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Getting an error backing up Dropbox files using BackupExec on Windows

Hi,

We rely on Dropbox for making important business files available to remote colleagues. However, we also use Veritas Backup Exec to take daily copies of our entire network including Dropbox files and, up to now, it has worked perfectly, including our Dropbox files on disk.

Having recently installed Windows Server 2025 (for running our network and BackupExec 2025) and with Windows 11 on all workstations, we find that attaching to our physical (Business) Dropbox files on the master hard drive causes the BackupExec backup to fail with the message:

"Dropbox was not found or could not be accessed";

Completed Status: Failed

Final Error: 0xe0008488 - Access is denied

Final error category: Security Errors.

This is despite all Dropbox folders & files being visible during backup selection.

All network permissions are correct and verified and work perfectly for folders alongside the Dropbox folder.

Please can somebody tell me what is different about the Dropbox folders on disk and how to fix this?

Many thanks.

Stephen

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Jay

Hi @Bilbo, thanks for messaging the Community.

The Dropbox folder is the same as other folders on your computer, so it should act like a normal folder.

As this behavior only occurred after upgrading to Windows Server 2025, it's likely that this would be the cause, in combination with the backup program.

As Dropbox doesn't support Windows Server OS, and the issue is with the backup software, have you tried contacting the developers of that program for further assistance on this matter?

Keep me updated with any progress!

Bilbo

Hi,

Thanks for the reply but Dropbox is actually running on Windows 11 machines, which works well. It's only BackupExec that runs on Windows Server 2025 and which is having difficulty accessing a Windows 11 hard drive used by Dropbox, all the files of which are stored offline.

The reason seems to be because BackupExec's Remote Agent running on Windows 11, cannot gain the access it needs to the physical Dropbox files stored on the Windows 11 hard drive.

This is despite BackupExec and its installed Win 11 local Agent running with full privileges and with full control over the Dropbox hard drive folders; disabling 'save hard disk space automatically' and de-selecting those BackupExec settings that would 'include junction points' and 'symbolic links'.

I can only think that any special file attributes that must be essential for Dropbox to constantly sync offline with online content are somehow preventing BackupExec from gaining the local access it thinks it needs. Strangely enough a BackupExec backup is actually happening, and it is even possible to restore files from it; it's just that such backups are deemed by BackupExec to have failed, citing the error messages above.

Having spent days trying to get to the bottom of this, I've now chickened out. Instead, I've written a Robocopy batch file to copies all the Dropbox hard disk files onto a separate hard drive in the BackupExec server, which are now backed up perfectly by BackupExec.

Shame really as the purist in me wanted it to work without needing to resort to keeping extra file copies just for backup purposes.

Thanks for your interest!

Hannah

Hey @Bilbo, thanks for your reply!

We appreciate your feedback and in any case, thanks for letting us know more about what you did to make this work for you.

If you need anything else or have any questions, just give us a shout.