Desktop app on Windows keeps asking to make changes to the hard drive

[Donya O.]

Drop box running smoothly for the last few months.  This last week numerous issues.  1st the icon app in the tray stopped working. If I click on it I get the standard Windows 10 messages which basically says do you want this app to make changes on your hard drive"?  I say yes and nothing.  Still no app.  The small icon that gives you the symbols when syncing/synced, etc.  has no symbol just  the icon in white.  When I right click it's empty except the message "could not load content". .

I've tried uninstalling and reinstalling.  Yesterday I did that and my desktop became really slow and sluggish.  Then today I noticed the drop box verision was different, however, only about 1/2 my files are on the desktop.  Ugh, really don't want to do another install/reinstall.  Seems to really mess things up.

[Jay]

Hi @Donya O., thanks for joining the Community!

I sounds like the Dropbox desktop application is trying to update, and needs these permissions to do so, but it’s possible that another app or service is preventing the update.

Are you running any apps that could interact with the Dropbox folder in some way, that could affect the app?

Keep me posted!

[Donya O.]

Not that I am aware of.  Should I re-install?  Or is there a setting I could adjust?

[Jay]

If you’re not on a Dropbox Basic plan with more than 3 devices connected, I’d recommend trying an advanced reinstall of the app using these steps.

Let me know how it goes!

[Donya O.]

Thank Jay.  I'm on the Professional plan.  Will give the advanced reinstall a try.

Funny thing is dropbox is working great on my other devices.  However, my main computer is the one having issues.

[Jay]

No worries, keep me posted with any updates!

[Donya O.]

Update, I like many other dropbox users I've seen commenting with similar issues; resolved the problem by disconnecting from the app.  Unfortunate because, unlike many others, I actually liked the app while it was working.  After disconnecting drop box is back to it's ole self again and my PC is no longer sluggish.  Sad to say.  I hope drop box can get the app to where it's functioning as it should.

[Jay]

There are a few reasons as to why the app could be running slow, such as invalid permissions, having more than 300,000 files on your account, and others.

This article about high CPU usage should give some info if you’re interested in looking into this in future if you decide to link the app to your account again.

[Steven WSJ]

That is rot. One Drive has no app issues, but I have had to uninstall Dropbox.

So irritating to have the same message pop up every 10 minutes or so.