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Dropbox error - couldn't start Dropbox on Ubuntu

Ozone

Couldn't start Dropbox. error after fresh install of Ubuntu 18.04

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Jane

Hey

@Ozone,

I’d happily further investigate more closely & help you work towards a solution on this matter, thanks for posting us on the Dropbox Forum!

As it's my understanding that this issue pertains to your current setup, I’ve made sure to create a ticket on your behalf on our system, so as to check your account specifics on my tools & follow-up with you there. Whenever you have some spare time, please have a look at your inbox for my latest message & let me know here if you have any issues locating it.

I’m looking forward to hearing back from you on our email correspondence, so as to work on that with you towards a fix!

Ozone

Hi,

Here is a workaround that helped me: https://askubuntu.com/questions/1032778/cant-start-dropbox-on-ubuntu-18-04

All comments

Mark

After the fresh install have you done a full clean install of Dropbox?

Humphrey

Try using the icon on the desktop instead or the Dropbox folder

juanvmtz

Sorry for my english. I upgraded from Ubuntu 17.10 to 18.04, but I get the same error.

I'm find that with the upgrade the dropbox config file it's missing. I have connected again my dropbox user and 'linked' the computer. The daemon has begin to work... uploading again all my files...

Ozone

Hi,

I cant start the dropbox application itself

Mark

But, have you tried a reinstall to see if that helps?

Ozone

i have reinstalled and it didn't help, also i have another PC and there is exactly the same problem. on Ubuntu 17.10 everithing works well

Walter

Hey @Ozone - are you still experiencing this?

In addition to all the troubleshooting steps you have already taken to resolve this issue with starting up our desktop application, could you please give our offline installer a shot and let us know if you still get the same error.

If this persists, please attach a screenshot of the exact error you get in your reply so we can have a visual as well in order to help troubleshoot this ASAP.

Thanks!

Ozone

Hi,

I get this error : Screenshot from 2018-05-02 00-38-18.png

Mark

You need to give us that info that is inside the linked txt file Ozone.

Ozone

this is the log:

bn.BUILD_KEY: Dropbox
bn.VERSION: 48.4.58
bn.DROPBOXEXT_VERSION: failed
bn.is_frozen: True
machine_id: failed
pid: 23475
ppid: 1
ppid exe: failed
uid: 1000
user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='alex', pw_passwd='x', pw_uid=1000, pw_gid=1000, pw_gecos='Alex,,,', pw_dir='/home/alex', pw_shell='/bin/bash')
effective_user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='alex', pw_passwd='x', pw_uid=1000, pw_gid=1000, pw_gecos='Alex,,,', pw_dir='/home/alex', pw_shell='/bin/bash')
euid: 1000
gid: 1000
egid: 1000
group_info: grp.struct_group(gr_name='alex', gr_passwd='x', gr_gid=1000, gr_mem=['alex'])
effective_group_info: grp.struct_group(gr_name='alex', gr_passwd='x', gr_gid=1000, gr_mem=['alex'])
LD_LIBRARY_PATH: None
cwd: '/home/alex'
real_path='/home/alex'
mode=040755 uid=1000 gid=1000
parent mode=040755 uid=0 gid=0
HOME: u'/home/alex'
appdata: u'/home/alex/.dropbox/instance1'
real_path=u'/home/alex/.dropbox/instance1'
mode=040700 uid=1000 gid=1000
parent mode=040700 uid=1000 gid=1000
dropbox_path: u'/home/alex/Dropbox'
real_path=u'/home/alex/Dropbox'
not found
parent mode=040755 uid=1000 gid=1000
sys_executable: '/home/alex/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-48.4.58/dropbox'
real_path='/home/alex/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-48.4.58/dropbox'
mode=0100775 uid=1000 gid=1000
parent mode=040755 uid=1000 gid=1000
trace.__file__: '/home/alex/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-48.4.58/python-packages-27.zip/dropbox/client/ui/common/boot_error.pyc'
real_path='/home/alex/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-48.4.58/python-packages-27.zip/dropbox/client/ui/common/boot_error.pyc'
not found
parent not found
tempdir: '/tmp'
real_path='/tmp'
mode=041777 uid=0 gid=0
parent mode=040755 uid=0 gid=0
[get_extra_trace_info failed]
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 1039, in boot_error
AssertionError

Original traceback:

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 6444, in main_startup
File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 2829, in run
File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 1995, in activate_translation
File "dropbox/i18n.pyc", line 340, in activate_translation
File "dropbox/i18n.pyc", line 392, in system_lang_code
File "dropbox/i18n.pyc", line 550, in get_system_languages
File "locale.pyc", line 543, in getdefaultlocale
File "locale.pyc", line 475, in _parse_localename
ValueError: unknown locale: en_IL

Walter

Thanks for the additional info @Ozone - much appreciated.

From what I see now, the issue you are seeing may be due to the fact you are trying to place Dropbox on a different drive other than the one running your computer's operating system. To help resolve this issue, could you maybe try locating Dropbox in the same location as your operating system?

This can be done by allowing Dropbox to install to its default location during setup so you'll need to re-install at this point. Once you have completed the install you can then attempt to move the Dropbox folder to a different location.

Please note that your user account must have permission to write to the desired location and that the drive must be in the correct format. Drive specifications and systems requirements can always be found on this page.

I hope this helps and please keep us posted! Remember that if this persists, you can always log a ticket with our Support team in order to troubleshoot with more account specific information.

Ozone

Hi,

It didn't help.

I have tried to install to a default locatin from ubuntu software center on a fresh install of of ubuntu 18.04, and i get the same error

Jane

Hey

@Ozone,

I’d happily further investigate more closely & help you work towards a solution on this matter, thanks for posting us on the Dropbox Forum!

