"Dropbox needs to change permissions" message on startup

[Rachel R.2]

Lately, every time I start my Mac (OS 10.14.6) I get a message that reads (in full): 

"Dropbox needs to change permissions for the Folder: /Users/[name]/Dropbox

Enter your password to allow this"

(I would attach a screenshot here but I can't figure out how.)

I enter the password and all is well, but it happens Every. Single. Time. I start my computer. After checking here for ideas, I checked for symlinks (there are none) and reinstalled Dropbox (so I am now running the latest version), but that has not helped at all. What now?

[mcarter]

Thanks again for all your help.

You haven't posted results of both commands, but only the second command's result! Actual state (file's basic attributes) could be seen from the first command's result. So can you post the result of:

ls -ld "/Users/drmarkcart/Dropbox/My Mac (Mark-Carters-Macbook-Retina-3.local)/Desktop/Incompatible Software/qmasterd"

Result is:

-r-xr-xr-x  1 drmarkcart  staff  294992 29 Oct  2008 /Users/drmarkcart/Dropbox/My Mac (Mark-Carters-Macbook-Retina-3.local)/Desktop/Incompatible Software/qmasterd

Could be useful to be known also the containing folder' attributes, i.e. result of:

ls -ld "/Users/drmarkcart/Dropbox/My Mac (Mark-Carters-Macbook-Retina-3.local)/Desktop/Incompatible Software"

Result is:

drwxrwxr-x@ 3 drmarkcart  staff  96 26 Mar  2019 /Users/drmarkcart/Dropbox/My Mac (Mark-Carters-Macbook-Retina-3.local)/Desktop/Incompatible Software

...

I have tried to delete the qmasterd file that resides in the Incompatible Software folder on my desktop. It can't be deleted via putting it in the trash (file in use error).

Some info could comes up with mentioned commands' results above. If the "file in use error" is getting up, check whether you have opened the file in some way (either with handling program or loaded indirectly somehow).

I don't know what qmasterd does so am not sure what program might be using it. I assume it was relocated in the Incompatible Software folder during a system upgrade at some point?

@mcarter wrote:

I spoke too soon. Fix was only temporary. Back to requiring entry of password twice on each restart.

What you mean "Fix" here? 🧐 Is it the turning off of backup... and everything back when you turned it on, or something else? I can't figure out of your description, is the problem gets back while you have turned off the backup feature or after that (i.e. is everything stable in that time or not). Can you clarify (repeat the "exercise", if needed)?

Sorry if I was not clear. The problem does not occur when I turn the backup off. That is, when backup is turned off, I don't have to type my password twice on startup or restart. Turning it back on means the problem returns. 

I thought removing OneDrive had fixed the problem with backup turned back on but this was not the case. I am still getting two requests for my password on each reboot. 

[Здравко]

---

@mcarter wrote:

...

-r-xr-xr-x  1 drmarkcart  staff  294992 29 Oct  2008 /Users/drmarkcart/Dropbox/My Mac (Mark-Carters-Macbook-Retina-3.local)/Desktop/Incompatible Software/qmasterd

...

drwxrwxr-x@ 3 drmarkcart  staff  96 26 Mar  2019 /Users/drmarkcart/Dropbox/My Mac (Mark-Carters-Macbook-Retina-3.local)/Desktop/Incompatible Software

...

---

Dropbox application asks for your password causa don't have access to "qmasterd" file and tries fix this itself (that's why permissions are needed). The file is accessible for read and execution only (-r-xr-xr-x), but not for write (something the application expects for all files in Dropbox folder).

You mentioned the initial 2 commands (at the very beginning) got process without errors. But there are still some special attributes set to the containing folder ( drwxrwxr-x@ ). 🤔 Can you confirm that both commands pass successfully, without errors? I'm suspicious because seems the immutable flag is still on the folder (the folder is locked), which is something really strange after successful commands completion (their purpose is to clear such flag - to unlocks the folder). See what can be seen in the Finder's Info window for this folder. Try unlock it in some other way. Let see what are those flags exactly. Post the result of following little bit modified command:

ls -ld@ "/Users/drmarkcart/Dropbox/My Mac (Mark-Carters-Macbook-Retina-3.local)/Desktop/Incompatible Software"

Everything else seems normal.

Try also following:

sudo chmod -RN /Users/drmarkcart/Dropbox

---

@mcarter wrote:

...

Sorry if I was not clear. The problem does not occur when I turn the backup off. That is, when backup is turned off, I don't have to type my password twice on startup or restart. Turning it back on means the problem returns. 

...

---

🙂 That's great! Whatever the reason is, it's related to localized subfolder, not to entire Dropbox folder content. 😉

PS: One thing you can try as a workaround, if there is nothing you want to sync in "Incompatible Software" folder, is move this folder outside your Desktop. Put it on some place outside of any sync scope.

