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Dropbox app won't start on M1 Mac running Big Sur
I just got a new MacBook Air M1 running BigSur. Dropbox does show up in the Finder sidebar and it appears the Dropbox files and folders on my Mac have synced with Dropbox.com. However the dropbox icon does not show up in the tool bar at the top of the screen. Plus, I downloaded the Dropbox app but it won't start. error message is shown below. I am not on a network share. Don't know what is the deal with permissions. Suggestions?
- Thanks for providing the full error-log MikeLV.
Could you please try an advanced reinstall with admin privileges and let me know how it goes?
While at it, please make sure that there's no antivirus or firewall that might be causing issues.
Keel me posted with your progress!
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Absolutely OK. I assume you can get my email from my account info...
I am having major issues with it as well. Just updated to BIG SUR and I can't even download the app. I can't find the folder in FINDER, nothing and nobody to call and talk to. I have been messing with it for the last week and am beyond frustrated. Sorry this doesn't help you but know you are not alone.
What "might" have worked for me... I changed my regular user account to an administrator and ran through the Advanced Reinstall. I'm pretty sure it failed the first time through, but then I removed administrator from the user account, rebooted, and suddenly it was working properly...
(To change administrator status, log out of the account, log in as an administrator, open System Preferences, select Users & Groups, click the padlock icon if needed, then select the user account and check/uncheck "Allow user to administer this computer").
Lori, et. al,
I can only get Dropbox to work from going directly to the website, I still cannot get the icon at top of the screen to enter.
I still get the same "Dropbox can't start" message upon start up.
Completely baffling and frustrating.
Thanks, everyone, for their assistance. I have taken all suggestions and directions, yet am still in this spot.
Victoria
- Megan
Dropbox Community Moderator
Happy Monday victoriabaum, I hope you're doing well!
Could you share the precise error with me?
You can obtain it by clicking on the blue link within the error message pop-up. This will open a file with the full text of the error.
Also, have you tried performing an Advanced re-install on your end?
Keep me posted.
Can anybody help? The advanced reinstall no longer works. At the end of the installation, when the app tries to open, I get the same error message. This worked for months on the M1 with Big Sur, with Antivirus on the computer, with no changes to my Dropbox folder location, etc. Then, a few weeks ago, Dropbox stopped being able to start. The first time I tried advanced reinstall, it worked, but a day later, the error appeared again. Similarly, I used a Time Machine backup before the problem started (reinstalled the system!!), and that worked for about a day, then the error appeared. Now, nothing I try of the solutions offered in this thread work.
Here is the log:
bn.BUILD_KEY: Dropboxbn.VERSION: 126.4.4618bn.constants.WINDOWS_SHELL_EXT_VERSION: 48bn.is_frozen: Truemachine_id: 70cb2f9b-0398-5ffb-bcd1-06f602617645pid: 9339ppid: 1uid: 502user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='tntozer', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=502, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='T N Tozer', pw_dir='/Users/tntozer', pw_shell='/bin/bash')effective_user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='tntozer', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=502, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='T N Tozer', pw_dir='/Users/tntozer', pw_shell='/bin/bash')euid: 502gid: 20egid: 20group_info: grp.struct_group(gr_name='staff', gr_passwd='*', gr_gid=20, gr_mem=['root', 'tntozer', '_nsurlstoraged'])effective_group_info: grp.struct_group(gr_name='staff', gr_passwd='*', gr_gid=20, gr_mem=['root', 'tntozer', '_nsurlstoraged'])DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH: Nonecwd: '/'real_path='/'mode=0o40755 uid=0 gid=0parent mode=0o40755 uid=0 gid=0HOME: '/Users/tntozer'appdata: '/Users/tntozer/.dropbox/instance1'real_path='/Users/tntozer/.dropbox/instance1'mode=0o40700 uid=502 gid=20parent mode=0o40755 uid=502 gid=20dropbox_path: '/Users/tntozer/Dropbox'real_path='/Users/tntozer/Dropbox'mode=0o40700 uid=502 gid=20parent