Dropbox not syncing - as of about 2 days ago

It seems to be back working again. But only after I disconnected my IFTTT applet and then connected that same IFTTT applet again.

All comments

Ravi S.

I'm pretty sure the dropbox desktop app version 115.3.529 caused these issues. I've also got a strong feeling dropbox will not admit that. I've had the same issue of not syncing suddenly for about the last week, on two different machines. I ran through all the various steps recommended and it was still stuck indexing the same 500k+ files for multiple days. Wasted multiple hours on multiple days when I should have been getting actual work accomplished. Instead I was installing, uninstalling, rebooting, unlinking, relinking, cleaning uninstalling etc etc. Requested support via a ticket (that as a business customer I should have gotten a response to within 12 hours and still haven't heard back)

Today one of my machines auto udpated to version 115.3.533 (no other changes on my side) and suddenly the number of files being indexed is actually reducing. It's not completely finished yet... but fingers crossed.

Anyway... seems like dropbox released a buggy version and broke their app from doing the very fundemental thing that it's supposed to do. Then quietly (may have) released a fix.

Well, that would both be a shame and a blessing if it turns out to be the case. I too spent several hours on this today but would be happy to see it fixed with something as simple as a behind-the-scenes auto-update to a newer version. However, with that said, the version of the installer I downloaded and ran today was 1.3.415.1 and the dropbox.exe file has a version number of 114.4.426 on it so neither match the numbers you have.

idanfo

The problem was the beta version... I didnt know i was a beta tester!
We all need to turn off the early release option in setting (in the webaite).

https://help.dropbox.com/installs-integrations/sync-uploads/select-files-to-sync?utm_content=fa&utm_source=sup

Solution found!

So after continued digging, and following the advice on this page:

I got dropbox back working (/syncing) again.

More specifically this is what I did:

Click the Dropbox icon in your system tray.
Click your profile picture or initials, and select Exit Dropbox.
Press the Windows Key + R (at the same time).
Type cmd and press Enter to open the command prompt.
Copy and paste the following lines one at a time into the command prompt. Press Enter after each one.
- If the location of your Dropbox folder is not C:\Users\YourUser\Dropbox, modify the first command to point to its actual location. For example, if your Dropbox is in \Dropbox, change the command to:
```
    icacls "D:\Dropbox" /grant "%USERNAME%":(F) /T
```
- Regardless of where your Dropbox folder is located, other commands remain unchanged.
- Depending on the size of your Dropbox, this operation can take more time to complete. Wait for the C:\ prompt to appear before moving to the next step.
```
    icacls "%HOMEPATH%\Dropbox" /grant "%USERNAME%":(F) /T
    icacls "%APPDATA%\Dropbox" /grant "%USERNAME%":(F) /T
```
Go to the Start menu and select Program Files.
Select Dropbox.

Also, for clarity, for the first part of step 5 I entered

icacls "C:\Dropbox" /grant "%USERNAME%":(F) /T

Because on my system the Dropbox folder is on the c: drive

idanfo

It didn't work... I already tried it...
It workes for you just because dropbox updated the app...

@idanfo 'Early releases' was and is turned off for me; I suspect (but am not sure) in my particular case it had to do with the way I installed the latest version of Dropbox yesterday. I used a thrid party tool that indicated the dropbox software was out of date, and used it to auto-installed the update. Also potentially tied to this, or perhaps the underlying problem itself, is my user id is my name "Rob Latour", and I have seen that cause problems with other software. Not so much that other software doesn't like me personally, but because of the space between my first and second name.

idanfo

@RobLatour
Trust me.... You didn't do anything.
Dropbox updated the app at night

The app worked for you till a week ago with those settings? What changed? Just the app version... They just need to admit that the had a buggy version.
We all had the same problems with this version.

Looks like I spoke too soon.

After shutting down my computer last night, and starting it up again this morning the problem has returned.

That is to say, it is not syncing to my PC unless I open up my web browser, and navigate to the folder that has the created file in it. When I do that the file syncs immediately. If I leave my browser running, the file will not sync unless I refresh the webpage ( for example by pressing F5 ).

I tried to reapply the fix noted above, but it still did not work.

Здравко

Hi guys,

Don't try any tricks with your applications. That's something unrelated to any application. Seems, the Dropbox system got down partially (for some reason). Time ago I was being able observe what's going on when change something in my account using my phone, for example, while looking at web interface (without need to refresh). Now, it's not possible without "nudge"! Seems change events are not emitted automatically any more. As you have mentioned already, it needs a refresh in web browser and/or resume application sync. May be something is changing in Dropbox servers and the things are going wrong. Whatever is going on (or least supposed to), final result is the sync system limited functionality (to put in mildly)! 🤷

All supported type of systems are affected - Mac, Linux, Windows, and Web. The funny part is that status shows still:

изображение.png

Let's hope supports people will take care everything get back to work with full functionality and the shown in status be not a false anymore. 🤞 If could be earlier, would be fine!