[mcarter]

You mentioned the initial 2 commands (at the very beginning) got process without errors. But there are still some special attributes set to the containing folder ( drwxrwxr-x@ ). 🤔 Can you confirm that both commands pass successfully, without errors?

Following is the full sequence of commands and outcomes:

[192-168-1-152:~] drmarkcart% sudo chflags -R noschg "/Users/$USER/Dropbox"
Password:
[192-168-1-152:~] drmarkcart% sudo chflags -R nouchg "/Users/$USER/Dropbox"
[192-168-1-152:~] drmarkcart% sudo chown -R "$USER" "/Users/$USER/Dropbox"
chown: /Users/drmarkcart/Dropbox/My Mac (Mark-Carters-Macbook-Retina-3.local)/Desktop/Incompatible Software/qmasterd: Operation not permitted
[192-168-1-152:~] drmarkcart% chmod -R u+rw "/Users/$USER/Dropbox"
chmod: Unable to change file mode on /Users/drmarkcart/Dropbox/My Mac (Mark-Carters-Macbook-Retina-3.local)/Desktop/Incompatible Software/qmasterd: Operation not permitted

I'm suspicious because seems the immutable flag is still on the folder (the folder is locked), which is something really strange after successful commands completion (their purpose is to clear such flag - to unlocks the folder). See what can be seen in the Finder's Info window for this folder. Try unlock it in some other way. Let see what are those flags exactly. Post the result of following little bit modified command:

ls -ld@ "/Users/drmarkcart/Dropbox/My Mac (Mark-Carters-Macbook-Retina-3.local)/Desktop/Incompatible Software"

Result is:

[192-168-1-152:~] drmarkcart% ls -ld@ "/Users/drmarkcart/Dropbox/My Mac (Mark-Carters-Macbook-Retina-3.local)/Desktop/Incompatible Software"

drwxrwxr-x@ 3 drmarkcart  staff  96 26 Mar  2019 /Users/drmarkcart/Dropbox/My Mac (Mark-Carters-Macbook-Retina-3.local)/Desktop/Incompatible Software

com.apple.macl72 

com.dropbox.attrs26 

Everything else seems normal.

Try also following:

sudo chmod -RN /Users/drmarkcart/Dropbox

Result is:

[192-168-1-152:~] drmarkcart% sudo chmod -RN /Users/drmarkcart/Dropbox

chmod: Failed to clear ACL on file qmasterd: Operation not permitted

[192-168-1-152:~] drmarkcart% 

@mcarter wrote:

PS: One thing you can try as a workaround, if there is nothing you want to sync in "Incompatible Software" folder, is move this folder outside your Desktop. Put it on some place outside of any sync scope.

That worked - I am no longer receiving requests for my password on startup or reboot. Thanks for your persistence. 

I also did a search on problems deleting qmasterd:

https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/341068/how-do-i-delete-qmasterd-in-incompatible-software-f...

It looks like it can only be deleted when the system is not running so I will try deleting it from the recovery drive.

[Здравко]

---

@mcarter wrote:

...

PS: One thing you can try as a workaround, if there is nothing you want to sync in "Incompatible Software" folder, is move this folder outside your Desktop. Put it on some place outside of any sync scope.

That worked - I am no longer receiving requests for my password on startup or reboot. Thanks for your persistence. 

...

---

Hi @mcarter,

Yes, 😉 Now you will not be asked for you password continuously!

---

@mcarter wrote:

...

I also did a search on problems deleting qmasterd:

https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/341068/how-do-i-delete-qmasterd-in-incompatible-software-f...

It looks like it can only be deleted when the system is not running so I will try deleting it from the recovery drive.

---

Seems, the folder isn't SIP protected. We haven't checked this protection for the file. Could be assumed it is. Such a protection is active only on system device/partition/volume. If you can move the folder on other (non system) place. you could do whatever you want (including deletion of containing files). Other way, if you can't move folder out of your system partition, could be turning the SIP protection off temporary. And of course, if you boot up from a recovery drive, the place where 'qmasterd' is in will not be on system place in that time (in the same time system place is different and/or SIP is turn off). Do whatever is most convenient for you. 😉

Good luck.

[mcarter]

Thanks again for your help (and persistence).

[saviomilbratz]

Hello!

I'm having the exactly same issue as Rachel!

I've typed these 4 commands on terminal but still didn't solved the problem. Any other possible solution?

Every single time when mac starts, the same window pops up! 😞

[Здравко]

Hi @saviomilbratz ,

Not to repeat something already said, take a look on here. Can you post the actual error log?

Thanks.

[DaveNuck]

I am using an external drive as my Dropbox drive.

What would the path be?

The drive is called DBEXT

Also:

The error message I get says .... /.dropbox

There  is a period before dropbox

[Walter]

This could be referring to your cache folder then @DaveNuck.

In any case, could you post the whole error log so that we can have a further look?

[ontilt]

Glad that this is a fix.  

Does anyone know WHY it requires a permission change?  This certainly shouldn't be a recurring issue.