mode=0o40755 uid=502 gid=20sys_executable: '/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/MacOS/Dropbox'real_path='/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/MacOS/Dropbox'mode=0o100755 uid=502 gid=20parent mode=0o40755 uid=502 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/nb/wl1n6xsd5f9__bw4ldx8gl9w0000gp/T'real_path='/private/var/folders/nb/wl1n6xsd5f9__bw4ldx8gl9w0000gp/T'mode=0o40700 uid=502 gid=20parent mode=0o40755 uid=502 gid=20Traceback (most recent call last):File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 834, in wrapperFile "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 6625, in finish_dropbox_bootFile "dropbox/client/message_queue.pyc", line 307, in _wrappedFile "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 6158, in _init_components_for_accountFile "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 6084, in create_sync_engineFile "dropbox/sync_engine_boundary/factory.pyc", line 225, 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 219, in __init__File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/modern_client/base.pyc", line 149, in __init__File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/thin_adapter/in_proc.pyc", line 223, in __init__File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/thin_adapter/in_proc.pyc", line 591, in _init_new_engine_lockedFile "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/thin_client/client.pyc", line 182, in __init__File "extensions/nucleus/nucleus_python.pyx", line 76, in nucleus_python.NucleusSyncEngine.__cinit__nucleus_python.SyncEngineError: "Initializing engine |>> Initializing filesystem |>> Attempting to initialize dbx cache directory |>> Marking ApplicationFilesystem cache directory as ignored |>> Writing to xattr |>> fsetxattr syscall: write_xattr |>> Permission denied"Out of the blue, with no changes to my system or environment, the startup failures have returned. This is extremely frustrating!
bn.BUILD_KEY: Dropboxbn.VERSION: 127.4.4265bn.constants.WINDOWS_SHELL_EXT_VERSION: 48bn.is_frozen: Truemachine_id: 81473c3e-02f8-54bb-bc0e-2632fb565d70pid: 754ppid: 1uid: 502user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='user', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=502, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='User', pw_dir='/Users/user', pw_shell='/bin/bash')effective_user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='user', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=502, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='User', pw_dir='/Users/user', pw_shell='/bin/bash')euid: 502gid: 20egid: 20group_info: grp.struct_group(gr_name='staff', gr_passwd='*', gr_gid=20, gr_mem=['root', 'mjbunnell', 'user', 'mike', 'boinc_master', 'boinc_project'])effective_group_info: grp.struct_group(gr_name='staff', gr_passwd='*', gr_gid=20, gr_mem=['root', 'mjbunnell', 'user', 'mike', 'boinc_master', 'boinc_project'])DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH: Nonecwd: '/'real_path='/'mode=0o40755 uid=0 gid=0parent mode=0o40755 uid=0 gid=0HOME: '/Users/user'appdata: '/Users/user/.dropbox/instance1'real_path='/Users/user/.dropbox/instance1'mode=0o40700 uid=502 gid=20parent mode=0o40755 uid=502 gid=20dropbox_path: '/Users/user/Dropbox'real_path='/Users/user/Dropbox'mode=0o40700 uid=502 gid=20parent mode=0o40755 uid=502 gid=20sys_executable: '/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/MacOS/Dropbox'real_path='/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/MacOS/Dropbox'mode=0o100755 uid=502 gid=20parent mode=0o40755 uid=502 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/vw/hs31tvjn26d1mypmb2zsztn80000gp/T'real_path='/private/var/folders/vw/hs31tvjn26d1mypmb2zsztn80000gp/T'mode=0o40700 uid=502 gid=20parent mode=0o40755 uid=502 gid=20Traceback (most recent call last):File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 827, in wrapperFile "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 6650, in finish_dropbox_bootFile "dropbox/client/message_queue.pyc", line 307, in _wrappedFile "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 6147, in _init_components_for_accountFile "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 6073, in create_sync_engineFile "dropbox/sync_engine_boundary/factory.pyc", line 225, 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 219, in __init__File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/modern_client/base.pyc", line 150, in __init__File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/thin_adapter/in_proc.pyc", line 223, in __init__File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/thin_adapter/in_proc.pyc", line 591, in _init_new_engine_lockedFile "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/thin_client/client.pyc", line 182, in __init__File "desktop/extensions/nucleus/nucleus_python.pyx", line 76, in nucleus_python.NucleusSyncEngine.