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Couldn't start Dropbox permissions error
Hi,
My dropbox app won't open at all anymore. I get a Couldn't Open Dropbox message saying it's usually a permissions error. I've been through my shared folders on the webpage and checked and removed them, I've followed a series of terminal scripts from the FAQ section but it did nothing. Help! 🙂
I'm on Mac OSX 10.13.6 (can't update any further) and this is the 'following info for help' text:
bn.BUILD_KEY: Dropbox
bn.VERSION: 118.4.460
bn.constants.WINDOWS_SHELL_EXT_VERSION: 47
bn.is_frozen: True
machine_id: 98d693a2-5ca3-5e2f-9968-c7834cc9259c
pid: 742
ppid: 1
uid: 501
user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='andrewmackay', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=501, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='CODA', pw_dir='/Users/andrewmackay', pw_shell='/bin/bash')
effective_user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='andrewmackay', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=501, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='CODA', pw_dir='/Users/andrewmackay', 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', '_xcsbuildagent'])
effective_group_info: grp.struct_group(gr_name='staff', gr_passwd='*', gr_gid=20, gr_mem=['root', '_xcsbuildagent'])
DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH: None
cwd: '/'
real_path='/'
mode=0o40755 uid=0 gid=0
parent mode=0o40755 uid=0 gid=0
HOME: '/Users/andrewmackay'
appdata: '/Users/andrewmackay/.dropbox/instance1'
real_path='/Users/andrewmackay/.dropbox/instance1'
mode=0o40700 uid=501 gid=20
parent mode=0o40722 uid=501 gid=20
dropbox_path: '/Users/andrewmackay/Dropbox'
real_path='/Users/andrewmackay/Dropbox'
mode=0o40722 uid=501 gid=20
parent mode=0o40777 uid=501 gid=20
sys_executable: '/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/MacOS/Dropbox'
real_path='/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/MacOS/Dropbox'
mode=0o100777 uid=501 gid=20
parent mode=0o40777 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/9x/d16hd_ts6tz685wd0jkv1h_80000gn/T'
real_path='/private/var/folders/9x/d16hd_ts6tz685wd0jkv1h_80000gn/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 7701, in main_startup
File "dropbox/client/ui/cocoa/uikit.pyc", line 726, in initialize
File "dropbox/client/ui/cocoa/uikit.pyc", line 289, in create_app
File "dropbox/client/ui/cocoa/uikit.pyc", line 250, in static_init
Exception: should not give write permissions to other users for the module, /Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/Frameworks/DropboxCrashpad.framework/Versions/A/DropboxCrashpad, loaded by Tungsten
Appreciate any help! Thanks in advnace!
Andy
Hi again Andy Coda,
The dummy file you have created seems Ok. That proves the issue is not in your default settings. It appears exactly as has to be. The commands you have executed, as listed, can't be a reason for the issue observed. Still not clear what could be the reason, but let's try fix it by hands. At the beginning what shows the list of troublesome folder? Post the result of:
ls -al /Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/Frameworks/DropboxCrashpad.framework/Versions/A
Next try fix the problem using following commands:
sudo chown -R "$USER" /Applications/Dropbox.app
chmod -R a+r /Applications/Dropbox.app
chmod -R u+w /Applications/Dropbox.app
chmod -R go-w /Applications/Dropbox.appExecute the first (ls) command again. Is something changed? 🧐
Hope this helps.
31 Replies
Replies have been turned off for this discussion
Andy Coda wrote:
...-rwxrwxrwx@ 1 andrewmackay staff 1151856 16 Mar 18:06 DropboxCrashpad
...
and here is the ls command again after running those commands:
...-rwxr-xr-x@ 1 andrewmackay staff 1151856 16 Mar 18:06 DropboxCrashpad
...to me looks the same, excpet the '-' has moved, if that means anything.
Yes, it means, definitely. Did you see 'w'? That means 'write' permission. The Dropbox application complains you have given too many permissions to everybody. Do you remember? On first list, there are 3 'w's! The first is your permission, second is group (staff) permission, and the last is for everybody else (the same for 'r' - read and 'x' - execution for file or enter for directory). In second list for the same file only you personally have write permission. Let's see the end result: Does the Dropbox application runs normally? If not, is the error log the same? Post it, if any.
