dropbox system extension not showing up

[Michael S.100]

Hi there,

I just installed dropbox on a brand new MacBook. I'd like to activate SmartSync. The setupwizard ist opening my system-preferences/security/ and wants me to accept the system extension.

BUT: There is no system extension which I can accept. It's simply not showing up in my preferences 😞

Any Ideas what I can to to install the extension?

Thanks

Michael 

[Ross_S]

Hi,

 If you click Privacy on the far right > select Accessibility > tick Dropbox.

Hope this helps you.

[Michael S.100]

Hi Ross, 

the accessibility-options does not affect the missing system extension... I have activated the accessibility option...

Thanks

Michael

[Anastasios]

If you are a Dropbox professional user and have  Mac OSX 10.9 and above then you can use smart sync by doing the following 

Smart Sync requires enabling a driver, known as a kernel extension on Mac, in order to integrate with your operating system’s filesystem.

1. Open the Dropbox folder on your computer.
   1. Click the Dropbox icon from the menu bar.
   2. Click the folder icon.
   3. Choose Open folder.
2. Locate the content that you want to make online-only.
3. Control-click or right-click the file or folder.
4. Choose Smart sync.
5. Choose Online-only.

[Michael S.100]

Hmm, maybe I did not express my problem understandable.

I know how smartsync works, but when I try to activate smartsync, I am prompted to activate the kernel-extension in the macos system settings. But I cannot activate the kernel-extension, because it's not shown in the settings as it should be according the dropbox-guide...

[Anastasios]

I apologise I did not understand you , its not your fault 

Have you tried the following ?

Maybe you unintentionally blocked the kernel extension installation process ?

If that is the case you can easily allow Dropbox access:

1. Click the dropbox icon in the system tray or menu bar.
2. Click the gear icon.
3. Click Preferences.
4. Click Enable Smart Sync.
5. If needed, click the lock icon and sign in to your computer.
6. Click Privacy.
7. Under Allow the apps below to control your computer, check the box beside the Dropbox icon.

[Michael S.100 · Accepted solution]

Thanks for your suggestions. It seems that the dropbox-version provided by homebrew/cask is some kind of developement build with a broken kernel extensions...

So I solved the problem with complete removing my dropbox installation and re-install it using the "official" client downloaded via dropbox.com

😕

Michael

[jcourtneycozero]

The problem is that whether or not you follow below we never see anything in Security & Privacy » General screen of System Preferences and Dropbox continues to tell us we need to turn it on.

What does this have to do with homebrew?!

[jcourtneycozero]

We are having the same issue.

This is an unresolved defect.

[Rich]

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@jcourtneycozero wrote:

What does this have to do with homebrew?!

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The version of Dropbox that @Michael S.100 was using came from Homebrew-Cask, and was not an official Dropbox installer. When Michael used the officiall installer, downloaded from the Dropbox website, the problem was solved. This means that the issue he had likely isn't with Dropbox, but with the unofficial version/installer that he originally used.