We’re aware of an issue causing slower load times on the Dropbox Community forum. It should be resolved soon. Thanks for your patience! 

Forum Discussion

Benjamin Gordon's avatar
Benjamin Gordon
Helpful | Level 7
16 days ago

I see a "Couldn't start Dropbox" error on my macOS 15.7.1.

Application Affected
Dropbox Desktop App Max
Device
M1 MAX MacBookPro
Operating System/Browser (if using the web)
macOS 15.7.1
Dropbox App Version (if using the app)
235.4.5905

Question or Issue

Dropbox will not let me open. 

Ive tried uninstalling, re-installing advanced etc etc but nothing is working.

I recently opted out of file provider and went back to legacy for a few reasons and it worked.

maybe it updated in the background today but i havent for the life of me been able to get it to work.

 

desktop
Error Messages
Mac

8 Replies

  • Dell_Dropbox's avatar
    Dell_Dropbox
    Icon for Community Manager rankCommunity Manager
    16 days ago

    Hey Benjamin Gordon​ welcome back,

    Because you've installed Dropbox multiple times and switched between legacy and file provider, can we start by confirming that you only have one version installed currently?

    On macOS, open Applications and ensure you don’t have multiple Dropbox versions ( legacy + File Provider) that might conflict.

  • Nancy's avatar
    Nancy
    Icon for Dropbox Community Moderator rankDropbox Community Moderator
    16 days ago

    Hey Benjamin Gordon! I hope you don’t mind me asking, but can you zoom in the error log a little bit more and send me one more clear screenshot of it? 

    I’d like to go through it again and check if there’s something more we can try.

  • Benjamin Gordon's avatar
    Benjamin Gordon
    Helpful | Level 7
    16 days ago
    bn.BUILD_KEY: Dropbox
    bn.VERSION: 235.4.5905
    bn.constants.WINDOWS_SHELL_EXT_VERSION: 87
    bn.is_frozen: True
    machine_id: 8687ac7e-37b2-5c12-9c58-c33dad885f1d
    pid: 7321
    ppid: 1
    uid: 501
    user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='benjamingordon', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=501, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='Benjamin Gordon', pw_dir='/Users/benjamingordon', pw_shell='/bin/zsh')
    effective_user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='benjamingordon', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=501, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='Benjamin Gordon', pw_dir='/Users/benjamingordon', 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'])
    effective_group_info: grp.struct_group(gr_name='staff', gr_passwd='*', gr_gid=20, gr_mem=['root'])
    DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH: None
    cwd: '/'
         real_path='/'
                mode=0o40755 uid=0 gid=0
         parent mode=0o40755 uid=0 gid=0
    HOME: '/Users/benjamingordon'
    appdata: '/Users/benjamingordon/.dropbox/instance2'
             real_path='/Users/benjamingordon/.dropbox/instance2'
                    mode=0o40700 uid=501 gid=20
             parent mode=0o40755 uid=501 gid=20
    dropbox_path: '/Users/benjamingordon/Dropbox'
                  real_path='/Users/benjamingordon/Dropbox'
                        mode=0o40755 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/zs/mvffn_7d4nb9mqh954lm7qmm0000gn/T'
             real_path='/private/var/folders/zs/mvffn_7d4nb9mqh954lm7qmm0000gn/T'
                    mode=0o40700 uid=501 gid=20
             parent mode=0o40755 uid=501 gid=20
    Traceback (most recent call last):
      File "desktop/dropbox/client/main.py", line 1107, in wrapper
      File "desktop/dropbox/client/main.py", line 8682, in finish_dropbox_boot
      File "desktop/dropbox/client/message_queue.py", line 338, in _wrapped
      File "desktop/dropbox/client/main.py", line 7965, in _init_components_for_account
      File "desktop/dropbox/client/main.py", line 7873, in create_sync_engine
      File "desktop/dropbox/sync_engine_boundary/factory.py", line 237, in make_sync_engine
      File "desktop/dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/sync_engine.py", line 264, in __init__
      File "desktop/dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/modern_client/modern_client.py", line 331, in __init__
      File "desktop/dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/modern_client/base.py", line 279, in __init__
      File "desktop/dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/thin_adapter/in_proc.py", line 244, in __init__
      File "desktop/dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/thin_adapter/in_proc.py", line 622, in _init_new_engine_locked
      File "desktop/dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/thin_client/client.py", line 176, in __init__
      File "desktop/extensions/nucleus/nucleus_python.pyx", line 77, in nucleus_python.NucleusSyncEngine.__cinit__
    nucleus_python.SyncEngineError: "Initializing engine |>> Initializing filesystem |>> Attempting to register icons |>> unlinking errored icon |>> unlink syscall |>> FSErrorCode::PermissionDenied"

