I'm trying to do the Linux headless install as described at https://www.dropbox.com/install on an Ubuntu 16.04 workstation. It works until I get to the point in the instructions that say "If you're running Dropbox on your server for the first time, you'll be asked to copy and paste a link in a working browser to create a new account or add your server to an existing account."I don't get any notice of the URL to use. The last thing I see when I start dropboxd from my command line is "Opening in existing browser session" -- but no URL is provided.

Assuming that this is not caused by an antivirus, firewall or VPN/proxy setting on this specific machine, I'll need to ask: have you downloaded the Python script from that page as well tn3? If possible, could you change your default browser and try again too? PS: For a list of all the system requirements take a look below: https://www.dropbox.com/help/desktop-web/system-requirements

Ubuntu headless install not working | The Dropbox Community

39 Replies

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Walter
Dropbox Community Moderator
7 years ago
Assuming that this is not caused by an antivirus, firewall or VPN/proxy setting on this specific machine, I'll need to ask: have you downloaded the Python script from that page as well tn3?

If possible, could you change your default browser and try again too?

PS: For a list of all the system requirements take a look below:

https://www.dropbox.com/help/desktop-web/system-requirements
tn3
Explorer | Level 4
7 years ago
Walter
Thanks for the suggestion about downloading the Python script. I did that, ran the script using the command
python dropbox.py status
That consequently gave me the link to paste into my browser.
Walter
Dropbox Community Moderator
7 years ago
Glad I could help tn3!

Happy New Year too.

PS: If you ever come up with any Dropbox question, you know where to find us :wink:
marclevoy
Explorer | Level 4
6 years ago
I'm in a similar situation, with a headless Debian Linux instance.
I believe the 64-bit Dropbox distribution was installed correctly, but:
sudo ./dropbox.py status
Dropbox isn't running!
and that's all - no link. What am I doing wrong?
BTW, dropbox.py start gives me a log of steps, ending with:
dropbox: load fq extension '/root/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/PyQt5.QtDBus.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
Dropbox isn't running!
Done!
l
So that doesn't help either.
Adding -i doesn't do anything different.
-Marc
Здравко
Legendary | Level 20
6 years ago
Don't use 'sudo' for either directly run Dropbox daemon or use the script! The application works only in user mode, that's why changing context could lead to issues. Both daemon and script should work in same context to be able connect to each other. 😉
marclevoy
Explorer | Level 4
6 years ago
Oops, put my reply in the wrong place in this thread. Please see above.
I tried it without sudo, and still can't make it work. The install script just stops without giving me a login link.

-Marc
Здравко
Legendary | Level 20
6 years ago
marclevoy wrote:
... The install script just stops without giving me a login link.
...
One note: headless Dropbox have NOT an install script! Just executables. Entire installation is just extract the archive, nothing more. :wink:
what is result from:
~/.dropbox-dist/dropboxd
Run the above in terminal and post the entire result (together command and result) as is.
PS: To be sure that everything start on clear base, try following in advance:
rm -rf ~/.dropbox ~/Dropbox
If there is something in your Dropbox folder, backup it first.
marclevoy
Explorer | Level 4
6 years ago
Here is the output from the wget and Dropboxd commands:

levoy@levoy:~$ cd ~ && wget -O - "https://www.dropbox.com/download?plat=lnx.x86_64" | tar xzf -
--2020-01-02 18:03:27-- https://www.dropbox.com/download?plat=lnx.x86_64
Resolving www.dropbox.com (www.dropbox.com)... 162.125.1.1, 2620:100:6016:1::a27d:101
Connecting to www.dropbox.com (www.dropbox.com)|162.125.1.1|:443... connected.
HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 302 Found
Location: https://clientupdates.dropboxstatic.com/dbx-releng/client/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138.tar.gz [following]
--2020-01-02 18:03:27-- https://clientupdates.dropboxstatic.com/dbx-releng/client/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138.tar.gz
Resolving clientupdates.dropboxstatic.com (clientupdates.dropboxstatic.com)... 99.86.39.59
Connecting to clientupdates.dropboxstatic.com (clientupdates.dropboxstatic.com)|99.86.39.59|:443... connected.
HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 200 OK
Length: 101508210 (97M) [binary/octet-stream]
Saving to: ‘STDOUT’
- 100%[===================>] 96.81M 41.7MB/s in 2.3s
2020-01-02 18:03:29 (41.7 MB/s) - written to stdout [101508210/101508210]
levoy@levoy:~$ ~/.dropbox-dist/dropboxd
dropbox: locating interpreter
dropbox: logging to /tmp/dropbox-antifreeze-eBYwi0
dropbox: initializing
dropbox: initializing python 3.7.5
dropbox: setting program path '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/dropbox'
dropbox: setting python path '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138:/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/python-packages.zip'
dropbox: python initialized
dropbox: running dropbox
dropbox: setting args
dropbox: applying overrides
dropbox: running main script
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/cryptography.hazmat.bindings._constant_time.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/cryptography.hazmat.bindings._openssl.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/cryptography.hazmat.bindings._padding.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/psutil._psutil_linux.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/psutil._psutil_posix.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/linuxffi.pthread._linuxffi_pthread.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/cpuid.compiled._cpuid.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/apex._apex.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/tornado.speedups.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/linuxffi.resolv.compiled._linuxffi_resolv.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/librsyncffi.compiled._librsyncffi.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/linuxffi.sys.compiled._linuxffi_sys.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/posixffi.libc._posixffi_libc.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/linuxffi.gnu.compiled._linuxffi_gnu.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/PyQt5.QtCore.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/PyQt5.QtGui.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/PyQt5.QtNetwork.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/PyQt5.QtWidgets.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/PyQt5.QtDBus.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
levoy@levoy:~$ ./dropbox.py status
Dropbox isn't running!
levoy@levoy:~$
Здравко
Legendary | Level 20
6 years ago
:grinning::slight_smile: Seems you have killed the daemon! That's why "Dropbox isn't running!".
Ok... Try following and paste the result:
rm -rf ~/.dropbox ~/.dropbox-dist ~/Dropbox; ./dropbox.py start -i
In that way the daemon will be detached and you can check the status in same terminal without killing anything. :wink:
marclevoy
Explorer | Level 4
6 years ago
I tried your command, and it popped up a warning that the daemon didn't exist, and it seemed to then download it from Dropbox and install it, but ended up in exactly the same spot. The output is below. Should it pop up a link to paste into my browser? Or am I not getting that far for some reason?

