Child Item

'Make sure Dropbox is running on your PC, then try again' error when opening files on Windows 11

Application Affected

Dropbox for PC
Device

Lenovo M60e
Operating System/Browser (if using the web)

Windows 11 Pro 25H2 with February updates
Dropbox App Version (if using the app)

244.3.6471

Question or Issue

When going to open a file under Dropbox in the Windows 11 explorer pane, we get a "Make sure Admin Dropbox is running on your PC, then try again". I can go to the taskbar icon and see the files, and the syncing. We can open the files via the web interface. "Admin dropbox" refers to the Dropbox account name. This was first noticed on Friday. I have not had any other users report this, but I am not sure if they use the file explorer as much as this person. I tried doing a new install over it, no change. Services seem to be running. Restarting does not work.

Thanks in advance!

Find more posts tagged with

Desktop

Windows

Comments

Walter

Hey @RonLibrary - thanks for bringing this to our attention.

Can you try the latest stable version of the app (instead of the beta you're currently using) from this page and let me know if this persists? Just make sure to toggle off the 'early releases' from the account's settings first.

If it does, I'd appreciate a screenshot of the exact error you're getting so that I can have a look too.

Thank you!

RonLibrary

Thanks Walter, I actually did install that exact version a few minutes ago, with no change after the reboot. I can provide a picture of the screen of the error.

Walter

Did you install the app with admin privileges in the first place @RonLibrary?

RonLibrary

I did.

Walter

I see, thanks for clarifying hat for me @RonLibrary. Can you send me a screenshot showing the options you get when you right click on your files in the Dropbox folder?

RonLibrary

Sorry for the late reply Walter, I will get a screenshot this afternoon of what the right click menu looks like. I will say, I tested this on our Administrator profile, and I had no issues. I am supposed to look at it again later today. The other users on this account are having no issues, but they are not as up to date as far as Dropbox is concerned. Action1, our endpoint updating system, updated her on March 7th to 244.3.6471, which is strange if this was a beta release. It seems that is when the trouble started. Maybe a complete uninstall and reinstall will fix the issue for her profile. I'll keep you updated.

Walter

Take your time @RonLibrary - just let me know of any updates when you get the chance.

Nancy

Hey @RonLibrary! I’m giving you a nudge here, in case you wanted to share another update with us.

RonLibrary

Hello Nancy! From what we could figure out, this was caused by a Dropbox and OneDrive Sync issue. The dropbox folder was placed on the Desktop of the user, so it was syncing with Onedrive, and from what I can tell, was locking it. I'm not sure what the actual fix for it is, I created an entirely new profile and trasferred the users settings to it. When she logged into that profile, the former Dropbox folder was still there, but Dropbox wanted to be setup again, so we did this, and it would not allow us to pick the same folder location. We chose an entirely different folder location, and that location works. No idea why the former Dropbox folder still exists in explorer, as it is not tied to this instance anymore. I just left it there and told them to use the new folder until I can figure out how to delete or remove it.

Walter

Are you getting any particular errors when trying to delete the old Dropbox folder now @RonLibrary?

I'm only asking because this should now be just a local copy of the old Dropbox folder and won't affect the current, syncing one.