Dropbox Log Files

[td47]

While looking for something else on my 2 Windows 10 PC's, I noticed that there are several hundred log files located at the path:

C:\ProgramData\Dropbox\Update\Log

These range from 2018 dates to current, and sizes from 800K to 2K. As these are NOT normal text files, and I cannot see any options within the Dropbox program itself to read these, please explain what their function is. As  see NO sync issues, I assume that I can get rid of them, as it seems pointless keeping them, unless of course there is some sort of "telemetry" that Dropbox is doing, that we, as users do NOT KNOW ABOUT?

It would be really useful if your product had an option to delete this "log history", say over 1, 3, 6 or 12 months old files, in a user setting, to stop this unnecessary clutter.

[Walter · Accepted solution]

Hi @td47; thanks for posting in Community and happy Monday!

When you have the desktop app installed and running on your computer, the app updater service's logs are stored in the app's data folders; not within your Dropbox account or Dropbox Folder.

You should be safe to delete them without affecting the app's functionality at all. 

As for your suggestion in the end of your post, I'd recommend posting it in the relevant section of our Community so other users who find it useful can up-vote it to show their interest, 

Let me know if you have any other questions!

[JNBX]

Hello:

Actually I'd love to remove the log files from the Update\Log folder but they ask for admin authorization although I'm an administator. No way to clean them away. They weigh 20M, 615 files and increasing any time...

[cindy t.3]

I have the same access issue - I could delete everything before mid-2020, but everything after is demanding admin authorization, even though I am the admin. Very irritating.

[Rich]

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@cindy t.3 wrote:

... everything after is demanding admin authorization, even though I am the admin.

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Being an administrator means nothing if the security on a file doesn't grant access to administrators. Being an admin also doesn't automatically grant you access to every file and folder on your computer. It just means you have the ability to change the security or take ownership of every file or folder, and that's what you would need to do.

The security on those log files is System/Full Control, meaning the System account, which is the highest level account on your computer even above Administrator, has full control to the files. No other account is listed as having access, not even Administrators. The System account is also the owner of the files, so you can't even view the permissions without first taking ownership of them. Once you do that, you can add Administrators/Full Control to the security list and then you'd be able to delete them. The only file you won't be able to delete is the most recent one, as it will likely have a lock on it for being open in the updater service.

[cindy t.3]

And for those of us who are the ONLY account on our computer? Why can't I get to these? Deleting old log files really shouldn't be an issue.

[Rich]

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@cindy t.3 wrote:

And for those of us who are the ONLY account on our computer? Why can't I get to these? Deleting old log files really shouldn't be an issue.

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You're not the only account on your computer, even when you're the only user. There are accounts used by the operating system, such as System if you're on a Windows computer, and these accounts are used by the operating system to manage the computer. In particular, System is the highest level account, even higher than Administrator, but it's not an account that you can use. It's strictly used by Windows. This is the account that owns those log files because the Dropbox Updater service runs as the System account, which many services use.

As I explained above, you certainly can delete the log files, but you need to do a little work before you're able to. This isn't anything to do with Dropbox. It's simply a function of Windows and how security works on files created by the System account. Take ownership of those files and then you can add yourself on the access list for them, and then you'll be able to delete them.

[cindy t.3]

Thanks for the info. I've always been confused by the Admin issue -- I didn't realize that Windows was the ultimate admin, but of course I should have!

[td47]

Actually, I CAN delete these old files if I need to, but cannot read them (as my normal user account DOES have some admin rights). When I first started this post, if I went through some hoops, I probably COULD try to look at contents (maybe using the actual Administrator account at the time), but I think Microsoft have increased security permissions for the system areas access now over the last year or so). As they are NOT text files, they are not useful to see any installation errors. I will probably go to the "suggestions" area and ask for a separate TEXT BASED  'install error log", and a "Dropbox error log" to ONLY log actual errors, and have these cumulative, for technical users to check every so often.

[SuzanneT1]

This is 2022 and I’ve been reading the issues with the log files. I’ve logged out of Dropbox on my phone and laptop. I have all the permissions to delete files but the message says “You need permission to perform this action”. I have the permission but can’t delete the log files or the folder the log files are in. Help. I need these files deleted.