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Re: Syncing is stuck on my Windows 10 computer. Can you help?

Syncing is stuck on my Windows 10 computer. Can you help?

Carl_in_MI
Explorer | Level 4
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I am running dropbox in Win10. I started having issues the last couple days with syncing. The icon would show syncing but the sync was not resolving.

I needed to make some space anyway so I moved about 2 GB of files to trash on the web interface and also deleted them from my local Win10 drive (in retrospect I should have maybe done only one or the other).

I figured I needed to reinitialize my Win10 machine since everything was on the cloud. So I

1) made a copy of my local Dropbox folder

2) Broke the link from my web interface

3) Uninstalled Dropbox

4) Deleted the AppData/Local/Dropbox folder after making a backup copy of that

5) Downloaded new version of Dropbox and installed, trying to skip backup of documents, desktop (and more).

6) Dropbox has been running now for hours and no online files are displaying and the one file that I transferred to my local folder is also not uploading. Dropbox reports 'Syncing' but there is almost no Dropbox network activity in the windows task manager (0.1 Mbps every minute or so).

7) When I try to access settings to check my settings to make sure it is not trying to sync my documents, desktop, etc., I can't access those settings. I don't see the 'import' tab mentioned elsewhere in the forums. I have a 'backup' button, and the dialog reports 'This PC: Automatically back up your Desktop, Documents, and more' but there is no checkbox to turn it off. But I don't see changes online or where to find if it trying to backup these items. But it has been running a long time and I don't see any progress.

 

I appreciate suggestions to reinitialize my local computer! I am baffled that the reinstall did not fix it and breaking and restoring the link. I have been nervous to make changes on my other two devices.

 

Additonal info: after looking at https://help.dropbox.com/installs-integrations/sync-uploads/files-update-issues, I find nothing in my Symantec quarantine. My hard drive has about 250GB free. The subfolders under .dropbox.cache are empty.

 

I am on a managed computer, so I am unable to turn off the firewall, but Dropbox is enabled through the firewall when I look at the entries.

 

I turned off my Symantec Endpoint protection, but that did not help.

 

When I sign out and relink, selecting Advanced, and then Selective sync. Dropbox cannot get a list of folders and after a short delay reports 'Unable to connect'.

34 Replies 34

Carl_in_MI
Explorer | Level 4
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Yes, I am suspecting a firewall issue. I am on my home Comcast connection. My firewall setting should be letting Dropbox through in principle.

image.png

All ports are permitted for Dropbox.exe and DroboxUpdate.exe inbound connections.

image.png

I do see that a mulitcast IP is being blocked when I view the Windows Defender log for dropped packets. I plan to go to a different location with this computer to see if that is the issue. I do have a different computer (same operating system, also Win10) on the same network however that has had no issues with Dropbox and it is continuing to sync.

 

There are no outbound rule relating to Dropbox specifically.

Ogo
Explorer | Level 3
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Greetings! Have same problem: syncing is stuck on my laptop, another devices works fine

Ogo
Explorer | Level 3
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anyone can help???

Nalin307
Explorer | Level 4
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Hi,

 

Dropbox was working fines for many years on my laptop.

Few days back it stopped synchronizing but Dropbox continuously ran.

Recent tab showed that it got stuck at one particular file. I have been updating this file continuously and it got synchronized well up to this particular incident.

I tried many things by stopping and starting Dropbox, restarting computer etc. but nothing helped.

Then I unlinked the Dropbox folder and when Dropbox asked for the folder I gave same old folder. Still no luck for more than a day.

After this issue came up, every time “Selective Sync” popup showed the Dropbox folder. But it could not display the inside folder list and after some time it always said “Unable to connect”.

Also I tried moving Dropbox folder when trying to fix this issue. Then the “Moving Folder” popup came up and got stuck. I had to close Dropbox using Task manager.

 

Then I reinstalled Dropbox and pointed to the same old folder again. No luck.

Then I stopped Dropbox, renamed the folder. When restarted Dropbox and when it asked for the folder location, pointed to a fresh location expecting Dropbox to download everything again from dropbox.com folder to this new folder. Still Dropbox says Syncing.. but nothing happens; the local folder is still empty.

I have not changed any Windows setting or not installed any new software during this period.
After installing Dropbox I have enabled the “Modify” and “Write” Windows folder permission for [my laptop]/users for Dropbox folder.

An advice on this is highly appreciated.

 

Regards,

 

Nalin.

 

MarcosHG
Helpful | Level 5
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I have the same problem since several months ago, and I got any help for now. Seems like Dropbox team only help users with payment accounts...

Carl_in_MI
Explorer | Level 4
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I moved to my office so that I am now on a Domain network. My machine is still not synching.

 

Looking elsewhere in forums I see the information about clearing cache located here:

https://help.dropbox.com/installs-integrations/desktop/cache-folder

When I enter the path in file explorer

%HOMEPATH%\Dropbox\.dropbox.cache

I get

Windows cannot access \\Dropbox\.dropbox.cache

When I echo the variable %HOMEPATH% from a command line, the system returns "\".
Should not the enviroment variable value be "C:\Users\<username>"?

As a side note, my .dropbox.cache folder has four files dated when I tried to log into dropbox: icons, new_files, old_files, tmp_dirs. All folders are empty.

When I try to add this environment variable to my account, it shows up but does not work for me. When I try to echo I still just get "\" instead of "C:\Users\<username>". I will get help from the system admin.

 

Can you tell me what environment variables that Dropbox needs? I think perhaps they are not being set properly, especially if the %HOMEPATH% is an expected variable.

Nalin307
Explorer | Level 4
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I have reinstalled Dropbox with pointing Dropbox folder to E drive (earlier it was in D drive). Still no luck.

 

Nalin.

Casper777
Collaborator | Level 10
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Hi 

 

I assume you both use the latest Dropbox version?

 

If so, I would try this: https://help.dropbox.com/installs-integrations/desktop/advanced-reinstall but PLEASE make sure that you do have a copy of your local files on an external drive for "in case". Better be safe than sorry. 

 

Regards

 

Casper

Nalin307
Explorer | Level 4
Go to solution

Hi Casper,

 

I did all as instructed.

There ware no hidden Dropbox folders for

%LOCALAPPDATA%
%APPDATA%
%PROGRAMFILES%
%PROGRAMFILES(x86)%

 

Untitled a1.pngUntitled a2.pngUntitled a3.pngUntitled a4.png

 

Dropbox installed using downloaded "Dropbox 102.4.431 Offline Installer.exe".

Set the Dropbox folder to "D:\Dropbox".

Added a file for checking whether it is detecting local changes. Doesn't seem to be so. Not downloading too.

Dropbox still says "Syncing..."

 

Untitled a5.png

 

Thank you for looking into this.

Could there be any other possible causes?

Appriciate your help.

 

Nalin.

MarcosHG
Helpful | Level 5
Go to solution

Hello Casper;

 

Thanks for your reply. In my case, I already had performed an advanced reinstall, deleting all the residual Dropbox folders and files. Even I performed a Windows registry cleaning after uninstalling Dropbox.

But after a clean reinstallation, the program continues syncing permanently, but it doesn't sync anything.

 

I hope there will be any solution.

 

Kind regards

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