PS: To the attention of @Greg-DB. The discussed above affect Dropbox API too! I just checked and found this out. To reproduce:

Call "list_folder/get_latest_cursor".
Call "list_folder/longpoll" with the cursor from previous call.
Add a photo, for example, on a phone with link to the same account. What is expected to be here? What actually happens?!
Open web interface of the same account. Is something changing?

Hope, you can investigate the issue from your point of view too.

One more example. See the screenshot:

изображение.png

I removed the added picture (a screenshot) from my account using Dropbox Web (#1). 1 minute later Dropbox application on my computer still doesn't remove the file (#2) and keeps "Up to Date" state (#3). Immediately after web page refresh, the file gets removed.

Demhall

Hi, I got an issue with phone not synking to the computers dropbox untill I restart Dropbox on the computer.
This started just a couple of days ago, I have tried running it as admin, clearing cashe, reseting selective synking. Untilstalling and installing the program on both phone and the computer.
But it's still the same...
The firewall has it as allowed app, my anti-virus has it as allowed to share everything.

I really cannot find a way to get this to work.

Any ideas?

It seems to be back working again. But only after I disconnected my IFTTT applet and then connected that same IFTTT applet again.

Здравко

@RobLatour, No any applet is guilty. 🙂 Seems Dropbox has fixed its system relatively fast! 🧐 Something very rare (don't to say like never before). 🤷

Let's hope, we can see such (or similar, at least) speed for many other ongoing troubles. 🙄 Let's hope...

Emma

Hi all,

Thank you for reporting this issue, the team have now resolved this.

Please let us know if we can help with anything else!

Thank you

funkusty

My Desktop version of dropbox is dropping out and losing the abilty to green ticks and or share files. This is seriously slowed my workflow and costing money.

Dropbox are you listening.

Russell

The issue is not fixed on my workstation. Dropbox on my laptop seems to be working fine in that it can upload files, but still cannot get new files and updates from my workstation.

Hey there @funkusty & @petera2; if you're still having issues with this, could you reboot your computers and let us know if syncing gets stuck again?

Did a restart and a full shutdown. Dropbox sync is still stuck.

Thanks for the quick follow up @petera2; much appreciated!

If it's stuck at the exact same number of files for an unusually large amount of time (this could depend on the size of your Dropbox folder), can you try fixing your hardlinks and permissions as outlined here?

Keep us in the loop!

Did a fix of hard links and permissions. Still not syncing. After I applied the fix, it said syncing 268 files. Did a system restart and it back stuck syncing the same 16files.

Still trying to get files to sync. I notice when I check the Sync Queue it says "Checking for Updates" and never comes back with a list of files in the sync queue. The bar at the bottom says "Syncing 16 files". I would expect them to be listed. When I browse through my Dropbox folder, I can only find 3 files that are not synced. Rebooting the PC (Win 10), fixing hard links and permissions, quitting and restarting Dropbox are of no help. I'm on Dropbox v114.4.426.

I tried updating to Beta build 115.3.593. the only change is that the history now shows when checking the sync queue.

Dropbox is communicating since I can add files from another PC on the account and they show up fine. I just cannot add new files or update files from this PC. Very frustrating.

I find I can upload files using the web interface but not using the file manager. I can delete a file ffrom Dropbox using the file manager, I just cannot upload.

This suggests something is interfering with the Dropbox app. Disabling antivirus and firewall has no affect.

Correction -- I can delete files off my local Dropbox drive, but they don't get deleted off Dropbox cloud. Sync is not working.

Thanks for the updates on this @petera2.

Can you please try an advanced reinstall and let us know if this persists?

In case it does, please send us a screenshot of the app's status as shown in your system tray so that we can have a look too.

First a note on status: Over night, I Dropbox auto updated to v115.4.601 and the sync process had progressed from being stalled at 16 files to 4 all of which I could find. So, while that is progress, new files do not sync.

I have completed the suggested Advanced Reinstall process. There are 30,801 files to sync and that process is progressing slowly. After 1 hr 20 min the count is down to 28,722 files. At this rate will take about 15 hours to complete. I'll report back later on progress.

Sync is done. It did not take 15 hours, only 3. It looks like the Advanced Reinstall solved the problem. When I add a file to the Dropbox, it immediately syncs.