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Dropbox files no longer inherit folder permissions

Within my Dropbox folder, I have sub-folders with different Windows ACL permissions. Up until recently, whenever Dropbox synced a file it inherited its folder permissions perfectly.

Now it no longer does. It overrides the folder permissions and sets all file permissions to something completely different - Full Control for admins and Read/Read & Execute for users.

Is there any way to get back to the old days - when Dropbox respected the inheritance of ACL permissions to all files in each folder?

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Comments

Jane

Hey @rjwb, that's interesting; let’s have a closer look!

Can you include two side-by-side screen shots (without personal info) in your next message showing me what’s your current sync status & the sync icons as you’re viewing a sample directory where folder permissions have been reset?
Could you also check whether this is happening on a directory where you’ve assigned the same permissions outside Dropbox? Do you see the same thing or does it appear differently?

Keep me posted of your findings & we’ll go from there!

rjwb

The sync status is fine - all files are syncing perfectly. It's just their ACL permissions are getting changed if the file is synced via Dropbox, as opposed to saved directly to the folder on the PC.

An example folder permissions are as per shot1.

Edited by moderator

If a file is saved directly on the PC into the Dropboxed folder, it inherits the permissions from the parent folder correctly (shot2)

Edited by moderator

But if it's saved on another machine and gets synced by Dropbox, it gets saved with different permissions and ignores inheritance (shot3)

Edited by moderator

Jane

Thanks for the screen grabs @rjwb!

It looks like the issue lies on the "timesheet RB 1912.xlsx” that’s added from a second device when being synced down to your first device, which wouldn’t inherit the ACL permissions you’ve assigned to the "Timesheets” parent folder.

It would be ideal to see the syncing icons & sync status on the Dropbox folder to form a clearer picture. However, could you include an extra screenshot showing me the ACL permissions set on the second device for the parent folder of the "timesheet RB 1912.xlsx” spreadsheet?

I look forward to hearing back from you!

rjwb

The Dropbox folder is syncing OK as far as I know:

Screenshot 2019-12-04 12.17.15.png Edited by moderator

On the second device the ACL permissions are:

Screenshot 2019-12-04 12.20.13.png Edited by moderator

Until recently, Dropbox 'respected' the ACL permissions on both devices and the files inherited the permissions from each device's respective parent folder. Now it seems like Dropbox is insisting files are written with their own specific permissions? This has only been a problem in the last few weeks - I have had this setup running since 2012!

Jane

Hmm.. I see.. :thinking: Thanks for all these extra details & visual input @rjwb!

As you mentioned that this has recently changed for you, would it be okay if we continued this discussion via ticket? If you confirm, I’ll create a support request on our system for you & ask a team specialist whether there has been a recent change.

Thanks again for keeping in touch with me here!

rjwb

Yes that's fine

Thanks!

Stiggbert

Can you update this thread with your findings please. I'm having the exact same problem.

Jane

Thanks for the quick confirmation @rjwb!

I’ve just sent you a brief message through our support system. Please have a look at your inbox when you have some spare time & we’ll take it from there.

I’ll be awaiting your next email!

rjwb

Will do - I suspect I will just be told that I am using Dropbox in an unsupported configuration - but let's see.

I am already looking for alternatives to Dropbox on that basis, but it's a shame that something that has been working for 8 years should now break. It's also pretty fundamental to Windows that applications respect ACL permissions on a folder!

KiwiMark

I also have the same problem. Files are synced from a remote user but specific inheritable permissions are not applied. This applies to every file that is synced into the folder rather than saved into the folder. My symptoms are exactly the same as @rjwb.

KiwiMark

@rjwb - what version of Windows are you running on the PC that has the inheritable permissions?

I'm getting the problem with Win 10 v1903 and DB 85.4.155

But works ok on Win 10 v1809 and DB 86.4.146

and ok on Win Server v1607

rjwb

@KiwiMark My problem machine is Windows Server 2012 R2 running DB 85.4.155

None of my machines have DB 86.4.146 - is that an official release?

KiwiMark

I just updated the machine with DB v85 to v86 (latest stable build) - but it didn't solve the problem.

rjwb

Agree - my machines updated over the weekend to v86. I just tested a couple of files and the problem of permissions being overwritten is still there.

JeroenV

I'm also having the same problem, thought it would be good to mention. Hope it will be fixed soon.

rjwb

I have a nasty feeling we are going to be told that this change has been made intentionally and we are stuck with it

rjwb

@Stiggbert @KiwiMark @JeroenV

As I predicted, the support case has been closed as follows:

Upon further investigation of your specific case, it's no longer possible to move forward with additional support.

