Couldn't start dropbox win10 (ImportError: DLL load failed)

[mxia]

Hi, after the installation, I got the error message of couldn't start dropbox. The error text is attached below. Any help is appreciated. Thanks! 

bn.BUILD_KEY: Dropbox
bn.VERSION: 79.4.143
bn.DROPBOXEXT_VERSION: 27.0
bn.is_frozen: True
machine_id: f09bc4e6-4abf-449f-9797-16e4fe6d5e6a
pid: 20720
cwd: 'C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Dropbox\\Update\\1.3.189.1'
real_path='C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Dropbox\\Update\\1.3.189.1'
mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0
parent mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0
HOME: None
appdata: 'C:\\Users\\mingr\\AppData\\Local\\Dropbox\\instance1'
real_path='C:\\Users\\mingr\\AppData\\Local\\Dropbox\\instance1'
mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0
parent mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0
dropbox_path: 'C:\\Users\\mingr\\Dropbox'
real_path='C:\\Users\\mingr\\Dropbox'
not found
parent mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0
sys_executable: 'C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Dropbox\\Client\\Dropbox.exe'
real_path='C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Dropbox\\Client\\Dropbox.exe'
mode=0o100777 uid=0 gid=0
parent mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0
trace.__file__: 'C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Dropbox\\Client\\79.4.143\\python-packages-37.zip\\dropbox\\client\\ui\\common\\boot_error.pyc'
real_path='C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Dropbox\\Client\\79.4.143\\python-packages-37.zip\\dropbox\\client\\ui\\common\\boot_error.pyc'
not found
parent not found
TMP: C:\Users\mingr\AppData\Local\Temp
TEMP: C:\Users\mingr\AppData\Local\Temp
tempdir: 'C:\\Users\\mingr\\AppData\\Local\\Temp'
real_path='C:\\Users\\mingr\\AppData\\Local\\Temp'
mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0
parent mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "dropbox\client\main.pyc", line 7211, in main_startup
File "dropbox\client\main.pyc", line 3290, in run
File "ui\common\uikit.pyc", line 856, in create_ui_kit
File "dropbox\client\ui\qt\uikit.pyc", line 105, in <module>
File "dropbox\client\ui\qt\tray_popup\tray_controller.pyc", line 93, in <module>
File "dropbox\client\ui\qt\tray_popup\tray_popup.pyc", line 147, in <module>
File "dropbox\client\ui\server_views\v2\qt\__init__.pyc", line 99, in <module>
File "dropbox\client\ui\server_views\v2\qt\embeddable.pyc", line 36, in <module>
File "dropbox\client\ui\server_views\v2\qt\web_engine.pyc", line 31, in <module>
File "<_bootstrap_overrides>", line 153, in load_module
ImportError: DLL load failed: A dynamic link library (DLL) initialization routine failed.

[Daphne]

Hi there @mxia, I'm sorry to hear you're having trouble with this!

From the error message that you're getting there, I'd suggest to try reinstalling the desktop app, while making sure to run the installation as an admin on the computer.

You can try this with the steps outlined here.

Let me know how it goes!

[mxia]

Hi @Daphne , thanks for your quick reply. I've tried reinstalling dropbox as your instruction. However, the installer (v88.4.172) failed with the error message: "the installer encountered error 2".

v79.4.143 can be installed but will encounter the previous error. 

[Daphne]

Thanks for getting back to me here @mxia!

With the new error message, the best thing to do would be a clean advanced reinstall of the desktop app. 

This will remove any trace of the desktop app and should resolve the "error 2" and hopefully the first error too.

Keep me posted with the results!

[mxia]

Hi, after resetting my win 10, the installer worked. 

Thanks for your kind help.

[Daphne]

I'm really glad to hear that @mxia!

Thanks for sharing what worked for you with us here too on the Community, I'm sure this will be helpful for others who are having the same issue in the future.

If you need anything else, feel free to give me a nudge here. I'd be happy to help.

Have a great start to the week!