Child Item

My local files won't open. I can see them in the Dropbox folder, but can't preview them.

Unable to access my files on DropBox!

Have had a DB account shared between a work laptop + my personal laptop (both Win 11 + fairly new) for quite some time. Recently retired-Work laptop went away. Can't seem to access much of anything on my personal laptop now. When I go to click on pictures or documents, I get the following:

Hmmm… can't reach this page
It looks like the webpage at file:///C:/Users/pgand/Downloads/Dropbox/Documents/MetLifeCritIllPol.pdf might be having issues, or it may have moved permanently to a new web address.
ERR_FAILED

I really hope I haven't lost everything I ever copied here.

I attached a SNIP from File Explorer-they all LOOK PERFECT yet I can't ACCESS ANYTHING. Please help if you can thanks !

If so, kind of deceptive of DropBox as all the copies went well !

Please help if you can thanks !

Find more posts tagged with

Desktop

Windows

File Access

Insightful

Delivered

New

Accepted answers

GPaul

Folks-

Thought I replied already-but it seems not. Anyway-thanks very much to you all for all the help, it seems the problem has been resolved.

All comments

Megan

Hey @GPaul, let's see what we can find about this together!

Based on the screenshot it looks like these files are stored as online-only inside your Dropbox folder. That means that they are stored in the cloud and won’t take up storage space on your computer. I'm wondering if this might be causing some issues.

Can you follow these steps in order to change the status of the files to available offline, and then try to open them again?

If that doesn't work, please clarify which app version you currently have installed, along with the app's syncing status. You can find both by hovering your mouse over the little Dropbox icon in your taskbar next to your WiFi.

Let me know more, and we'll take it from there!

Dell_Dropbox

Welcome to the community @GPaul

To start out lets check two things

Lets check your sync status: Hover over the Dropbox icon in the system tray, ensure it reports “Up to date”
Check the sync icon overlay for “online-only” (cloud icon) versus “available offline” (green tick) in Windows File Explorer and report what it says.

You can check what the sync icons mean here

GPaul

Megan-

When I hover the cursor it says 236.4.5918 and also 'Up to Date'

I'm truly sorry, but I tried to follow the link to try + tell the 'online' or not, but I don't understand how to find this ? I don't understand this statement at all

"Check the sync icon overlay for “online-only” (cloud icon) versus “available offline” (green tick) in Windows File Explorer and report what it says."

Is it possible to change something en masse and move everything to a FLASH DRIVE I have attached to my personal PC ?

Walter

Thanks for the additional information @GPaul - much appreciated.

Are you seeing any syncing icons on your files in the Dropbox folder? Also, can you send us a screenshot of the exact error you're getting when trying to open them?

GPaul

Walter-

Again-I apologize-but I don't think I know what a syncing ICON might look like.

Thanks for continuing to try + help me access my files.

I feel like they've been kidnapped-very frustrating-I see them in File Explorer very plainly yet can't get to any of them.

Walter

Can you try copying or moving a sample file from the ones giving you this error out of your Dropbox and try to open it from there @GPaul?

You can also try with the Dropbox desktop app completely closed to see if you get the same results.

As for the syncing icons, you can have a look here.

GPaul

Walter-

Atttached below is what happens when I try + copy-the error occurs when I go to do the paste.

GPaul

Walter,

Here is the SYNC info from under PREFERENCES

When I FIRST had this problem-it told me to SWITCH FROM ONLINE-ONLY

TO AVAILABLE OFFLINE soo I tried to do that to no avail

Thanks again + PLEASE HELP ME I NEED THOSE FILES TRAPPED IN LIMBO SOMEWHERE

Nancy

Hi from me as well, @GPaul!

The window you're looking at is to change the default sync preferences of your files, so updating that will only apply to future files and not the current syncing status of your existing ones.

If you open your File Explorer once again and go to your Dropbox files there, do they still have a grey cloud icon next to them? If they do, it means that they’re still online-only, which is why Megan suggested making them available offline instead.

What I'd like you to do in that case is to right-click on one of them and select the option “Make available offline”; the syncing icon of the file should switch to a green checkmark instead. Can you open the file after that?

