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Computer lockup, indexing hangs

Running Dropbox on multiple devices. Only Windows 10 computer started freezing. Tracked down to Dropbox. Computer does not hang if syncing paused. approx 150,000 files- some online only, some available offline. reinstalled Dropbox app and and on starting Dropbox it starts indexing. Indexes till it hits 69234 files remaining and then freezes computer and stops indexing. Repeated process after unlinking the computer in Dropbox.com. Same issue remains. HELP!

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Scanlon44

what I finally did is

-uninstall dropbox app

-rename my dropbox folder

-reinstall dropbox which created a new dropbox folder - all "online only" and all syncing selected.

does not freeze my computer and syncing is continuing. Now I have to manually find the 100 files different between old and new.

thanks everyone for your help.

All comments

Walter

Hey @Scanlon44, sorry to hear about this.

Can you please try fixing your hardlinks and permissions as outlined here and let me know if syncing gets stuck at the exact same number of files again?

Keep me posted!

Scanlon44

I boot up without dropbox. Start dropbox and immediately pause so I can get to Preferences before computer freezes. The <alt> H is necessary to bringing up the buttons for Fix Hardlinks etc. While Paused I double click Fix Hardlinks and Apply. Also tried this while trying to Sync. Amount of files to be synced does not move before computer freezes. With each reboot the files remaining to be synced drops by a few eg 68775, 68655,68572, 68492 but never do I actually see this movement in the taskbar.

The Fix Permissions button opens the black window labelled c:\windows\system32\icacls.exe

Jay

Hi @Scanlon44, could you try reinstalling the app without uninstalling it first by using this link?

Scanlon44

no change. still locks up after reboot.

Walter

Hey @Scanlon44, sorry to hear this persists for you.

Could you try unlinking your account through the app's preferences and upon re-linking it, go with the advanced option and un-select all of your folders in the selective sync settings and try to add them slowly once the app is 'up to date'?

Scanlon44

Thanks for the fresh idea Walter.

I have unlinked and relinked several times, each time unselecting all folders in Selective Sync. When I start up the DropBox app, indexing hangs at different times. Sometime it will count down from 100,000 to 65,000 before hanging. Sometime it starts indexing at 69000 and goes to 22,000 (numbers rounded by me). Each time the system is frozen and I need to reboot.

HELP!

Hannah

Hey @Scanlon44, would you mind clarifying if you're doing this from the advanced settings during the setup?

Or are you doing this once the app is set up and starts to sync?

Scanlon44

After unlinking, then on my computer restarting Dropbox and unselecting as part of the "advanced" options. have tried this a few times in a row.

tks

Hannah

I see, thanks for this info.

Can you also let us know which version of the Dropbox app you're using?

You can see that by hovering over the Dropbox icon in your system tray.

Scanlon44

Hannah,

I am using 167.4.4719

tks

Walter

Thanks for clarifying the app's version for us. Could you maybe send us a screenshot of the app's exact status as shown in your system tray at the moment too @Scanlon44 ?

Scanlon44

I had to take a picture. Cannot manipulate a screenshot fast enough before the computer freezes

Megan

Hi @Scanlon44, do you have any folders/files waiting to sync online from your local Dropbox folder?

If not, could you then try an advanced re-install, and let me know of the results?

Scanlon44

Megan,

How do I know if there are files waiting to sync? I have no folders showing the little blue circle - is that enough?

I like your suggestion but do not want to end up with thousands of conflicted copies. So ultra cautious.

tks

Megan

Hi @Scanlon44, you can also double check your content locally with your files online, just to make sure that all the files are updated, and the edits, and changes are synced there.

Scanlon44

Hi Megan,

Uninstall does a good job. I did not find any leftover DropBox mentions in RegEdit nor in Program nor Program X86.

I followed the instructions for the Advanced Re-install. and selected the Advance install so I could unselect the Selective Sync for all files.

Still hungup when I had approx 25,000 files left to index and locked up my computer.

end

Scanlon44

what I finally did is

-uninstall dropbox app

-rename my dropbox folder

-reinstall dropbox which created a new dropbox folder - all "online only" and all syncing selected.

does not freeze my computer and syncing is continuing. Now I have to manually find the 100 files different between old and new.

thanks everyone for your help.

Walter

We're happy to hear it's sorted now and thanks so much for keeping us in the loop on this @Scanlon44

See you around the Community and take care!