I’m looking forward to hearing back from you on our email correspondence, so as to work on that with you towards a fix!

ilgl76

So... What is the sulotion?

(same problem here - ubuntu 18.04 fresh install)

Jane

Hey @ilgl76, thanks for getting in touch on the Dropbox Forum; I hope you’re having a great Monday so far!

At the moment, our highest level technicians are investigating the possible cause of this error message. As I’d like to help you as much as possible, I’ve made sure to run a search on our system on my end & I’ve made sure to reply to your open ticket there. Whenever you get back in touch with me on this correspondence, I’ll do my best to investigate what’s happening based on the info I have on file for your account.

Thanks again for posting us here & I hope you have a great week ahead!

Oliver67

I have the same problem with a fresh install Ubuntu 18.04!
I tried two ways!
1.) Installation of "nautilus-dropbox" directly from the software center in Ubuntu. Then comes a window with the following note (see screenshot): Start Dropbox to complete the installation. After that, the rest of the software would have to be downloaded and installed. However nothing happens if the button "Start Dropbox" is pressed. So it does not continue in the installation.
2.) .deb Installs from Dropbox Homepgae trying to install. But also leads to no result!

Hope for solution!?

Bildschirmfoto vom 2018-05-22 12-07-48.png

Jane

Thanks for your detailed post & the screenshot here @Oliver67!

I’ve made sure to gather all the details you’ve sent us & get back in touch with you via email, as we’re currently investigating this issue internally.

At your convenience, please check your inbox for my latest message & let me know here if you can’t find it, so as to resend it on my end.

Welcome to the Dropbox Forum & thanks again for posting us here on this issue. I’ll be awaiting to hearing back from you on our email correspondence & I’m wishing you a lovely rest of your day!

Ozone

Hi,

Here is a workaround that helped me: https://askubuntu.com/questions/1032778/cant-start-dropbox-on-ubuntu-18-04

Oliver67

Ozone, this solution helped me!
Since I kept my home folder when I reinstalled Ubuntu, I still had a folder .dropbox and .dropbox-dist.
So I uninstalled nautilus-dropbox and then renamed both folders in .dropbox-old and .dropbox-dist-old.
After that nautilus-dropbox installed and everything is fine!

Jane

Thanks for confirming @Ozone & @Oliver67! I’ve made sure to accept Ozone's reply as a Solution, as you mentioned that this has now been sorted for you.

Thanks again to all for reaching out on the Forum for assistance & for your ongoing cooperation while we were working on that. Please feel free to write us again at any time in case you experience further issues in the future. Until then, take care & happy Dropboxing!

ilgl76

Thanks!

Oliver67

Hello Jane!

Basically everything works.
What I have noticed is that a small point is not working!
When I click on the Dropbox program starter in the Programs section, the Dropbox drive does not start as desired. Nothing happens.
Although Dropbox syncs and I can call the drive via the Gnome panel in the Dropbox icon.
So there still seems to be a small mistake!

Jane

Hey all, thanks a lot for all your cooperation, both here & on our tickets!

The latest update I got from our top-level technicians is that the resolution posted above is the best workaround available, since Dropbox is based on Python and only locales supported by it would work. For that reason, I'd also encourage you to use this set of steps & install Dropbox after having changed your locale.

Once again, I appreciate your valuable contribution on our Forum & we’re always just a post away if you have further inquiries or you’d like to share your thoughts. Until then, happy Friday & take care!

[This thread is now closed. If you have a similar or new question, you can ask here]

mr_mke

I am using Linux mint 20.3 cinnamon

suddenly the dropbox app does not start and when I try to start it manually I get this message

dropbox start -i
Starting Dropbox...Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/bin/dropbox", line 1603, in <module>
ret = main(sys.argv)
File "/usr/bin/dropbox", line 1592, in main
result = commands[argv[i]](argv[i+1:])
File "/usr/bin/dropbox", line 1443, in start
if not start_dropbox():
File "/usr/bin/dropbox", line 763, in start_dropbox
subprocess.Popen([DROPBOXD_PATH], preexec_fn=os.setsid, cwd=os.path.expanduser("~"),
File "/usr/lib/python3.8/subprocess.py", line 858, in __init__
self._execute_child(args, executable, preexec_fn, close_fds,
File "/usr/lib/python3.8/subprocess.py", line 1704, in _execute_child
raise child_exception_type(errno_num, err_msg, err_filename)
OSError: [Errno 8] Exec format error: '/home/mr_mke/.dropbox-dist/dropboxd'
Error in sys.excepthook:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/apport_python_hook.py", line 153, in apport_excepthook
with os.fdopen(os.open(pr_filename,
FileNotFoundError: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/var/crash/_usr_bin_dropbox.1000.crash'

Original exception was:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/bin/dropbox", line 1603, in <module>
ret = main(sys.argv)
File "/usr/bin/dropbox", line 1592, in main
result = commands[argv[i]](argv[i+1:])
File "/usr/bin/dropbox", line 1443, in start
if not start_dropbox():
File "/usr/bin/dropbox", line 763, in start_dropbox
subprocess.Popen([DROPBOXD_PATH], preexec_fn=os.setsid, cwd=os.path.expanduser("~"),
File "/usr/lib/python3.8/subprocess.py", line 858, in __init__
self._execute_child(args, executable, preexec_fn, close_fds,
File "/usr/lib/python3.8/subprocess.py", line 1704, in _execute_child
raise child_exception_type(errno_num, err_msg, err_filename)
OSError: [Errno 8] Exec format error: '/home/mr_mke/.dropbox-dist/dropboxd'

Megan

Hey @mr_mke, welcome to our Community!

Have you tried out these steps, in order to perform an advanced re-install on your end?

Give it a go, and keep me posted.