While we support a variety of operating systems, we are currently unable to support Server versions. This doesn't mean that you won't be able to use Dropbox at all, this only means that for this particular type of setup and operating system, we're not able to provide further support.

Please keep an eye on our system requirements page for updates about new supported operating systems:

https://www.dropbox.com/help/desktop-web/system-requirements

I'm sorry we cannot be more helpful.

If you have any other Dropbox questions, just let me know.

dmasters

Having the same problem on windows 10 pro, anyone find a solution for the non server people here?

Leo22

I Have The Same Problem With Win10.Anyone find a Solution Or Not :thinking:

Fiona

Hello everyone.

I'd like to wish you all a happy new year and follow up here.

Thanks for posting the communication you received about this @rjwb. Unfortunately, for all users that have the same set up as this, the response posted above from our specialists team, would also apply for your set up.

If you are seeing a different behavior or you have a different set up, I do encourage you all to get in touch with us with further details and we will advise the best way possible.

Thank you!

rjwb

I still don't really understand why Dropbox needs to override the file permissions that an admin user has set on a folder, whether on Windows Server or a supported version of Windows... But I guess Dropbox aren't interested in explaining their change to its customers.

Therefore I am in the process of transitioning our company off Dropbox and on to another product.

psltracker

Is there any way to get back to the old days - when I used Dropbox to save my web files

Fiona

Hey @rjwb. Sorry for any frustration this has caused, however, as our team explained this set up is not supported. Not much I can add to this unfortunately.

@psltracker You can still save your web files. Would you like to elaborate on your request so I can assist more with this.

If your request is not related to this topic. Please create a new topic and we will be happy to help.

Thanks.

dmasters

I don't have the same setup, I have windows 10 pro, not a server operating system which is the only thing I've seen in this thread as unsupported.

The problem is, when a file is synced from dropbox to our windows 10 machine, the file does not inherit the permissions from the folder it is in (on the windows 10 machine).

There are many other users here that have responded they are on windows 10, not windows server, and experiencing the same unexpected behavior... and we are all looking for a solution to this problem that dropbox recently introduced.

rjwb

@dmasters I agree - the whole Windows Server issue is a red herring and a convenient excuse for Dropbox to close my support ticket down without answering the question!

Anyway, I'm soon to be an ex-customer...

Fiona

Hi @dmasters,

Thanks for clarifying that.

The new version of the Dropbox desktop application ensures consistent folder icons and Dropbox file/folder permissions for items in the Dropbox folder.

Files or folders in the Dropbox folder with custom permissions (such as custom POSIX permissions or BSD flags), will not maintain them. This works, as discribed, to ensure the file syncs to other devices without any issues.

We understand this is not convenient for you and thank you for reporting your feedback.

I unfortunately have no workaround for the permissions to be maintained.

XLI

Hi,

I have been doing some playing around with this.

- When dropbox downloads a file it downloads it initially to a directory in the hidden system folder \Dropbox\.dropbox.cache

- once it is downloaded it performs a MOVE to the actual destination folder.

- When you a MOVE (not copy) a file within the same volume on an NTFS Filesystem, it will retain its permissions rather than inherit the permissions of the destination folder.

So if you set MODIFY permissions for "Users" (Or domain users if on a domain) on the folder \Dropbox\.dropbox.cache then when the file is moved to the true destination folder it will retain the MODIFY rights, and other users on that same machine (Or Domain) will be able to modify/delete the file.

But (I hear you say) what about my permissions stopping people accessing folders that they should not be able to access? Well... these still work. The permissions you have set on the folder will still remain, so you can exclude some users from some folders. The files within that folder however will be modifiable by all, but that does not really matter as other users can't get to them any way.

Clear as mud?

Andy

rjwb

Very diligent detective work! I understood it on the 3rd reading :-)

I played with the permissions on the dropbox.cache folder and you can definitely work around some of the problems that way, though it's messy!

Thanks for the info - but I am leaving Dropbox for a another product once I've migrated everything across and retrieved my remote users' laptops etc...

XLI

> you can definitely work around some of the problems that way, though it's messy!

I never said it was a great solution.... at least it is one though....

Ashman

I am also having this issue recently.

I run windows 10 on two different pc's and require inheritable permissions to be granted on 1 of those boxes in particular.

This change is a deal breaker. I don't know whether it was intentional or not but I would suggest adding a toggle for this functionality if you want to keep people using your product.