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Dropbox is stuck syncing after an update, what can I do?
I have the "Dropbox Plus" subscription and I run the client on 4 computers.
Yesterday (Monday, 13-Jan-2020) I signed onto my desktop (which is always on) and has a full local sync of my dropbox...
Daphne
Dropbox Community Moderator
Dropbox Community ModeratorHello all, hoping you're all well today!
First of all, @Matt F.16 apologies for that! I will place the steps to do this via the command line on Linux devices in the "More info" box below since it's a little lengthy.
Spoiler
Fixing file permissions via command line on Linux devices
1. Stop the desktop app from running on the device.
2. Open the Terminal app.
3. Copy and paste the following lines into the Terminal app, pressing "Return" after each command. Please make sure to copy the command as typing them wrong could do some harm.
4. Restart the Dropbox app.
1. Stop the desktop app from running on the device.
2. Open the Terminal app.
3. Copy and paste the following lines into the Terminal app, pressing "Return" after each command. Please make sure to copy the command as typing them wrong could do some harm.
sudo chown "$USER" "$HOME" sudo chown -R "$USER" ~/Dropbox ~/.dropbox sudo chattr -R -i ~/Dropbox sudo chmod -R u+rw ~/Dropbox ~/.dropboxOnce the prompt displays, the instruction is complete and ready for the next command.
4. Restart the Dropbox app.
Since you're having issues with conflicted copies too PatWard, I'd like to troubleshooting with you separately to avoid confusion so I'll be following up on the thread you mentioned ASAP!
For those still having an issue, could you try the steps listed here and let me know how it goes? (gformenti, Siwinis, jeremyti)
tonyskate, I'm glad to hear that using the "Fix Hardlinks" helps out to an extent. However, if restarting your device results in stuck syncing again then I'd like to do some further troubleshooting with you, if you'd like to of course.
Can I reached out to you via the email linked with your profile to look into this with you?
Finally, thanks for your update Shawn B.14. I'll get back to you via our email communication once I've had a look into this with the additional info you gave me here.
Thanks for your patience everyone, I'll be awaiting your updates!
Thanks Daphne.
The conflicted files issue seems to of resolved itself after I fixed permissions. Right now I've been stuck syncing since Saturday with no apparent change and can't upload so seem to be in the same situation as many others here.
And I appreciate it can't be much fun working on a help forum .. we only come here when something has gone wrong ..
Cheers.
Hi Daphne -- completed the commands, but no change.. Still stuck on a blank "Syncing..."
[Jan 21 07:44 PM][matt@server:~]$ dropbox.py status Syncing... [Jan 21 07:44 PM][matt@server:~]$ dropbox.py stop Dropbox isn't responding! [Jan 21 07:45 PM][matt@server:~]$ dropbox.py stop Dropbox isn't running! [Jan 21 07:45 PM][matt@server:~]$ dropbox.py stop Dropbox isn't running! [Jan 21 07:45 PM][matt@server:~]$ sudo chown "$USER" "$HOME" [sudo] password for matt: [Jan 21 07:45 PM][matt@server:~]$ sudo chown -R "$USER" ~/Dropbox ~/.dropbox [Jan 21 07:45 PM][matt@server:~]$ sudo chattr -R -i ~/Dropbox chattr: Operation not supported while reading flags on /home/matt/Dropbox/bin/setLightsGetColorsLiving chattr: Operation not supported while reading flags on /home/matt/Dropbox/bin/setLightsFlashColorLiving chattr: Operation not supported while reading flags on /home/matt/Dropbox/bin/setLightsFlashColorBoys chattr: Operation not supported while reading flags on /home/matt/Dropbox/bin/setLightsColorBed chattr: Operation not supported while reading flags on /home/matt/Dropbox/bin/setLightsGetColorsBed chattr: Operation not supported while reading flags on /home/matt/Dropbox/bin/eth/geth chattr: Operation not supported while reading flags on /home/matt/Dropbox/bin/eth/blockchain/geth.ipc chattr: Operation not supported while reading flags on /home/matt/Dropbox/bin/setLightsPowerBed chattr: Operation not