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DutchWim's avatar
DutchWim
New member | Level 2
1 month ago
Solved

I'm getting an error when the Dropbox app starts up on Windows 11

Device
(Lenovo laptop)
Operating System/Browser (if using the web)
(Windows 11.)
Dropbox App Version (if using the app)
(latest)

Question or Issue
After booting the PC the dropbox App refuses to start and displays a window with the message "Couldn't start dropbox". The dropbox icon in the taskbar disapears and my files in the dropbox folder are inaccessible by Word, Excel etc.  I did the "Advanced reinstall of Dropbox" as can be found in the fora but no results. I am using Dropbox for many years without any problems.

Below the error report generated by Dropbox. The very last record shows FileNotFoundError but which file is not mentioned. I am really stocked but need a working Dropbox system. Hope I can find some help here.

Date: 3-12-2026

After action: advanced reinstall

Error report: 

bn.BUILD_KEY: Dropbox

bn.VERSION: 237.4.5655

bn.constants.WINDOWS_SHELL_EXT_VERSION: 88

bn.is_frozen: True

machine_id: (content removed by me)

pid: 8816

cwd: 'C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Dropbox\\Update\\1.3.1053.1'

     real_path='C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Dropbox\\Update\\1.3.1053.1'

             mode=0o40777   uid=0    gid=0

     parent          mode=0o40777   uid=0    gid=0

HOME: None

appdata: 'C:\\Users\\admin\\AppData\\Local\\Dropbox\\instance1'

         real_path='C:\\Users\\admin\\AppData\\Local\\Dropbox\\instance1'

                         mode=0o40777   uid=0    gid=0

         parent       mode=0o40777   uid=0    gid=0

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\\237.4.5655\\python-packages.zip\\dropbox\\client\\ui\\common\\boot_error.pyc'

                real_path='C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Dropbox\\Client\\237.4.5655\\python-packages.zip\\dropbox\\client\\ui\\common\\boot_error.pyc'

                         not found

                parent            not found

TMP: C:\Users\admin\AppData\Local\Temp

TEMP: C:\Users\admin\AppData\Local\Temp

tempdir: 'C:\\Users\\admin\\AppData\\Local\\Temp'

         real_path='C:\\Users\\admin\\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 6857, in _setup_root_for_account

  File "desktop/dropbox/sync_root/helpers.py", line 199, in create_root_for_account

  File "desktop/dropbox/foundation/futures/basic.py", line 1044, in result

  File "desktop/dropbox/sync_root/manager.py", line 382, in create_root

  File "desktop/dropbox/sync_root/handlers/windows/cloud_files.py", line 299, in register

  File "desktop/dropbox/sync_root/handlers/windows/cloud_files.py", line 601, in _register

FileNotFoundError: [WinError -2147024894] The system cannot find the file specified

  • Hi Jay,

    Just to let you know that everything is working fine now.

    I reinstalled the desktop app again and during the installation process i now checked the check mark "Opt out from windows updates".

    I do not understand (yet) why but it seems that this solved my problem.

    Regrads 

    Wim

5 Replies

  • Jay's avatar
    Jay
    Icon for Dropbox Community Moderator rankDropbox Community Moderator
    1 month ago

    Hi DutchWim, thanks for joining the Community!

    When performing the advanced reinstallation of the Dropbox desktop application, could you try temporarily disabling your security software or antivirus during the process to see if this helps?

    Also, try using the offline installer for the app as well.

    Keep me updated with any progress!

  • DutchWim's avatar
    DutchWim
    New member | Level 2
    1 month ago

    Hi Jay,

     

    Thanks for your quick response.

    I disabled the security software (Windows privacy & security)

    I ran the offline installer and see in the system tray the Dropbox icon (gray, starting)

    I got:

    1. Welcome screen
    2. Sign in
    3. Welcome back
    4. Keep basic plan
    5. Happy back
    6. Advanced settings
    7. Dropbox folder D:
    8. Done
    9. Then again, the same screen, couldn’t start Dropbox etc etc
    10. Gray dropbox icon disappears from system tray
    11. Files in the dropbox folder are inaccessible

    Attached for your info the error report of my previous attempts

    To me it seems that the dropbox app somehow needs another file(s) but no clue which one

    Regards,

    Wim

  • DutchWim's avatar
    DutchWim
    New member | Level 2
    1 month ago

    Hi Jay,

    I did some additional test.

    1. In explorer on the D-drive  I renamed the Dropbox map to Dropbox-After-Crash
    2. I ran again the offline installer.
    3. Same sequence of events as before and the same results.
    4. I noticed that a new map with the name Dropbox was created on de D-drive. The map is empty

    Files in the Dropbox-After-Crash are all not accessible by their application, e.g. a the  pdf file reader reported “An unknownerror occurred while accessing … then the filename” when trying to open that pdf file

    I noticed that the map Dropbox-After-Crash still shows the dropbox icon in front of the map name

    Wim

     

  • DutchWim's avatar
    DutchWim
    New member | Level 2
    1 month ago

    Hi Jay,

    Just to let you know that everything is working fine now.

    I reinstalled the desktop app again and during the installation process i now checked the check mark "Opt out from windows updates".

    I do not understand (yet) why but it seems that this solved my problem.

    Regrads 

    Wim

  • Walter's avatar
    Walter
    Icon for Dropbox Community Moderator rankDropbox Community Moderator
    1 month ago

    We're happy to hear it's sorted now and thanks for the update as well, Wim. Let us know if anything else comes up!

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