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The desktop app is stuck syncing 1456 files on my Mac OS - Sonoma 14.3

James1997

Dropbox not synching for hours/days. Tried multiple fixes: reinstall dropbox; remove in process files, tried fix permissions and fix hard links. Removed non-synching files. Reboot computer, suspend and restart synching.

Currently stuck as it has been on "Synching 1456 files" 28 MB.

By the way, why doesn't dropdown menus have a "synching" category? Don't have a "Synching" label either.

Please help.

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James1997

Ok. Here is how I fixed with support help.

Problem was that laptop not synching. Too many files being downloaded. Could not find the culprit.

1) do a complete deletion of Dropbox software from laptop, including advanced dis install.
2) delete the drop box folder with document from laptop.
3) reinstall Dropbox with very limited select synch.
4) it took perhaps 10 hours of indexing because the web-based Dropbox acount is large. The indexing isn’t just for the small number of files I was downloading to laptop, but all files. It finally is working.

Lessons learned : 1) understand that large numbers of files on Dropbox can get too big…and can reek random and undiaognosable havoc. 2) reduce files on Dropbox to be below recommended numbers (think 300,000 is limit). 3) for portable laptop, only selectively synch small numbers of necessary files. 4) if you need to synch additional files, understand it will take a long time in reinfecting…plan ahead. 5) in emergency, don’t synch to get needed files, download individual files. 6) don’t delete files from a device, say a laptop, that you don’t think you need on the laptop but need to keep…it will delete on Dropbox web and other devices. Instead, selective synch to remove the file and allow to resynch to remove the file off laptop.

If you have large numbers of files (ie 300,000) find a different solution for back up. You can still use Dropbox for selective sharing and synching.

All comments

Jay

Hi @James1997, thanks for messaging the Community!

Can you see which files are trying to sync in the Dropbox folder in Finder according to the sync icons?

Are they all in one folder, or are they in random locations?

This will help me to assist further!

James1997

All of them. Not isolated. I've tried to limit to only one file/folder, stuck on all of them. Spent over a day "indexing." I'm at a loss. Trying to connect with Dropbox help today. Very dissatisfied with Dropbox...

Jay

When you reinstalled the Dropbox desktop application, did you perform an advanced reinstallation?

James1997

Hello Jay. I did follow the advanced reinstall…to a point. I did not delete the
Dropbox folder from the computer. Do I need to do this? If I delete a Dropbox folder from a device, will it delete Dropbox files on the server? Thank you for your response. Another question is why did I have this problem in the first place? I don’t know of anything that I did other than read meaning structure of files on my main computer….which is synching fine.

Walter

Hey @James1997 - sorry to jump in here, but could you send us a screenshot the app's current status so that we can have a visual too?

If it's stuck at the exact same number of files for a while now, you could try fixing your hard-links and permissions as outlined here as well.

James1997

Walter

Glad to hear you're back up and running and thanks for keeping us in the loop on this @James1997

Let us know if anything else comes up in the future!