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Multiple Members with Multiple Mac Users
I have a Dropbox Business Advanced Plan. I am using two of the member accounts, one for business files and one for personal files. I want to separate silos for work and personal matters.
I use a Mac and have two user accounts set up, one for business and one personal.
I want to set up the business Mac user account to sync with with the DB user member account via the DB app. I want the Mac personal user to sync with the DB personal member account.
I downloaded the DB app and set up the Mac business user to sync with the DB business member. It works just fine.
I then set up the personal user to sync with the personal DB member account, and initially, it worked fine too. I could switch between user accounts and both DB member accounts synced with both Mac user accounts they way I intended.
But the next day, I logged onto the Mac as the business user and the DB app worked fine. When I logged into the personal user Mac account, the DB app wouldn't start. "Couldn't start Dropbox. This is usually because of a permissions error. Storing your home folder on a network share can also cause an error."
I can resolve by reinstalling the DB app, and setting up the personal account all over again. If I log out of one of the accounts, then log back in, I get the same error message.
I appreciate any help from anyone who has encountered this.
Thanks.
All,
I believe my issue has been resolved. I heard from Isaac from Dropbox support:
"The development team has released a new beta version of the Dropbox desktop application that may resolve the issue you are experiencing.
If you would like, you can download this version of the Dropbox desktop application from the following link:
https://www.dropbox.com/downloading?build=71.3.105&plat=mac&type=full
If this resolves the issue, you should be able to continue using this version as it will update automatically to the next available build going forward."I installed this version and set everything up again. I've been using it sparingly for the last few days and have not had any issues.
Good Luck.
22 Replies
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- Walter
Dropbox Community Moderator
Hey there rbsalz - sorry to hear about this.
I'm not sure if this is indeed related but I've seen some similar reports recently.
Could you try re-installing one last time for both user profiles using our latest version's stable build's offline installer as found at the following page?
https://www.dropbox.com/downloading?build=70.4.93&plat=mac&type=full
Let me know how it goes please!
- Is this version different from one that I installed 2 days ago?
Thanks. - Walter
You can check this out if you like rbsalz!
To do this, simply take a look at the Dropbox icon in your menu bar and see what the exact message being displayed reads.
Even if you notice the same version on one of your instances, I'd still give our offline installer a go!
Let me know of any updates!
- I’ll try. Thanks.
- Chris_J
Super User alumni
Hello rbsalz
Often, I refer Mac users to look at this article: https://help.dropbox.com/syncing-uploads/stuck-syncing
Pay extra attention to the Subheading regarding permission. I would do the steps it listed to fix permissions.
Hopes this helps
I just set up a new Mac Mini and have the same problem. I've got three users, and logged in as anyone of them I can download a new version of the dropbox App and set up sync. But when I then log out, and log in as a different user, the dropbox app won't work and I get "couldn't start dropbox" error message again. So I download a fresh version of dropbox, get that working, log out, login to the previous account, that was working, and now it's broken. Help?
- Chris_J
Hello GFP
Fyi, when you are running the Desktop CLient, one links there account via tokens once authentication is done with Dropbox servers. You can't log out and log in as it doesn't really use username and password. If this is the case, you would need to unlink it.
you can view the links devices here https://www.dropbox.com/account/security
also you can unlink it by clicking on the X on the right hand side of the device name
Hopes this helps
Chris, in this case I have one machine, two different users, with two different dropbox accounts. But if one logs into their account and sets up dropbox, then the other user cannot get to their dropbox folders... Usually that works, multiple users on one machine, each able to get to their own dropbox folders. Am I missing something?
Seems like GFP and I are trying to accomplish the same thing, but are having the same issue. I find it hard to believe it's not some kind of setting and/or permissioning issue. I also find it hard to believe that there aren't thousands of other Mac users who also want to (or who have figured out how to) link DB member accounts with unique Mac user accounts residing on the same computer.
- Chris_J
GFP
Desktop Client is an app that runs in the background which syncs anything put in a literal folder on your PC/Mac. But you only can have ONE account linked not two or Three. The only way is what I think you have been doing is thru the browser or what we call the Web interface, where you can log into any account that you have login info on and log out and go to the next. I think we are confused about what the Desktop Client is. Does this make sense?
also to make it clear, one account per user. If you are referring to two or more different user logins into your computer then it should work with one per user but only if you have multiple user accounts/desktop etc