GPaul

Nancy-

Thanks-but I do NOT see any grey cloud icon anywhere, and when I right click I do NOT see any option to 'make available offline'. I also clicked 'see more options' and STILL nothing like 'make available offline'. Attached is what I see under DropBox in File Explorer.

Nancy

Thanks for the screenshot! The grey cloud icon I’m referring to is the one showing on top of your file icons.

Can you send me one more visual of the options you see after right-clicking on one of your files? I’d like to have a look and see what else we can try next.

GPaul

Nancy,

I just rebooted as sometimes that cures many ills. Here are all the options I see in File Explorer for a file in DropBox. I notice(d) nothing unusual. Here is the first screen

Now here is the second screen

Thanks again + PLEASE HELP !

Jay

Hi @GPaul, what options do you get when right clicking the Dropbox folder itself? Do you get any Dropbox options, namely to mark the folder as available offline?

Could you also try reinstalling the Dropbox desktop application, without uninstalling it first, by using this link?

GPaul

Jay-

Here is where I wind up when I follow your link

Again-please help-do not give up on me-those files are important-thanks !

Is there any chance we can share a screen in ZOOM ?

I don't mind at all paying for an upgrade in DropBox !

I really need to get to those files !

GPaul

Folks-

Am I better off clicking upgrade + getting support that way ?

AS long as someone will call me, share screens with me, try to resolve this, etc.

Please advise if I should go ahead + do that - thanks again for all your help !

Again-I just retired + REALLY need the info in some of those files

Megan

Hey @GPaul!

If you wish you can upgrade your Dropbox account in order to be able to access more support options.

In the meantime, I'd suggest following these steps. I understand how crucial, and important that is for you and I'm here to help you get to the bottom of it.

Lastly, do you notice the same behavior when you try to open your files after you temporarily quit the Dropbox desktop app?

GPaul

Megan-

Many thanks for continuing to try and help.

I guess my question about upgrading so I get another level of support, was just to CONFIRM I'd be able to talk on the phone with someone real time, share screens, possibly get more granular in trying to figure out what's wrong here.

Below I have attached my WIndows UAC settings-please let me know if you think they are correct or not.

I did not even understand this statement (again sorry) you asked about

"Lastly, do you notice the same behavior when you try to open your files after you temporarily quit the Dropbox desktop app? "

Stated another way-HOW do I temporarily quit the desktop app ?

Also-I did not feel comfortable with my current level of understanding with performing some of the 'steps' in that link you provided. I think I'd need better instructions, someone on the phone, sharing screens, etc before I would attempt that on my own. I am somewhat concerned about making an already very bad situation worse.

Megan

Hey again @GPaul!

Phone support is only available to Business customers. However, if you choose one of our individual plans, you should be able to chat live with our support agents.

Now in regards to your Windows UAC levels, and based on the screenshot it looks like they're set to default. Therefore I'd encourage you to proceed with the rest of the steps, such as uninstalling the app, and reinstalling it anew.

Also, I suggested quitting the app to see if the behavior and error you see will remain the same when you do. You should be able to click your little Dropbox icon in your taskbar, next to your WiFi. Then click your avatar (photo or initials) in the bottom-left corner, and then click Quit.

GPaul

Megan-

Did do "You should be able to click your little Dropbox icon in your taskbar, next to your WiFi. Then click your avatar (photo or initials) in the bottom-left corner, and Quit."

Looks like same result to me unfortunately. See below

Now-do I need to go back there again and do something to "UNQUIT"

WRT to the OTHER steps after UAC-again, I'm just not sure I understand enough to try them on my own without someone helping me. Are there youtube or some other type of videos ?

Again, just concerned I'll make a bad situation worse.

Thanks again for continuing to help me.

Walter

Thanks for the follow up on this @GPaul.

You should be able to relaunch the app by double clicking on the Dropbox icon on your computer or finding and clicking on via a search.

As a last step to troubleshoot this, you could try creating a new OS profile and try to install the Dropbox desktop app there to see if you get the same results there as well.

In any case, let us know how you get on.

GPaul

Walter, Megan, Nancy-

Sorry if I missed anyone-it's ALL WORKING NOW ! Every single file.

Thanks to all of you very much !

GPaul

Folks-

Thought I replied already-but it seems not. Anyway-thanks very much to you all for all the help, it seems the problem has been resolved.