__cinit__nucleus_python.SyncEngineError: "Initializing engine |>> Initializing filesystem |>> Marking Nucleus cache directory as ignored |>> Writing to xattr |>> fsetxattr syscall: write_xattr |>> Permission denied"Same result. After install and login, when I hit the Next button (to open the app), I get the same error. I have never moved my Dropbox folder. I ran the app fine for months after migrating to my new Mac. This error just started a few weeks ago. Should I have disabled the admin privileges of the user before running the installer? I had them on to run the suggested Terminal commands. I left admin privileges on when installing. I am at a loss, and this is causing major headaches for two work projects. I have to download files from the web version of Dropbox, modify them and them upload them back. There's lots of room for problems. My local Dropbox no longer reflects the online version (not sync'd, because I cannot get Dropbox app to start. Here's the full log:
bn.BUILD_KEY: Dropboxbn.VERSION: 127.4.4265bn.constants.WINDOWS_SHELL_EXT_VERSION: 48bn.is_frozen: Truemachine_id: 70cb2f9b-0398-5ffb-bcd1-06f602617645pid: 8824ppid: 1uid: 502user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='tntozer', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=502, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='T N Tozer', pw_dir='/Users/tntozer', pw_shell='/bin/bash')effective_user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='tntozer', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=502, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='T N Tozer', pw_dir='/Users/tntozer', pw_shell='/bin/bash')euid: 502gid: 20egid: 20group_info: grp.struct_group(gr_name='staff', gr_passwd='*', gr_gid=20, gr_mem=['root', 'tntozer', '_nsurlstoraged'])effective_group_info: grp.struct_group(gr_name='staff', gr_passwd='*', gr_gid=20, gr_mem=['root', 'tntozer', '_nsurlstoraged'])DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH: Nonecwd: '/'real_path='/'mode=0o40755 uid=0 gid=0parent mode=0o40755 uid=0 gid=0HOME: '/Users/tntozer'appdata: '/Users/tntozer/.dropbox/instance1'real_path='/Users/tntozer/.dropbox/instance1'mode=0o40700 uid=502 gid=20parent mode=0o40755 uid=502 gid=20dropbox_path: '/Users/tntozer/Dropbox'real_path='/Users/tntozer/Dropbox'mode=0o40700 uid=502 gid=20parent mode=0o40755 uid=502 gid=20sys_executable: '/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/MacOS/Dropbox'real_path='/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/MacOS/Dropbox'mode=0o100755 uid=502 gid=20parent mode=0o40755 uid=502 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/nb/wl1n6xsd5f9__bw4ldx8gl9w0000gp/T'real_path='/private/var/folders/nb/wl1n6xsd5f9__bw4ldx8gl9w0000gp/T'mode=0o40700 uid=502 gid=20parent mode=0o40755 uid=502 gid=20Traceback (most recent call last):File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 827, in wrapperFile "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 6650, in finish_dropbox_bootFile "dropbox/client/message_queue.pyc", line 307, in _wrappedFile "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 6147, in _init_components_for_accountFile "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 6073, in create_sync_engineFile "dropbox/sync_engine_boundary/factory.pyc", line 225, 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 219, in __init__File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/modern_client/base.pyc", line 150, in __init__File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/thin_adapter/in_proc.pyc", line 223, in __init__File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/thin_adapter/in_proc.pyc", line 591, in _init_new_engine_lockedFile "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/thin_client/client.pyc", line 182, in __init__File "desktop/extensions/nucleus/nucleus_python.pyx", line 76, in nucleus_python.NucleusSyncEngine.__cinit__nucleus_python.SyncEngineError: "Initializing engine |>> Initializing filesystem |>> Marking Nucleus cache directory as ignored |>> Writing to xattr |>> fsetxattr syscall: write_xattr |>> Permission denied"
