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Forum Discussion

jhashimoto's avatar
jhashimoto
Explorer | Level 3
2 years ago

Issues with connecting to the desktop app - permanently stuck on Starting...

Our current configuration for our organization's dropbox is as such - we have one dropbox account which is shared with multiple individuals and is typically logged into on the desktop dropbox applica...
desktop
Error Messages
Install
Setting up the apps
windows
kkkkkkirk's avatar
kkkkkkirk
Explorer | Level 4
2 years ago

exact same issue here, the only difference is I am constantly on VPN.

dropbox desktop app has been working fine on my PC for years and this started to happen just a couple days ago on both my personal PC and work PC.

have tried 1) turning off firewalls; 2) restart PC; 3) reinstall dropbox but no luck.

Jay's avatar
Jay
Icon for Dropbox Community Moderator rankDropbox Community Moderator
2 years ago

Hi kkkkkkirk, did you try an advanced reinstall as I mentioned above? Are you able to connect to Dropbox using another network connection?

  • kkkkkkirk's avatar
    kkkkkkirk
    Explorer | Level 4
    2 years ago

    Yes I have tried with an advanced reinstall and it didn't work for me. I have turned windows default firewall off but it appeared not to be the issue either.

    I am in a region with limited access so I have to rely on VPN to access dropbox, but it has been working fine for me for years.

    • Megan's avatar
      Megan
      Icon for Dropbox Community Moderator rankDropbox Community Moderator
      2 years ago

      I definitely see where you're coming from kkkkkkirk.

       

      A VPN can cause issues with the connection of the desktop app, one way or another. Maybe not at first, but initially it will.

       

      Have you tried temporarily disabling your VPN, just to check and possibly limit this issue? 

       

      In this case, it sounds like your VPN could be hindering the connection of the app.

       

      If your VPN has any advanced settings that would allow a stable connection to Dropbox, could you try enabling them to see if this resolves the issue?

      • kkkkkkirk's avatar
        kkkkkkirk
        Explorer | Level 4
        2 years ago

        I have now came across multiple threads in the forum reporting this exact same issue, and most of them do not even use VPN. I initially believed that my VPN could potientially be the cause, but after reading other's postings and comments that reporting simialr behaviors to my dropbox, I highly doubt this has anything to do with my VPN.

        I am on Windows 11 21H2 and my dropbox version is 194.4.6267, hope this help your developers identify the bug. 

         

         

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