evoy@levoy:~$ rm -rf ~/.dropbox ~/.dropbox-dist ~/Dropbox; ./dropbox.py start -i
Starting Dropbox..../dropbox.py:342: PyGIDeprecationWarning: Since version 3.11, calling threads_init is no longer needed. See: https://wiki.gnome.org/PyGObject/Threading
GObject.threads_init()
./dropbox.py:503: PyGTKDeprecationWarning: Stock items are deprecated. Please use: Gtk.Button.new_with_mnemonic(label)
self.ok = ok = Gtk.Button(stock=Gtk.STOCK_OK)
./dropbox.py:508: PyGTKDeprecationWarning: Stock items are deprecated. Please use: Gtk.Button.new_with_mnemonic(label)
cancel = Gtk.Button(stock=Gtk.STOCK_CANCEL)
./dropbox.py:378: PyGIDeprecationWarning: GObject.idle_add is deprecated; use GLib.idle_add instead
GObject.idle_add(self.loop_callback, *ret)
./dropbox.py:388: PyGIDeprecationWarning: GObject.idle_add is deprecated; use GLib.idle_add instead
GObject.idle_add(self.on_done)
dropbox: locating interpreter
dropbox: logging to /tmp/dropbox-antifreeze-En2Hr9
dropbox: initializing
dropbox: initializing python 3.7.5
dropbox: setting program path '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/dropbox'
dropbox: setting python path '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138:/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/python-packages.zip'
dropbox: python initialized
dropbox: running dropbox
dropbox: setting args
dropbox: applying overrides
dropbox: running main script
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/cryptography.hazmat.bindings._constant_time.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/cryptography.hazmat.bindings._openssl.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/cryptography.hazmat.bindings._padding.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/psutil._psutil_linux.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/psutil._psutil_posix.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/linuxffi.pthread._linuxffi_pthread.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/cpuid.compiled._cpuid.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/apex._apex.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/tornado.speedups.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/linuxffi.resolv.compiled._linuxffi_resolv.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/librsyncffi.compiled._librsyncffi.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/linuxffi.sys.compiled._linuxffi_sys.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/posixffi.libc._posixffi_libc.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/linuxffi.gnu.compiled._linuxffi_gnu.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
success!
dropbox: locating interpreter
dropbox: logging to /tmp/dropbox-antifreeze-VudtxG
dropbox: initializing
dropbox: initializing python 3.7.5
dropbox: setting program path '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/dropbox'
dropbox: setting python path '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138:/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/python-packages.zip'
dropbox: python initialized
dropbox: running dropbox
dropbox: setting args
dropbox: applying overrides
dropbox: running main script
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/cryptography.hazmat.bindings._constant_time.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/cryptography.hazmat.bindings._openssl.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/cryptography.hazmat.bindings._padding.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/psutil._psutil_linux.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/psutil._psutil_posix.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/linuxffi.pthread._linuxffi_pthread.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/cpuid.compiled._cpuid.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/apex._apex.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/tornado.speedups.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/linuxffi.resolv.compiled._linuxffi_resolv.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/librsyncffi.compiled._librsyncffi.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/linuxffi.sys.compiled._linuxffi_sys.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/posixffi.libc._posixffi_libc.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/linuxffi.gnu.compiled._linuxffi_gnu.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/PyQt5.QtCore.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
Done!
levoy@levoy:~$ dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/PyQt5.QtGui.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/PyQt5.QtNetwork.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/PyQt5.QtWidgets.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/usr/local/google/home/levoy/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-87.4.138/PyQt5.QtDBus.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
levoy@levoy:~$ ./dropbox.py status
Dropbox isn't running!
levoy@levoy:~$

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Ubuntu headless install not working

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