I can't start the desktop app on Windows as I'm getting a permissions error

Hey donnybrook37a, sorry to hear about this.

Can you please click on the hyperlinked text file (the second shown in your screenshot) and forward us the whole error log?

Have you tried reinstalling the desktop app lately?

Keep me posted!

 Hi Walter, error message below.

bn.BUILD_KEY: Dropbox
bn.VERSION: 154.4.5363
bn.constants.WINDOWS_SHELL_EXT_VERSION: 52
bn.is_frozen: True
machine_id: 797e4003-6631-4565-adcb-0230b50f6866
pid: 34300
cwd: 'C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Dropbox\\Client'
real_path='C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Dropbox\\Client'
mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0
parent mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0
HOME: None
appdata: 'C:\\Users\\Jerry\\AppData\\Local\\Dropbox\\instance1'
real_path='C:\\Users\\Jerry\\AppData\\Local\\Dropbox\\instance1'
not found
parent not found
dropbox_path: None
not found
parent not found
sys_executable: 'C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Dropbox\\Client\\Dropbox.exe'
real_path='C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Dropbox\\Client\\Dropbox.exe'
mode=0o100777 uid=0 gid=0
parent mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0
trace.__file__: 'C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Dropbox\\Client\\154.4.5363\\python-packages.zip\\dropbox\\client\\ui\\common\\boot_error.pyc'
real_path='C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Dropbox\\Client\\154.4.5363\\python-packages.zip\\dropbox\\client\\ui\\common\\boot_error.pyc'
not found
parent not found
TMP: C:\Users\Jerry.000\AppData\Local\Temp
TEMP: C:\Users\Jerry.000\AppData\Local\Temp
tempdir: 'C:\\Users\\Jerry.000\\AppData\\Local\\Temp'
real_path='C:\\Users\\Jerry.000\\AppData\\Local\\Temp'
mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0
parent mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "dropbox\client\main.pyc", line 7878, in main_startup
File "dropbox\client\main.pyc", line 2735, in initialize
File "dropbox\client\main.pyc", line 1630, in startup_low
File "dropbox\client\main.pyc", line 1229, in safe_makedirs
File "dropbox\fsutil.pyc", line 655, in safe_makedirs
File "dropbox\overrides.pyc", line 238, in makedirs
File "dropbox\overrides.pyc", line 251, in makedirs
PermissionError: [WinError 5] Access is denied: 'C:\\Users\\Jerry\\AppData\\Local\\Dropbox'

Hi donnybrook37a, thanks for the error log!

As a test, can you try to temporarily disable any antivirus/firewall you may have on your computer and then, reinstall the desktop app on your device?

Do you still see the same error upon the Dropbox app startup?

This just started yesterday after turning my computer on (Windows 11), Dropbox appears to try and start, and then I get a pop up showing

I've gone through the usual items, running as Admin, re-installing, performing an advanced re-installation as per the links. And now I'm stumped. Anyone have any ideas?

Log File Contents

bn.BUILD_KEY: Dropbox
bn.VERSION: 182.3.6250
bn.constants.WINDOWS_SHELL_EXT_VERSION: 64
bn.is_frozen: True
machine_id: 1a49cc59-f1b9-44df-b13c-26ae8ec30c89
pid: 26452
cwd: 'C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Dropbox\\Client'
real_path='C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Dropbox\\Client'
mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0
parent mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0
HOME: None
appdata: 'C:\\Users\\***\\AppData\\Local\\Dropbox\\instance1'
real_path='C:\\Users\\***\\AppData\\Local\\Dropbox\\instance1'
mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0
parent mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0
dropbox_path: 'E:\\Dropbox'
real_path='E:\\Dropbox'
mode=0o40555 uid=0 gid=0
parent mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0
sys_executable: 'C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Dropbox\\Client\\Dropbox.exe'
real_path='C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Dropbox\\Client\\Dropbox.exe'
mode=0o100777 uid=0 gid=0
parent mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0
trace.__file__: 'C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Dropbox\\Client\\182.3.6250\\python-packages.zip\\dropbox\\client\\ui\\common\\boot_error.pyc'
real_path='C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Dropbox\\Client\\182.3.6250\\python-packages.zip\\dropbox\\client\\ui\\common\\boot_error.pyc'
not found
parent not found
TMP: C:\Users\***\AppData\Local\Temp
TEMP: C:\Users\**\AppData\Local\Temp
tempdir: 'C:\\Users\\**\\AppData\\Local\\Temp'
real_path='C:\\Users\\**\\AppData\\Local\\Temp'
mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0
parent mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "desktop/dropbox/client/main.py", line 5361, in _setup_root_for_account
File "desktop/dropbox/foundation/futures/basic.py", line 965, in result
File "desktop/dropbox/sync_root/manager.py", line 330, in convert_root
File "desktop/dropbox/sync_root/handlers/windows/cloud_files.py", line 341, in migrate
PermissionError: [WinError -2147024891] Access is denied

Hi Hannah,

I have the built in Windows Firewall, and AVG as my Anti-virus, which I have disabled and tried to run dropbox with as well, but I still get the same message appearing.

It works fine on my laptop, so I don't believe its an account issue, but something that is happening simply with what is on my desktop.

Hi Megan,

I worked through those steps prior to posting this issue, and I've just run through it again and still the same. The only real difference, is I've just had a new pop-up appear, 

I have Microsoft Visual C++ 2015-2022 Redistriubtable - 14.36.32532 installed currently.

Hi @Walter ,

I uninstalled Dropbox and re-installed using the version from the link provided, same issue. I then performed the Advanced Installation steps, including removing Registry Entries and Dropbox items from System folders, and the same issue.

Contents of the log file:

bn.BUILD_KEY: Dropbox
bn.VERSION: 182.3.6273
bn.constants.WINDOWS_SHELL_EXT_VERSION: 64
bn.is_frozen: True
machine_id: 1a49cc59-f1b9-44df-b13c-26ae8ec30c89
pid: 9828
cwd: 'C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Dropbox\\Client'
real_path='C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Dropbox\\Client'
mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0
parent mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0
HOME: None
appdata: 'C:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Local\\Dropbox\\instance1'
real_path='C:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Local\\Dropbox\\instance1'
mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0
parent mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0
dropbox_path: 'E:\\Dropbox'
real_path='E:\\Dropbox'
mode=0o40555 uid=0 gid=0
parent mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0
sys_executable: 'C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Dropbox\\Client\\Dropbox.exe'
real_path='C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Dropbox\\Client\\Dropbox.exe'
mode=0o100777 uid=0 gid=0
parent mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0
trace.__file__: 'C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Dropbox\\Client\\182.3.6273\\python-packages.zip\\dropbox\\client\\ui\\common\\boot_error.pyc'
real_path='C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Dropbox\\Client\\182.3.6273\\python-packages.zip\\dropbox\\client\\ui\\common\\boot_error.pyc'
not found
parent not found
TMP: C:\Users\*\AppData\Local\Temp
TEMP: C:\Users\*\AppData\Local\Temp
tempdir: 'C:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Local\\Temp'
real_path='C:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Local\\Temp'
mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0
parent mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "desktop/dropbox/client/main.py", line 5369, in _setup_root_for_account
File "desktop/dropbox/foundation/futures/basic.py", line 965, in result
File "desktop/dropbox/sync_root/manager.py", line 330, in convert_root
File "desktop/dropbox/sync_root/handlers/windows/cloud_files.py", line 341, in migrate
PermissionError: [WinError -2147024891] Access is denied

As an aside, the previous version, that you says is a beta, came from https://www.dropbox.com/install .