Help! "Couldn't start Dropbox" error (Mac & Big Sur)

[prc87]

Dropbox won't start on my MacBook Air (13" 2018), with Big Sur 11.3.1.

Have uninstalled dropbox and reinstalled. Same error

Uninstalled again, advanced re-install. Same error

AFAIK, vanilla install, with dropbox folder in default location.

Used to work, but stopped when rebooted laptop after 11.3.1 upgrade

Help!

Error messages:

"Couldn't start dropbox"

"This is usually because of a permissions error. Storing your home folder on a network share can also cause this error."

Contents of error file:

"

bn.BUILD_KEY: Dropbox

bn.VERSION: 122.4.4867

bn.constants.WINDOWS_SHELL_EXT_VERSION: 48

bn.is_frozen: True

machine_id: 664c1217-e060-5667-8990-51d38e73896b

pid: 815

ppid: 1

uid: 502

user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='petercrow', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=502, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='Peter Crow', pw_dir='/Users/petercrow', pw_shell='/bin/bash')

effective_user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='petercrow', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=502, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='Peter Crow', pw_dir='/Users/petercrow', pw_shell='/bin/bash')

euid: 502

gid: 20

egid: 20

group_info: grp.struct_group(gr_name='staff', gr_passwd='*', gr_gid=20, gr_mem=['root', '_xcsbuildagent', '_serialnumberd', '_xcscredserver'])

effective_group_info: grp.struct_group(gr_name='staff', gr_passwd='*', gr_gid=20, gr_mem=['root', '_xcsbuildagent', '_serialnumberd', '_xcscredserver'])

DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH: None

cwd: '/'

     real_path='/'

            mode=0o40755 uid=0 gid=0

     parent mode=0o40755 uid=0 gid=0

HOME: '/Users/petercrow'

appdata: '/Users/petercrow/.dropbox/instance1'

         real_path='/Users/petercrow/.dropbox/instance1'

                mode=0o40700 uid=502 gid=20

         parent mode=0o40755 uid=502 gid=20

dropbox_path: '/Users/petercrow/Dropbox'

              real_path='/Users/petercrow/Dropbox'

                    not found

              parent mode=0o40777 uid=502 gid=20

sys_executable: '/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/MacOS/Dropbox'

                real_path='/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/MacOS/Dropbox'

                      mode=0o100755 uid=502 gid=20

                parent mode=0o40755 uid=502 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/y5/nky42css7sbgmkskdqtx09q80000gp/T'

         real_path='/private/var/folders/y5/nky42css7sbgmkskdqtx09q80000gp/T'

                mode=0o40700 uid=502 gid=20

         parent mode=0o40755 uid=502 gid=20

Traceback (most recent call last):

  File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 807, in wrapper

  File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 6277, in finish_dropbox_boot

  File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 6497, in on_fresh_link

  File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 6534, in create_dropbox_folder

  File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 1236, in safe_makedirs

  File "os.pyc", line 223, in makedirs

PermissionError: [Errno 1] Operation not permitted: '/Users/petercrow/Dropbox'

"

[Walter]

Hey @tim_kelley, thanks for the nudge and sorry to hear you're having issues with this.

Could you try disabling any antivirus you may have running and try an advanced re-install?

[tim_kelley]

I gave up and reinstalled my Dropbox files from the cloud. So that was

mv Dropbox XDropbox

and then reinstall Dropbox and let it move all my files bact to $home/Dropbox.

This was several GB of stuff and it took over a day. It seems to be cleaning up now and the files are back where they were supposed to be.

[victoriabaum]

Need help !! New MacBook with Big Sur. Only get error messages. Not on phone or older computer. Any assistance greatly appreciated. Have 2T pro

[Megan]

Hey @victoriabaum, happy Monday!

In order for us to further investigate, we'll need to get and analyze the full error log that corresponds to the error message pop-up you're getting.

Can you send it my way, please? 

Thanks a lot!

[victoriabaum]

Yes, Thank you!

bn.BUILD_KEY: Dropbox
bn.VERSION: 125.4.3474
bn.constants.WINDOWS_SHELL_EXT_VERSION: 48
bn.is_frozen: True
machine_id: 2c3c648f-c737-5a9a-abee-fc58ad5e4850
pid: 765
ppid: 1
uid: 501
user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='victoriabaum', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=501, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='Victoria Baum', pw_dir='/Users/victoriabaum', pw_shell='/bin/bash')
effective_user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='victoriabaum', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=501, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='Victoria Baum', pw_dir='/Users/victoriabaum', pw_shell='/bin/bash')
euid: 501
gid: 20
egid: 20
group_info: grp.struct_group(gr_name='staff', gr_passwd='*', gr_gid=20, gr_mem=['root'])
effective_group_info: grp.struct_group(gr_name='staff', gr_passwd='*', gr_gid=20, gr_mem=['root'])
DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH: None
cwd: '/'
real_path='/'
mode=0o40755 uid=0 gid=0
parent mode=0o40755 uid=0 gid=0
HOME: '/Users/victoriabaum'
appdata: '/Users/victoriabaum/.dropbox/instance1'
real_path='/Users/victoriabaum/.dropbox/instance1'
mode=0o40700 uid=501 gid=20
parent mode=0o40700 uid=501 gid=20
dropbox_path: '/Users/victoriabaum/Dropbox'
real_path='/Users/victoriabaum/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/hf/cvc87mbj0pb6sz93j3x81ksc0000gn/T'
real_path='/private/var/folders/hf/cvc87mbj0pb6sz93j3x81ksc0000gn/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 819, in wrapper
File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 6472, in finish_dropbox_boot
File "dropbox/client/message_queue.pyc", line 307, in _wrapped
File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 6005, in _init_components_for_account
File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 5932, 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 275, in __init__
File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/modern_client/modern_client.pyc", line 219, in __init__
File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/modern_client/base.pyc", line 149, in __init__
File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/thin_adapter/in_proc.pyc", line 223, in __init__
File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/thin_adapter/in_proc.pyc", line 597, in _init_new_engine_locked
File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/thin_client/client.pyc", line 182, in __init__
File "extensions/nucleus/nucleus_python.pyx", line 76, in nucleus_python.NucleusSyncEngine.__cinit__
nucleus_python.SyncEngineError: "Initializing engine |>> Initializing filesystem |>> Attempting to register icons |>> Opening dst |>> open syscall |>> Permission denied"