supported while reading flags on /home/matt/Dropbox/bin/babysit_lircd chattr: Operation not supported while reading flags on /home/matt/Dropbox/bin/setLightsFlashColorMatt chattr: Operation not supported while reading flags on /home/matt/Dropbox/bin/setLightsFlashColorBed chattr: Operation not supported while reading flags on /home/matt/Dropbox/bin/setLightsPowerLiving chattr: Operation not supported while reading flags on /home/matt/Dropbox/Documents/Technical/Backups/android-workspace/School chattr: Operation not supported while reading flags on /home/matt/Dropbox/Documents/Technical/android-workspace/School chattr: Operation not supported while reading flags on /home/matt/Dropbox/Documents/bin chattr: Operation not supported while reading flags on /home/matt/Dropbox/src/server/www/mfp/widgets/wRemoteDesktop1.php chattr: Operation not supported while reading flags on /home/matt/Dropbox/src/server/www/mfp/widgets/wRemoteDesktop3.php chattr: Operation not supported while reading flags on /home/matt/Dropbox/src/server/www/mfp/widgets/wPing3.php chattr: Operation not supported while reading flags on /home/matt/Dropbox/src/server/www/mfp/widgets/wPing2.php chattr: Operation not supported while reading flags on /home/matt/Dropbox/src/server/www/mfp/widgets/wRemoteDesktop9.php chattr: Operation not supported while reading flags on /home/matt/Dropbox/src/server/www/mfp/widgets/wWebcams4.php chattr: Operation not supported while reading flags on /home/matt/Dropbox/src/server/www/mfp/widgets/wWebcams2.php chattr: Operation not supported while reading flags on /home/matt/Dropbox/src/server/www/mfp/widgets/wWebcams7.php chattr: Operation not supported while reading flags on /home/matt/Dropbox/src/server/www/mfp/widgets/wWebcams1.php chattr: Operation not supported while reading flags on /home/matt/Dropbox/src/server/www/mfp/widgets/wRemoteDesktop6.php chattr: Operation not supported while reading flags on /home/matt/Dropbox/src/server/www/mfp/widgets/wPing5.php chattr: Operation not supported while reading flags on /home/matt/Dropbox/src/server/www/mfp/widgets/wWebcams6.php chattr: Operation not supported while reading flags on /home/matt/Dropbox/src/server/www/mfp/widgets/wRemoteDesktop10.php chattr: Operation not supported while reading flags on /home/matt/Dropbox/src/server/www/mfp/widgets/wPing4.php chattr: Operation not supported while reading flags on /home/matt/Dropbox/src/server/www/mfp/widgets/wWebcams8.php chattr: Operation not supported while reading flags on /home/matt/Dropbox/src/server/www/mfp/widgets/wRemoteDesktop8.php chattr: Operation not supported while reading flags on /home/matt/Dropbox/src/server/www/mfp/widgets/wRemoteDesktop5.php chattr: Operation not supported while reading flags on /home/matt/Dropbox/src/server/www/mfp/widgets/wRemoteDesktop12.php chattr: Operation not supported while reading flags on /home/matt/Dropbox/src/server/www/mfp/widgets/wWebcams5.php chattr: Operation not supported while reading flags on /home/matt/Dropbox/src/server/www/mfp/widgets/wRemoteDesktop7.php chattr: Operation not supported while reading flags on /home/matt/Dropbox/src/server/www/mfp/widgets/wRemoteDesktop2.php chattr: Operation not supported while reading flags on /home/matt/Dropbox/src/server/www/mfp/widgets/wPing1.php chattr: Operation not supported while reading flags on /home/matt/Dropbox/src/server/www/mfp/widgets/wRemoteDesktop11.php chattr: Operation not supported while reading flags on /home/matt/Dropbox/src/server/www/mfp/widgets/wWebcams3.php chattr: Operation not supported while reading flags on /home/matt/Dropbox/src/server/www/mfp/widgets/Zend chattr: Operation not supported while reading flags on /home/matt/Dropbox/src/server/www/mfp/widgets/wRemoteDesktop4.php chattr: Operation not supported while reading flags on /home/matt/Dropbox/src/server/www/jarvis chattr: Operation not supported while reading flags on /home/matt/Dropbox/src/jarvis/ui/images/neticons/mnt [Jan 21 07:45 PM][matt@server:~]$ sudo chmod -R u+rw ~/Dropbox ~/.dropbox [Jan 21 07:46 PM][matt@server:~]$ dropbox.py start Starting Dropbox...dropbox: locating interpreter dropbox: logging to /tmp/dropbox-antifreeze-kYer41 dropbox: initializing dropbox: initializing python 3.7.5 dropbox: setting program path '/home/matt/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-88.4.172/dropbox' dropbox: setting python path '/home/matt/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-88.4.172:/home/matt/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-88.4.172/python-packages.zip' dropbox: python initialized dropbox: running dropbox dropbox: setting args dropbox: applying overrides dropbox: running main script dropbox: load fq extension '/home/matt/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-88.4.172/cryptography.hazmat.bindings._constant_time.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so' dropbox: load fq extension '/home/matt/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-88.4.172/cryptography.hazmat.bindings._openssl.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so' dropbox: load fq extension '/home/matt/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-88.4.172/cryptography.hazmat.bindings._padding.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so' dropbox: load fq extension '/home/matt/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-88.4.172/psutil._psutil_linux.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so' dropbox: load fq extension '/home/matt/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-88.4.172/psutil._psutil_posix.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so' dropbox: load fq extension '/home/matt/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-88.4.172/apex._apex.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so' dropbox: load fq extension '/home/matt/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-88.4.172/tornado.speedups.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so' Dropbox isn't running! Done! [Jan 21 07:46 PM][matt@server:~]$ dropbox.py status Syncing... [Jan 21 07:46 PM][matt@server:~]$ dropbox.py status Syncing... [Jan 21 07:46 PM][matt@server:~]$ dropbox.py status Syncing...
The chattr "Operation not supported errors" are on symlinks, which makes sense. There are 10,000's other files that should be syncing.
Press and hold the space bar and two buttons will appear like magick. It doesn't always happen straight away or first time .. the magick needs coaxing.
Thank you @PatWard for the advice to hold the space bar to see the buttons! It took a couple of tries and then I got them. Been syncing 32,000 + files for a week now.
Yeah no worries. I discovered it by accident .. something resting on my space bar ...
Mine seems to of indexed about 2-3000 files over the last week .. which I suppose is progress.
Question to the forum about Symlinks .. I've never knowingly created one .. does dropbox do it itself? When, for example, you migrate it to a different hard drive?
Thanks
- Fiona
Dropbox Staff
Hi everyone!
PatWard the Dropbox desktop app doesn't have the ability to create symlinks for your files.
However, if your Dropbox folder was renamed, the Dropbox desktop app will create a hidden folder with the old folder name ("Dropbox"). This is called a “symlink.” This hidden folder points to the new Dropbox folder from the old location path.
If your computer is set to show hidden files and folders, this symlink may look like a secondary Dropbox folder on your computer but it isn't.
:pushpin: Notes for hidden symlink folders.
- Some programs on your computer may depend on the original Dropbox folder path name ("Dropbox") to function properly and so if your main folder has been renamed it is best to leave the hidden symlink folder untouched.
- The symlink folder does not use extra disk space on your computer or your Dropbox account.
- Deleting files in the symlink Dropbox folder will also delete the original file but deleting the symlink folder iself won't delete the main renamed Dropbox folder.
You can mention me, or other Dropboxers and we will be happy to participate in your discussion more.
Cheers!
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