It's good idea to figure out how exactly you have all these permissions given erroneously and no repeat it anymore! Try recall what you have done short before the problem rise up.
I've just restarted my computer after the last set of commands, and it's working normally again now! Thank you!
Not too sure what caused it. I accepted an invite yesterday and requested access from my email as it had been shared to my other email which I don't have set up on the app. But that was all via my phone app, not the computer. I then tried deleting a folder I had shared with me and that hung so I force quit, in fact, the whole computer hung and I had to force shutdown. Maybe it caused a glitch somehow?
Anyways, sorted! Really appreciate your help and guidance!
rgds
Andy
I've searched the threads and can't find anything recent that doesn't regurgitate "right click on Dropbox icon" type of advice. Dropbox won't start so there is no icon.
Since upgrading my iMac to Big Sur, the same thing is happening every couple of days at least. On start up I get the alert "Couldn't start Dropbox." with the message: "This is usually because of a permissions error. Storing your home folder on a network share can also cause an error."
I already own the folder. I am already an administrator.
The only way round it is to uninstall and reinstall the app. I can't be doing that every day.
Here is the log it tells me to send to support:
bn.BUILD_KEY: Dropboxbn.VERSION: 119.4.1772bn.constants.WINDOWS_SHELL_EXT_VERSION: 47bn.is_frozen: Truemachine_id: c5cc0e6c-2be2-553d-8204-7c9039b69b3cpid: 10167ppid: 1uid: 501user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='johnmcdonald', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=501, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='John McDonald', pw_dir='/Users/johnmcdonald', pw_shell='/bin/zsh')effective_user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='johnmcdonald', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=501, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='John McDonald', pw_dir='/Users/johnmcdonald', pw_shell='/bin/zsh')euid: 501gid: 20egid: 20group_info: grp.struct_group(gr_name='staff', gr_passwd='*', gr_gid=20, gr_mem=['root', 'johntemp', '_nsurlstoraged'])effective_group_info: grp.struct_group(gr_name='staff', gr_passwd='*', gr_gid=20, gr_mem=['root', 'johntemp', '_nsurlstoraged'])DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH: Nonecwd: '/'real_path='/'mode=0o40755 uid=0 gid=0parent mode=0o40755 uid=0 gid=0HOME: '/Users/johnmcdonald'appdata: '/Users/johnmcdonald/.dropbox/instance1'real_path='/Users/johnmcdonald/.dropbox/instance1'mode=0o40700 uid=501 gid=20parent mode=0o40755 uid=501 gid=20dropbox_path: '/Users/johnmcdonald/Dropbox'real_path='/Users/johnmcdonald/Dropbox'mode=0o40700 uid=501 gid=20parent mode=0o40755 uid=501 gid=20sys_executable: '/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/MacOS/Dropbox'real_path='/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/MacOS/Dropbox'mode=0o100775 uid=501 gid=80parent mode=0o40775 uid=501 gid=80trace.__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 foundparent not foundtempdir: '/var/folders/rb/5c1vt9fd0nj13npx220rs5h00000gn/T'real_path='/private/var/folders/rb/5c1vt9fd0nj13npx220rs5h00000gn/T'mode=0o40700 uid=501 gid=20parent mode=0o40755 uid=501 gid=20Traceback (most recent call last):File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 7672, in main_startupFile "dropbox/client/ui/cocoa/uikit.pyc", line 701, in initializeFile "dropbox/client/ui/cocoa/uikit.pyc", line 266, in create_appFile "dropbox/client/ui/cocoa/uikit.pyc", line 242, in static_initException: should not give write permissions to other users for the module, /Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/Frameworks/DropboxCrashpad.framework/Versions/A/DropboxCrashpad, loaded by TungstenAny help to solve this issue once and for all would be useful.
