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non-admin installation failure

Win7, 64-bit, online and offline installers v 19.4.13

I want to install as a non-admin (although I also have admin access to my computer). The installer asks for admin rights, I decline, it asks if I want to install as non-admin, I accept. The program appears to install, however, the login screen is blank during the initial installation. I have rebooted several times, tried reinstalling several times (both with online and offline versions), having cleared out the cruft in between installation attempts.

What do I need to do to allow this installation to finish? Is there a firewall setting? I tried allowing dropbox.exe full outbound access in the firewall, but that didn't work either. (And I'd really rather just allow it access to the port it needs rather than everything, assuming it needs something.)

Why is this failing, and how do I fix it?

Thanks.

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dmks22

I had the same issue. I was installing whilst logged onto the machine remotely using Remote Desktop Protocol. I had to log off go to the actual machine and install fromt he console. Looks like remote install is not possible. Lets hope this BUG is fixed ASAP.

GertFrobe

Update.

Using the online installer for v 20.4.19, this installed and logged me in automatically after I downloaded the installer while logged in on the website.

I'm not sure if the installer was smart enough to read that I was logged in in my browser, or if the installer recognized me as the downloader since I was logged in, or this is some adjustment due to the version, but either way, I now have a non-admin installation up and running.

Thanks again to dmks22 who identified the RDP quirk that assisted with the previous version installer.

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Rich

GertFrobe wrote:
Why is this failing

You're declining the admin rights, which are likely required to finish the installation.

and how do I fix it?

Allow the admin rights when asked for it.

That seems like the obvious resolution, I know, but you're decling a process that is required to finish the installation, then asking why it's not working. Admin rights are needed for a lot of software installations. They're often needed to add services (which is what Dropbox is likely doing, I imagine), certain registry edits (again, Dropbox adds icon overlays that might need the admin permissions to create), etc.

What is the problem with providing the elevated permissions during the install? What is it that you're trying to prevent?

GertFrobe

Rich:

You might have missed the point: The installer explicitly (allegedly) allows a non-admin installation. This is the desired result, not an admin-authorized installation.

I realize that I could allow admin rights during the installation, but I'm trying to troubleshoot a non-admin installation, something that Dropbox says it can do.

dmks22

GertFrobe

That doesn't make any sense but it worked. I moved from an RDP connection to actually sitting in front of the computer and it let me log in just fine. Very strange. Thanks for the help.

GertFrobe

I may have spoken too soon. While this fixed the problem on the computer I was RDP'ing to, the same problem presented itself on my main computer when I tried a non-admin installation.

From what I can tell, there are active icons on the login screen, but nothing is showing. Clicking at random on the login occasionally produces a link to a webpage asking if I want to log in using my Google credentials. (I don't.) I suppose I could try copying and pasting my login name and password at random on the screen, but that seems like a bad solution.

GertFrobe

Update.

Using the online installer for v 20.4.19, this installed and logged me in automatically after I downloaded the installer while logged in on the website.

Thanks again to dmks22 who identified the RDP quirk that assisted with the previous version installer.