We’re Still Here to Help (Even Over the Holidays!) - find out more here.
Forum Discussion
td47
5 years agoCollaborator | Level 8
I have too many Dropbox log files. What is their point?
While looking for something else on my 2 Windows 10 PC's, I noticed that there are several hundred log files located at the path:
C:\ProgramData\Dropbox\Update\Log
These range from 2018 dates...
- 5 years agoHi td47; thanks for posting in Community and happy Monday!
When you have the desktop app installed and running on your computer, the app updater service's logs are stored in the app's data folders; not within your Dropbox account or Dropbox Folder.
You should be safe to delete them without affecting the app's functionality at all.
As for your suggestion in the end of your post, I'd recommend posting it in the relevant section of our Community so other users who find it useful can up-vote it to show their interest,
Let me know if you have any other questions!
SuzanneT1
4 years agoExplorer | Level 3
This is 2022 and I’ve been reading the issues with the log files. I’ve logged out of Dropbox on my phone and laptop. I have all the permissions to delete files but the message says “You need permission to perform this action”. I have the permission but can’t delete the log files or the folder the log files are in. Help. I need these files deleted.
Rich
Super User II
4 years ago
SuzanneT1 wrote:
I have all the permissions to delete files but the message says “You need permission to perform this action”.
Then you don't have the necessary permissions to delete the files. See my replies earlier in this thread about admins and the SYSTEM account. You may be the admin for your computer, but the SYSTEM account used by Windows is higher than an admin, and it's this account that has the only access to these files.
I need these files deleted.
You can delete them, but you need to do some work on the file permissions before you'll be able to. See my replies above.
- SuzanneT14 years agoExplorer | Level 3
Okay - I selected the permissions on the log folder. My laptop has permissions. But if I give the permissions to the user - i get this error
- Rich4 years ago
Super User II
SuzanneT1 wrote:
Okay - I selected the permissions on the log folder. My laptop has permissions. But if I give the permissions to the user - i get this error
You're trying to change the permissions on the Update folder (and everything it contains), but it's failing to update the permissions on the Log folder and all of the log files because you don't have permissions to do so. You need to take ownership of not only the folder, but all the files within it, before you can change the permissions.
Quite honestly, if this isn't something you understand or are comfortable with, then you should just leave it be. You can break things if you apply the wrong permissions to certain files or folders, and this really goes beyond the scope of the support provided here. There's very little data stored here and none of it is human-readable. If this is an attempt to save disk space, you're not going to gain much space at all from deleting the log files.
- SuzanneT14 years agoExplorer | Level 3I do understand permissions. I have an IT background but I’ve never run into a app like this. It does not matter if it’s the update folder the log folder or the log files. It will not let me have permissions. So last question. If I uninstall this app will these files go away.
About Apps and Installations
Have a question about a Dropbox app or installation? Reach out to the Dropbox Community and get solutions, help, and advice from members.
The Dropbox Community team is active from Monday to Friday. We try to respond to you as soon as we can, usually within 2 hours.
If you need more help you can view your support options (expected response time for an email or ticket is 24 hours), or contact us on X, Facebook or Instagram.
For more info on available support options for your Dropbox plan, see this article.
If you found the answer to your question in this Community thread, please 'like' the post to say thanks and to let us know it was useful!