[Megan]

Thank you so much @victoriabaum.

To resolve this issue, can you try out these steps? 

I'd love to know the outcome of this.

[GBZarri]

Same problem here. New iMac, BigSur 11.6, transfer all old data through TimeMachine backup and now Dropbox can't start with this error .

No way. I tried everything I found here and other sites

This is the log:

bn.BUILD_KEY: Dropbox

bn.VERSION: 131.4.3968

bn.constants.WINDOWS_SHELL_EXT_VERSION: 48

bn.is_frozen: True

machine_id: b20ea8c7-c383-55eb-8cf3-c7d6579cd340

pid: 926

ppid: 1

uid: 502

user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='gabriella', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=502, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='Gabriella Zarri', pw_dir='/Users/gabriella', pw_shell='/bin/bash')

effective_user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='gabriella', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=502, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='Gabriella Zarri', pw_dir='/Users/gabriella', pw_shell='/bin/bash')

euid: 502

gid: 20

egid: 20

group_info: grp.struct_group(gr_name='staff', gr_passwd='*', gr_gid=20, gr_mem=['root', 'apple', 'gabriella', '_nsurlstoraged'])

effective_group_info: grp.struct_group(gr_name='staff', gr_passwd='*', gr_gid=20, gr_mem=['root', 'apple', 'gabriella', '_nsurlstoraged'])

DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH: None

cwd: '/'

     real_path='/'

            mode=0o40755 uid=0 gid=0

     parent mode=0o40755 uid=0 gid=0

HOME: '/Users/gabriella'

appdata: '/Users/gabriella/.dropbox/instance2'

         real_path='/Users/gabriella/.dropbox/instance2'

                mode=0o40700 uid=502 gid=20

         parent mode=0o40755 uid=502 gid=20

dropbox_path: '/Users/gabriella/Dropbox'

              real_path='/Users/gabriella/Dropbox'

                    mode=0o40700 uid=502 gid=20

              parent mode=0o40755 uid=502 gid=20

sys_executable: '/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/MacOS/Dropbox'

                real_path='/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/MacOS/Dropbox'

                      mode=0o100755 uid=502 gid=20

                parent mode=0o40755 uid=502 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/t_/r2wqz10j2wg8y65w976xcg2r0000gp/T'

         real_path='/private/var/folders/t_/r2wqz10j2wg8y65w976xcg2r0000gp/T'

                mode=0o40700 uid=502 gid=20

         parent mode=0o40755 uid=502 gid=20

Traceback (most recent call last):

  File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 808, in wrapper

  File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 6525, in finish_dropbox_boot

  File "dropbox/client/message_queue.pyc", line 307, in _wrapped

  File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 6052, in _init_components_for_account

  File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 5976, in create_sync_engine

  File "dropbox/sync_engine_boundary/factory.pyc", line 226, in make_sync_engine

  File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/sync_engine.pyc", line 280, in __init__

  File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/modern_client/modern_client.pyc", line 219, in __init__

  File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/modern_client/base.pyc", line 152, in __init__

  File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/thin_adapter/in_proc.pyc", line 217, in __init__

  File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/thin_adapter/in_proc.pyc", line 587, in _init_new_engine_locked

  File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/thin_client/client.pyc", line 182, in __init__

  File "desktop/extensions/nucleus/nucleus_python.pyx", line 76, in nucleus_python.NucleusSyncEngine.__cinit__

nucleus_python.SyncEngineError: "Initializing engine |>> Initializing filesystem |>> Attempting to register icons |>> Opening dst |>> open syscall |>> Permission denied"

Out there, Dropbox genius, do you have solutions ? 

[Walter]

Hey @GBZarri, thanks for joining the discussion here. 

Could you clarify if you've tried an advanced reinstall yet?

[Vaughana]

Had same problem after installing Big Sur, if you look on hard drive there is a shared folder with a load of junk folders created by the install, deleting these and restarting dropbox forces it to unlink, you then login to dropbox again and synchronise from the cloud again.

[Andy C.19]

Hi,

To be super clear, when you say "delete DB folders from local storage, and empty bin" do you mean deleting all of your existing dropbox folders on your computer? While I can't open the app, the folders are still available to me there. Thanks!