The reason is that Dropbox asks for permission to access my old MacBook Pro root (user) folder, with a name like qzmbp, whereas the root (user) folder on my M2 Air is qzmpa.
Strangely it has no problem on my Mac mini (qzmini).
How can I fix this???
Thanks for the log, could you try the steps in this thread to resolve the issue on your device?
Hi @FunwickC, thanks for bringing this to our attention.
In order to make sure this is the case, do you get an error message when the app loads?
Does it give you an error log via a blue link?
If so, copying and pasting this info here will help me to assist further!
NOTE that I can get Dropbox to install by creating an empty fake HOME (user folder) \qzmbp, and it then creates the Dropbox folder in \qzmba\dropbox (and users\qzmbp remains empty).
BUT when I try to update Dropbox "to work on the latest version of macOS" (I am on Ventura latest BTW), I get the "Dropbox cannot start" error message and the following log (hopefully the relevant part):
HOME: '/Users/qzmba'appdata: '/Users/qzmbp/.dropbox/instance1'real_path='/Users/qzmbp/.dropbox/instance1'mode=0o40700 uid=501 gid=80parent mode=0o40755 uid=501 gid=80dropbox_path: '/Users/qzmba/Library/CloudStorage/Dropbox'real_path='/Users/qzmba/Library/CloudStorage/Dropbox'mode=0o40700 uid=501 gid=20parent mode=0o40755 uid=501 gid=20sys_executable: '/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/MacOS/Dropbox'real_path='/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/MacOS/Dropbox'mode=0o100755 uid=501 gid=20parent mode=0o40755 uid=501 gid=20trace.__file__: '/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/Resources/python-packages.zip/dropbox/client/ui/common/boot_error.pyc'real_path='/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/Resources/python-packages.zip/dropbox/client/ui/common/boot_error.pyc'not foundparent not foundtempdir: '/var/folders/76/x2_n5zx54rn5b21jhz25t3qc0000gn/T'real_path='/private/var/folders/76/x2_n5zx54rn5b21jhz25t3qc0000gn/T'mode=0o40700 uid=501 gid=20parent mode=0o40755 uid=501 gid=20Traceback (most recent call last):File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 803, in wrapperFile "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 6289, in finish_dropbox_bootFile "dropbox/client/message_queue.pyc", line 306, in _wrappedFile "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 5816, in _init_components_for_accountFile "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 5740, in create_sync_engineFile "dropbox/sync_engine_boundary/factory.pyc", line 225, in make_sync_engineFile "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/sync_engine.pyc", line 244, in __init__File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/modern_client/modern_client.pyc", line 322, in __init__File "dropbox/client/gandalf/legacy.pyc", line 296, in add_on_changed_callbackFile "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/modern_client/modern_client.pyc", line 473, in _update_feature_configsFile "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/modern_client/modern_thin_client.pyc", line 286, in UpdateFeatureConfigForFswRulesFile "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/thin_client/fp_client.pyc", line 236, in __getattr__dropbox.sync_engine.nucleus.thin_client.exceptions.NucleusConnectionTimeoutError: Nucleus clients are not running. Connection error: Error Domain=com.dropbox.fileprovider.error Code=5 "(null)" UserInfo={NSUnderlyingError=0x600000700510 {Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=4099 "Error while sending fetchServicesForItemID:allowRestrictedSources:completionHandler:" UserInfo={NSDebugDescription=Error while sending fetchServicesForItemID:allowRestrictedSources:completionHandler:, NSUnderlyingError=0x600000700480 {Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=4099 "The connection from pid 1199 on anonymousListener or serviceListener was invalidated from this process." UserInfo={NSDebugDescription=The connection from pid 1199 on anonymousListener or serviceListener was invalidated from this process.}}}}}
Thanks @Jay - that did the trick!
No worries, glad to have helped out! If you need any further assistance in the future, please let me know.
Enjoy your week!
I have the same machine and the same issue with Dropbox hanging on "Starting..."
I followed the thread and performed the steps and the issue persists. I have also tried a new install of DB including trashing all relevant files via Terminal.
Any other suggestions?
Hi @sharsprague, the information above only works if the user changed the name of their home folder. Have you done the same on your machine?
No. I have not changed the name of the home folder. Can you please provide instructions for doing so? Thanks!
Hey @sharsprague, sorry to jump in here!
Just to clarify: you mentioned that your app is stuck at "Starting". Is it safe to assume that you don't see any errors like the poster above you mentioned, right?
Would you be able to clarify the version of the Dropbox app that you have installed on your device?
Awesome, thanks for your speedy response @sharsprague!
Is it possible that you're syncing locally more than 300K files, which is the soft limit of the desktop app? Do you use selective sync for any of your folders?
Also, have you excluded the possibility of your ISP, antivirus or firewall being the culprit of this?
Hi,
The folder I am syncing locally contains ~4700 files, well below the soft limit of the desktop app, and yes, I do use selective sync for my folders. I have also excluded the possibility of my ISP, antivirus or firewall being the culprit of this. I have DB running smoothly on another machine and have been a user for many years. Please advise on what I can do to get it working on my new machine.
Thanks
Hey @sharsprague, just to confirm, do you currently only have one folder in your Dropbox folder that's syncing to your Dropbox, which contains ~4700 files and no other folders?
There are multiple sub-folders within the DB folder.
Hey @sharsprague, I hope it's OK to jump in here.
Can you please clarify when this issue started exactly on your device? Did you install the Dropbox update for MacOS perhaps, right before this occurred?
This is a brand new computer and migrated from the old machine using Mac OSX Migration Assistant app. DB continues to work just fine on the original machine, but has yet to work on the new M2 Macbook Air (described above). Did not install the update, but when I as unable to use DB, I did re-install as described above.
When you reinstalled the app, did you perform an advanced reinstallation?
Yes, I did the advanced install, including copying all of the Terminal commands to execute each.
Hey @sharsprague, sorry to jump in here, but could you send us a screenshot of the app's exact status as shown in your menu bar at the moment?
Also, have you ensured that this is not caused by an antivirus, firewall or VPN setting?
Thanks for the info, I'd recommend getting in contact with the support team directly for them to investigate this matter in more detail on their end.
