Dropbox sync stalling on Big Sur

[dacX]

Dropbox has always worked well for me -- until I updated my (very new) iMac to macOS "Big Sur" (11.1) about a month ago.

The issue in a nutshell is that Dropbox will upload changed files for a little bit after starting, then stall entirely, or slow to a creep.  It's a little tricky to characterize, because it's not consistent.  A few times I quit Dropbix and restarted it and (judging from the "Recent" activity listing in the menubar dropdown) a few files would quickly upload, but then would stall and nothing else would upload, or a few items at random.  The little wheel at the bottom of that dropdpwn is turning and says "Syncing XXX files", but nothing seems to happen, and the number of files just keeps going up ... and down ... and up ... it's very difficult to tell what's actually happening or what Dropbx is doing because there doesn't appear to be a sync log I can access.  I've tried quitting and deleting the Dropbox app and re-installing.  A couple of times when I've done that there would be a burst of upload activity, but then it would stall again, but I can't even get that to happen consistently.  Of course Iv'e tried the usual things like restarting and so forth.

Another reason it's difficult to in down is that the behavior is so erratic.  In one instance a file I put in a particualr Dropbox folder uploaded right away.  But in that same folder are things I added WEEKS ago now that have yet to sync.   If there's a pattern or characteristic common to things that are not uploading, or when or why Dropbox stalls, or how to kick-start those bursts of uploadeds, I can't identify it.  (No clues in "View sync issues".  Just a few Outlook emoji that won't upload because they have an emoji in the file name.)

I'm feeling stytmied.   Suggestions as to things to try welcome, or tools to help figure out what Dropbox is doing or trying to do to help narrow down the issue.  (I have  about 1.6 TB worth of stuff in Dropbox, though, so solutions that involve re-uploading everything from scratch will not be particularly welcome.)

I've Googled around and not been able to identify others with similar issues. 

Thanks.

[tomsamuels]

I had Dropbox uninstalled on my computer. I wasn’t using it since this issue came up, so I uninstalled it for a while. After unlinking and linking, I saw the same message about it syncing a certain number of files, and it didn’t move beyond that number.

[Walter]

Sorry to be jumping in here, but is it still stuck at the same number of files @tomsamuels?

What's the app reporting in your menu bar?

[tomsamuels]

It’s stuck at “Syncing 29,149 files.”

[Walter]

Thanks for the update, Tom. 

Could you try fixing your hardlinks and permissions as outlined here and let us know if syncing gets stuck again?

[tomsamuels]

I just went through those steps, fixing Hardlinks, then fixing Permissions. It still says “Syncing 29,109 files.” That number changes slightly sometimes when I open and close Dropbox, but it doesn’t get past the number it starts at.

[Walter]

In that case, may I reach out via email to have a better look into this internally, Tom?

[tomsamuels]

Yes.

[Walter]

Thanks, Tom. You've got  

Cheers!

[LFW]

I'm running Big Sur 11.2.2. on a two-year-old iMac. For the last three weeks, Dropbox has stopped syncing. In the last two weeks, if I click on the app in my applications folder it will not open. Then, suddenly, I'll see the app icon appear, grayed out, in my menu bar, then it disappears. What happens next is the "Do you want to import screenshots" dialog box will appear then disappear repeatedly until I shut down the computer.

I contacted Chat Help. They moved me to Email Help. I reported and tried what you see listed below, and have not heard anything in three days. I'm hoping someone in this forum can help. 

• Reinstalled the app three times
• Deleted and added the app to Users and Groups 

• I have no anti-virus software and never have.
• My internet connection is the highest available.
• I have always used use Selective Sync, so only a small number of files sync.

[suzyhearts]

Thank you so much for sharing this! It's been making me BONKERS! Finally fixed. 👏