     

  • Benjamin Gordon's avatar
    Benjamin Gordon
    Helpful | Level 7
    16 days ago
    bn.BUILD_KEY: Dropbox
    bn.VERSION: 235.4.5905
    bn.constants.WINDOWS_SHELL_EXT_VERSION: 87
    bn.is_frozen: True
    machine_id: 8687ac7e-37b2-5c12-9c58-c33dad885f1d
    pid: 5701
    ppid: 1
    uid: 501
    user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='benjamingordon', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=501, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='Benjamin Gordon', pw_dir='/Users/benjamingordon', pw_shell='/bin/zsh')
    effective_user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='benjamingordon', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=501, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='Benjamin Gordon', pw_dir='/Users/benjamingordon', 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'])
    effective_group_info: grp.struct_group(gr_name='staff', gr_passwd='*', gr_gid=20, gr_mem=['root'])
    DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH: None
    cwd: '/'
         real_path='/'
                mode=0o40755 uid=0 gid=0
         parent mode=0o40755 uid=0 gid=0
    HOME: '/Users/benjamingordon'
    appdata: '/Users/benjamingordon/.dropbox/instance2'
             real_path='/Users/benjamingordon/.dropbox/instance2'
                    mode=0o40700 uid=501 gid=20
             parent mode=0o40755 uid=501 gid=20
    dropbox_path: '/Users/benjamingordon/Dropbox'
                  real_path='/Users/benjamingordon/Dropbox'
                        mode=0o40755 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/zs/mvffn_7d4nb9mqh954lm7qmm0000gn/T'
             real_path='/private/var/folders/zs/mvffn_7d4nb9mqh954lm7qmm0000gn/T'
                    mode=0o40700 uid=501 gid=20
             parent mode=0o40755 uid=501 gid=20
    Traceback (most recent call last):
      File "desktop/dropbox/client/main.py", line 1107, in wrapper
      File "desktop/dropbox/client/main.py", line 8682, in finish_dropbox_boot
      File "desktop/dropbox/client/message_queue.py", line 338, in _wrapped
      File "desktop/dropbox/client/main.py", line 7965, in _init_components_for_account
      File "desktop/dropbox/client/main.py", line 7873, in create_sync_engine
      File "desktop/dropbox/sync_engine_boundary/factory.py", line 237, in make_sync_engine
      File "desktop/dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/sync_engine.py", line 264, in __init__
      File "desktop/dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/modern_client/modern_client.py", line 331, in __init__
      File "desktop/dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/modern_client/base.py", line 279, in __init__
      File "desktop/dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/thin_adapter/in_proc.py", line 244, in __init__
      File "desktop/dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/thin_adapter/in_proc.py", line 622, in _init_new_engine_locked
      File "desktop/dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/thin_client/client.py", line 176, in __init__
      File "desktop/extensions/nucleus/nucleus_python.pyx", line 77, in nucleus_python.NucleusSyncEngine.__cinit__
    nucleus_python.SyncEngineError: "Initializing engine |>> Initializing filesystem |>> Attempting to register icons |>> unlinking errored icon |>> unlink syscall |>> FSErrorCode::PermissionDenied"

     

  • Megan's avatar
    Megan
    Icon for Dropbox Community Moderator rankDropbox Community Moderator
    16 days ago

    Hi Benjamin Gordon!

    Just to make sure we're on the same page: you initially mentioned you've tried an advanced reinstall. Did you follow these steps? 

    If this didn't work, I'm going to need to send you an email, in order for us to have a closer look into this. Thanks! 

  • Megan's avatar
    Megan
    Icon for Dropbox Community Moderator rankDropbox Community Moderator
    16 days ago

    No worries Benjamin Gordon!

    I just sent you an email, in order for us to have a closer look into this. Reply back to me, and we'll take it from there.

    Thanks! 

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!

Recent Discussions