Dropbox will not start on my M2 MacBook Air

[FunwickC]

The reason is that Dropbox asks for permission to access my old MacBook Pro root (user) folder, with a name like qzmbp, whereas the root (user) folder on my M2 Air is qzmpa.

Strangely it has no problem on my Mac mini (qzmini).

How can I fix this???

[Jay]

Hi @FunwickC, thanks for bringing this to our attention.

In order to make sure this is the case, do you get an error message when the app loads?

Does it give you an error log via a blue link?

If so, copying and pasting this info here will help me to assist further!

[FunwickC]

NOTE that I can get Dropbox to install by creating an empty fake HOME (user folder) \qzmbp, and it then creates the Dropbox folder in \qzmba\dropbox (and users\qzmbp remains empty).

BUT when I try to update Dropbox "to work on the latest version of macOS" (I am on Ventura latest BTW), I get the "Dropbox cannot start" error message and the following log (hopefully the relevant part): 

HOME: '/Users/qzmba'
appdata: '/Users/qzmbp/.dropbox/instance1'
real_path='/Users/qzmbp/.dropbox/instance1'
mode=0o40700 uid=501 gid=80
parent mode=0o40755 uid=501 gid=80
dropbox_path: '/Users/qzmba/Library/CloudStorage/Dropbox'
real_path='/Users/qzmba/Library/CloudStorage/Dropbox'
mode=0o40700 uid=501 gid=20
parent mode=0o40755 uid=501 gid=20
sys_executable: '/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/MacOS/Dropbox'
real_path='/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/MacOS/Dropbox'
mode=0o100755 uid=501 gid=20
parent mode=0o40755 uid=501 gid=20
trace.__file__: '/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/Resources/python-packages.zip/dropbox/client/ui/common/boot_error.pyc'
real_path='/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/Resources/python-packages.zip/dropbox/client/ui/common/boot_error.pyc'
not found
parent not found
tempdir: '/var/folders/76/x2_n5zx54rn5b21jhz25t3qc0000gn/T'
real_path='/private/var/folders/76/x2_n5zx54rn5b21jhz25t3qc0000gn/T'
mode=0o40700 uid=501 gid=20
parent mode=0o40755 uid=501 gid=20
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 803, in wrapper
File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 6289, in finish_dropbox_boot
File "dropbox/client/message_queue.pyc", line 306, in _wrapped
File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 5816, in _init_components_for_account
File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 5740, in create_sync_engine
File "dropbox/sync_engine_boundary/factory.pyc", line 225, in make_sync_engine
File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/sync_engine.pyc", line 244, in __init__
File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/modern_client/modern_client.pyc", line 322, in __init__
File "dropbox/client/gandalf/legacy.pyc", line 296, in add_on_changed_callback
File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/modern_client/modern_client.pyc", line 473, in _update_feature_configs
File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/modern_client/modern_thin_client.pyc", line 286, in UpdateFeatureConfigForFswRules
File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/thin_client/fp_client.pyc", line 236, in __getattr__
dropbox.sync_engine.nucleus.thin_client.exceptions.NucleusConnectionTimeoutError: Nucleus clients are not running. Connection error: Error Domain=com.dropbox.fileprovider.error Code=5 "(null)" UserInfo={NSUnderlyingError=0x600000700510 {Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=4099 "Error while sending fetchServicesForItemID:allowRestrictedSources:completionHandler:" UserInfo={NSDebugDescription=Error while sending fetchServicesForItemID:allowRestrictedSources:completionHandler:, NSUnderlyingError=0x600000700480 {Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=4099 "The connection from pid 1199 on anonymousListener or serviceListener was invalidated from this process." UserInfo={NSDebugDescription=The connection from pid 1199 on anonymousListener or serviceListener was invalidated from this process.}}}}}

[Jay · Accepted solution]

Thanks for the log, could you try the steps in this thread to resolve the issue on your device?

[FunwickC]

Thanks @Jay  - that did the trick!

[Jay]

No worries, glad to have helped out! If you need any further assistance in the future, please let me know.

Enjoy your week!

[sharsprague]

I have the same machine and the same issue with Dropbox hanging on "Starting..."

I followed the thread and performed the steps and the issue persists. I have also tried a new install of DB including trashing all relevant files via Terminal.

Any other suggestions?

[Jay]

Hi @sharsprague, the information above only works if the user changed the name of their home folder. Have you done the same on your machine?

[sharsprague]

No. I have not changed the name of the home folder.  Can you please provide instructions for doing so? Thanks!

[Megan]

Hey @sharsprague, sorry to jump in here! 

Just to clarify: you mentioned that your app is stuck at "Starting". Is it safe to assume that you don't see any errors like the poster above you mentioned, right? 

Would you be able to clarify the version of the Dropbox app that you have installed on your device?