Dropbox starts full sync on all files when I boot up my laptop.

[Richard K.14]

Just recently within the last couple of weeks when I boot up my laptop, Dropbox starts syncing all of my files (over 12,000) instead of just the ones that have been changed (like on my home or office PC).  This takes hours to process, making it virtually impossible to work on my laptop because I cannot access the most recent files until the sync is complete.

[Jane]

Hey there @Richard K.14, I’d happily help you diagnose the behavior, since what you’re currently experiencing may be expected, depending on your setup!

For starters, it would be worth checking back on the files updated on your account on a specific timeframe Richard. In other words, if there was a significant number of changes, then Dropbox will scan your system & compare the versions, in order to update all your local files to your website view. As you’ve mentioned that the files are only re-syncing when you boot your laptop, can you clarify if the other devices you’ve linked to your account were actively syncing while this one was switched off? 

Please bear in mind that when Dropbox syncs your files it starts with all of the folders & then moves on to files from smallest to largest. Please be patient and the files will sync. In other words it will either say "all files up to date" or tell you how many files are left to sync and how long it expects to take. Please note that this is an "instant" estimate based on the current upload speed. This value can change if you check the value just a few seconds later. If I were in your shoes, I’d adjust my bandwidth locally to sync a bit faster. 

If you suspect that your files aren’t syncing, I’d suggest unlinking & relinking your account on your desktop once, as it recreates the local database. 

Hopefully this points you towards the right direction & please do let me know my advice works for you or in case you need further assistance in any way. Enjoy the rest of your day until we talk again! 

[Richard K.14]

Jane,  thank you for helping with this.  The other devices i have dropbox are both my office andhome PC's which are most used.  My tablet and phone both have dropbox but I rarely use them for dropbox.  When I get on either PC, the dropbox icon will usually pop up in a few minutes and say something like "14 files changed" and the blue checkmark goes away fairly quickly.  Even if I worked on a lot of files during one setting, this process usually only takes a few mintues.  It used to do this on my lap top too, but it was just as quick. 

Now it is literally updating my entire contents.  Since I just started using my laptop on my college's campus (I am a faculty member), I am wondering if it might be our wi-fi security that is causing this?  Do you think the security may be requiring a complete scan everytime I start up?

Thanks again,

Richard

[Jane · Accepted solution]

I appreciate it that you circled back to me Richard (@Richard K.14)  & thanks a lot for your detailed description! At this point, I’d like to have a closer look on your setup through our Official Support channel in order to give you an accurate reply on your inquiry. In order to investigate having all our tools available, I’ve made sure to reach out to you directly via email. 

Whenever you find some time, please check your inbox for my email & I’ll make sure to promptly get back in touch with you asap. Thanks & I’ll be awaiting your next reply!

[Accord]

Dropbox process shows unusal high Disk Usage and Perfomance Monitor shows Dropbox process scanning all my Dropbox files. On every Boot, only during boot. Is there an update on a solution? This might be related to my recent upgrade from windows 7 to 10

[Lusil]

Hey @Accord, thanks for joining us on this discussion. 

When you boot your computer, does the desktop app automatically run by itself?

Also, have you had a look through this article for some suggestions on how to tackle high CPU/RAM usage?