Cannot start Dropbox app on Macbook

Hi I have a similar experience after installing dropbox app 171.4.6182 on new install 13.3.1. The menu bar icon dropbox appears[ greyed out], followed by   Set up window appearing, which stays on for 2-3 seconds. The SetUp window has title only, no text, followed by menuBar icon disappearing.

This repeats itself without  any error message

Thank you

Hannah  yes of course. Use my registered email address 🙂 

Hey LuckyE and danclarkis! There has been recently released a new desktop app version (which you can also find here).

Can you please both check your Dropbox apps and make sure you’re running that app version on your devices?

danclarkis, if you already are, let me know and we’ll open a ticket for you straight away.

Hi Nancy 

I uninstalled the version I had, then installed that latest version. I'm afraid it still doesn't work. Here's the error code this time:

bn.BUILD_KEY: Dropbox
bn.VERSION: 172.4.7555
bn.constants.WINDOWS_SHELL_EXT_VERSION: 61
bn.is_frozen: True
machine_id: 8262a460-2a1d-5111-a513-abea42da5864
pid: 34288
ppid: 1
uid: 501
user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='danclark', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=501, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='Dan Clark', pw_dir='/Users/danclark', pw_shell='/bin/zsh')
effective_user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='danclark', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=501, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='Dan Clark', pw_dir='/Users/danclark', pw_shell='/bin/zsh')
euid: 501
gid: 20
egid: 20
group_info: grp.struct_group(gr_name='staff', gr_passwd='*', gr_gid=20, gr_mem=['root', 'danclark', '_nsurlstoraged'])
effective_group_info: grp.struct_group(gr_name='staff', gr_passwd='*', gr_gid=20, gr_mem=['root', 'danclark', '_nsurlstoraged'])
DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH: None
cwd: '/'
real_path='/'
mode=0o40755 uid=0 gid=0
parent mode=0o40755 uid=0 gid=0
HOME: '/Users/danclark'
appdata: '/Users/danclark/.dropbox/instance2'
real_path='/Users/danclark/.dropbox/instance2'
mode=0o40700 uid=501 gid=20
parent mode=0o40700 uid=501 gid=20
dropbox_path: '/Users/danclark/Library/CloudStorage/Dropbox'
real_path='/Users/danclark/Library/CloudStorage/Dropbox'
not found
parent mode=0o40755 uid=501 gid=20
sys_executable: '/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/MacOS/Dropbox'
real_path='/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/MacOS/Dropbox'
mode=0o100755 uid=501 gid=20
parent mode=0o40755 uid=501 gid=20
trace.__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 found
parent not found
tempdir: '/var/folders/xv/f3f5nkks3bldxywzq03_hr4c0000gn/T'
real_path='/private/var/folders/xv/f3f5nkks3bldxywzq03_hr4c0000gn/T'
mode=0o40700 uid=501 gid=20
parent mode=0o40755 uid=501 gid=20
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 5219, in _setup_root_for_account
File "dropbox/sync_root/helpers.pyc", line 511, in get_root_for_account
File "dropbox/foundation/futures/basic.pyc", line 857, in result
File "dropbox/sync_root/handlers/macos/file_provider.pyc", line 121, in set_result_or_convert_exception
dropbox.mac.internal.MacError: [Errno -2001] Error Domain=NSFileProviderErrorDomain Code=-2001 "No valid file provider found with identifier ‘com.getdropbox.dropbox.fileprovider/9331ffb8-052a-4a13-8a62-4a53b90a38b3‘." UserInfo={NSLocalizedDescription=No valid file provider found with identifier ‘com.getdropbox.dropbox.fileprovider/9331ffb8-052a-4a13-8a62-4a53b90a38b3‘.}

Hi Hannah,

I can't get mine to work either, followed the steps you advised. Could I please get the issue investigated too? Thanks.

Hi ValGols & danclarkis, I just sent you both an email, I'll see you there!

Hello Megan,

I seem to have a similar problem – I've, too, made sure that everything is up to date and get a similar error message (see below). What's more, ever since the update to a previous newer version, I've had problems saving files. Not sure if that's connected. Could you give me an email address I can write to about this? Thank you in advance!

Lukas

bn.BUILD_KEY: Dropbox

bn.VERSION: 172.4.7555

bn.constants.WINDOWS_SHELL_EXT_VERSION: 61

bn.is_frozen: True

machine_id: 96101d10-7f07-5656-9e68-35b60403a62e

pid: 2076

ppid: 1

uid: 501

user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='lukas', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=501, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='Lukas ***', pw_dir='/Users/lukas', pw_shell='/bin/bash')

effective_user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='lukas', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=501, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='Lukas ****', pw_dir='/Users/lukas', pw_shell='/bin/bash')

euid: 501

gid: 20

egid: 20

group_info: grp.struct_group(gr_name='staff', gr_passwd='*', gr_gid=20, gr_mem=['root', 'lukas', '_serialnumberd'])

effective_group_info: grp.struct_group(gr_name='staff', gr_passwd='*', gr_gid=20, gr_mem=['root', 'lukas', '_serialnumberd'])

DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH: None

cwd: '/'

     real_path='/'

            mode=0o40755 uid=0 gid=0

     parent mode=0o40755 uid=0 gid=0

HOME: '/Users/lukas'

appdata: '/Users/lukas/.dropbox/**'

         real_path='/Users/***/.dropbox/***'

                mode=0o40700 uid=501 gid=20

         parent mode=0o40700 uid=501 gid=20

dropbox_path: '/Users/***/Library/CloudStorage/Dropbox'

              real_path='/Users/****/Library/CloudStorage/Dropbox'

                    mode=0o40700 uid=501 gid=20

              parent mode=0o40755 uid=501 gid=20

sys_executable: '/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/MacOS/Dropbox'

                real_path='/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/MacOS/Dropbox'

                      mode=0o100755 uid=501 gid=20

                parent mode=0o40755 uid=501 gid=20

trace.__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 found

                parent not found

tempdir: '/var/folders/vs/70p0_1zd4vlf65ms0d8_7vvr0000gn/T'

         real_path='/private/var/folders/vs/70p0_1zd4vlf65ms0d8_7vvr0000gn/T'

                mode=0o40700 uid=501 gid=20

         parent mode=0o40755 uid=501 gid=20

Traceback (most recent call last):

  File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 5219, in _setup_root_for_account

  File "dropbox/sync_root/helpers.pyc", line 511, in get_root_for_account

  File "dropbox/foundation/futures/basic.pyc", line 857, in result

  File "dropbox/sync_root/handlers/macos/file_provider.pyc", line 121, in set_result_or_convert_exception

dropbox.mac.internal.MacError: [Errno -2001] Error Domain=NSFileProviderErrorDomain Code=-2001 "A provider with ID com.getdropbox.dropbox.fileprovider was found, but is in the process of being invalidated. Retry later." UserInfo={NSDebugDescription=A provider with ID com.getdropbox.dropbox.fileprovider was found, but is in the process of being invalidated. Retry later., NSLocalizedDescription=The application cannot be used right now.}

Hi klauswieselmann, welcome to our Community! 

Have you tried these steps, by any chance ever since you started receiving the error with Dropbox? You also mentioned you had issues saving files, could you let me know more about this? 

What steps did you follow, and did you get any specific errors? 

Keep me posted!

Hi

I have tried all the steps mentioned in this post, still can't get dropbox app to work. Any new solution?

Thank you

Hey LuckyE , sorry to see you're having trouble with this.

Are you getting the exact same error message?

Can you copy or send us a screenshot of the error log from the blue hyperlink in the "couldn't start Dropbox" error pop-up, so we can check this out?