Thanks
Hi JohnMc_Lpool,
You haven't taken a look on the help center. There is exactly the same case referred at the moment of this post. Follow the solution' steps, pointed there. 😉
Hope this helps.
Hey guys!
I cannot login to Dropbox for two weeks now on my MacBook. The error message is always: Permission denied. In addition there's always this code:
bn.BUILD_KEY: Dropboxbn.VERSION: 134.4.4115bn.constants.WINDOWS_SHELL_EXT_VERSION: 51bn.is_frozen: Truemachine_id: 3eb1a00f-9cd3-5e14-a27c-9f85e126d669pid: 75074ppid: 1uid: 501user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='daphong', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=501, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='Christian Nguyen', pw_dir='/Users/daphong', pw_shell='/bin/zsh')effective_user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='daphong', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=501, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='Christian Nguyen', pw_dir='/Users/daphong', pw_shell='/bin/zsh')euid: 501gid: 20egid: 20group_info: grp.struct_group(gr_name='staff', gr_passwd='*', gr_gid=20, gr_mem=['root', 'daphong'])effective_group_info: grp.struct_group(gr_name='staff', gr_passwd='*', gr_gid=20, gr_mem=['root', 'daphong'])DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH: Nonecwd: '/'real_path='/'mode=0o40755 uid=0 gid=0parent mode=0o40755 uid=0 gid=0HOME: '/Users/daphong'appdata: '/Users/daphong/.dropbox/instance1'real_path='/Users/daphong/.dropbox/instance1'mode=0o40700 uid=501 gid=20parent mode=0o40755 uid=501 gid=20dropbox_path: '/Users/daphong/Dropbox'real_path='/Users/daphong/Dropbox'mode=0o40700 uid=501 gid=20parent mode=0o40755 uid=501 gid=20sys_executable: '/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/MacOS/Dropbox'real_path='/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/MacOS/Dropbox'mode=0o100755 uid=501 gid=20parent mode=0o40755 uid=501 gid=20trace.__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 foundparent not foundtempdir: '/var/folders/4f/7660pmw5737760hrysvxst1c0000gn/T'real_path='/private/var/folders/4f/7660pmw5737760hrysvxst1c0000gn/T'mode=0o40700 uid=501 gid=20parent mode=0o40755 uid=501 gid=20Traceback (most recent call last):File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 816, in wrapperFile "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 6537, in finish_dropbox_bootFile "dropbox/client/message_queue.pyc", line 313, in _wrappedFile "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 6070, in _init_components_for_accountFile "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 5994, in create_sync_engineFile "dropbox/sync_engine_boundary/factory.pyc", line 226, in make_sync_engineFile "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/sync_engine.pyc", line 278, in __init__File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/modern_client/modern_client.pyc", line 245, in __init__File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/modern_client/base.pyc", line 152, in __init__File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/thin_adapter/in_proc.pyc", line 209, in __init__File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/thin_adapter/in_proc.pyc", line 520, in _init_new_engine_lockedFile "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/thin_client/client.pyc", line 188, in __init__File "desktop/extensions/nucleus/nucleus_python.pyx", line 76, in nucleus_python.NucleusSyncEngine.__cinit__nucleus_python.SyncEngineError: "Initializing engine |>> Initializing filesystem |>> Attempting to register icons |>> fchflags syscall: _set_hidden |>> Permission denied"Can somebody help me with this? Since I cannot connect to the Dropbox Support because the button won't work..
Thanks in advance
- Megan
Dropbox Community Moderator
Hey christiantuanphong, welcome to our Community and thanks for using Dropbox!
I've merged your message into this thread because the OP had the same experience.
Could you please try an advanced reinstall and let me know how it goes?
Thanks! - Hey Megan,
I tried the advance reinstallation already and it doesn't work - MeganHi christiantuanphong, thanks for your rapid reply!
Would you mind if I reached out to your email so we could have a closer look into this? - Yeah sure
- Hello Megan,
you still haven't contacted me via mail. Can you please do that so I can use dropbox soon again? My mail is: [email removed as per Community Guidelines]
Thank you in advance.
Kind regards,
Christian
