERSION: 83

bn.is_frozen: True

machine_id: def3829b-d51a-42b8-88bc-a30fd4b6e19e

pid: 28288

cwd: 'C:\\WINDOWS\\system32'

real_path='C:\\Windows\\SysWOW64'

mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0

parent mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0

HOME: None

appdata: 'C:\\Users\\caram\\AppData\\Local\\Dropbox\\instance1'

real_path='C:\\Users\\caram\\AppData\\Local\\Dropbox\\instance1'

mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0

parent mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0

dropbox_path: 'H:\\Dropbox'

real_path='H:\\Dropbox'

mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0

parent mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0

sys_executable: 'C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Dropbox\\Client\\Dropbox.exe'

real_path='C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Dropbox\\Client\\Dropbox.exe'

mode=0o100777 uid=0 gid=0

parent mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0

trace.__file__: 'C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Dropbox\\Client\\229.4.5197\\python-packages.zip\\dropbox\\client\\ui\\common\\boot_error.pyc'

real_path='C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Dropbox\\Client\\229.4.5197\\python-packages.zip\\dropbox\\client\\ui\\common\\boot_error.pyc'

not found

parent not found

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

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

tempdir: 'C:\\Users\\caram\\AppData\\Local\\Temp'

real_path='C:\\Users\\caram\\AppData\\Local\\Temp'

mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0

parent mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0

Traceback (most recent call last):

File "desktop/dropbox/client/main.py", line 1108, in wrapper

File "desktop/dropbox/client/main.py", line 8671, in finish_dropbox_boot

File "desktop/dropbox/client/message_queue.py", line 337, in _wrapped

File "desktop/dropbox/client/main.py", line 7955, in _init_components_for_account

File "desktop/dropbox/client/main.py", line 7863, in create_sync_engine

File "desktop/dropbox/sync_engine_boundary/factory.py", line 237, in make_sync_engine

File "desktop/dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/sync_engine.py", line 268, in __init__

File "desktop/dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/modern_client/modern_client.py", line 316, in __init__

File "desktop/dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/modern_client/base.py", line 279, in __init__

File "desktop/dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/thin_adapter/in_proc.py", line 243, in __init__

File "desktop/dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/thin_adapter/in_proc.py", line 615, in _init_new_engine_locked

File "desktop/dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/thin_client/client.py", line 166, in __init__

File "desktop\extensions\nucleus\nucleus_python.pyx", line 77, in nucleus_python.NucleusSyncEngine.__cinit__

nucleus_python.SyncEngineError: "Initializing engine |>> Initializing filesystem |>> Failed to write root dot dropbox file |>> Deleting .dropbox before writing a new one |>> Opening with change_acl |>> openat_native |>> ACCESS_DENIED |>> FSErrorCode::PermissionDenied"

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jindrikijind

hi . i suggest you to Check folder permissions, give full control to your user, then run Dropbox as admin.

All comments

Mark

Have you got Dropbox on a different drive location to where its expecting it?

Sir_Caramel

Hi Mark. I've installed Dropbox to it's default location on C. I just have the files to be synced on my H drive.

Nancy

Hi from me too, @Sir_Caramel! Can you please clarify what you mean when saying you have the files to be synced on your H drive, even though the Dropbox app is installed on your C drive?

jindrikijind

hi . i suggest you to Check folder permissions, give full control to your user, then run Dropbox as admin.

jindrikijind

Is my answer helpful? @Sir_Caramel l

johnwick5656

After reinstalling Dropbox on Windows 11, it may fail to start with an ACCESS_DENIED error because it can’t create the hidden .dropbox file in your Dropbox folder (H:\Dropbox). This usually happens if the folder’s permissions are broken, antivirus software like Kaspersky or Malwarebytes is blocking it, or the drive is not NTFS formatted. To fix it, give your Windows user full control of the H:\Dropbox folder, temporarily disable antivirus and try again, test Dropbox on your C: drive to rule out drive issues, and check if H: is NTFS formatted; if not, use NTFS or keep the main Dropbox folder on C: while using selective sync for large folders.

Sir_Caramel

Hello Nancy,

Apologies, I've been away. Thank you for your reply. The app is installed on my C drive, the files to be synced are not in the default sync folder in C, but in my H drive.

Sir_Caramel

I'll try that now. Thank you, Jindrikijind!

Sir_Caramel

Thank you Johnwick5656. A really thorough explanation and options to try. Apologies for not responding immeadiately, but thank you for your help in this matter! The folder permissions switch did it!

Sir_Caramel

Yes, that was the fix! Thank you for your help - was totally stuck!

Theresa

Hi there @Sir_Caramel and welcome back to the Dropbox Community. I’m really glad to hear you managed to get the app up and running again and thank you for taking the time to come back and share that update. It’s super helpful for others who might run into the same issue on Windows 11.

Since you’ve just done a reinstall, I’d love to know... how do you typically use Dropbox day to day? Whether it’s for work, study or something else, it’s always interesting to hear how people are putting it to use.

Looking forward to hearing more,

T😸 (Dropbox Community Manager)