Dropbox not working on mac

[Peruru]

Hello lovely people,

Dropbox stopped syncing last about last week and never connected since. I tried opening the app but it keeps giving me this permission error. I tried doing what the help page says but when i go to my terminal and input the first line of code terminal tells me file cannot be found. It is in the default location and i am lost. 

After that i tried to uninstall and install again but the exact same permission error appears.. I also tried the advanced installation but again, exact same error.

Btw, how do i attach an image? 

[Lusil]

Hey @Peruru, I'd be more than happy to have a look into this with you. 

I'll just need a copy of the error log so as to have a better understanding of the issue at hand. 

If you'd like to send me a screenshot of it, you can attach an image by clicking on one of these options:

Keep me posted, thanks!

[Peruru]

Hello @Lusil,

For some reason i do not have the Photos and Video option.. After the Insert/edit link is Numbered list icon.. I'm using a 2013 Macbook Pro OS High Sierra.

[Lusil]

Thanks for getting back to me, @Peruru. 

If you're having trouble copy-pasting the error log, could you send me the screenshot via a shared link? 

[Peruru]

@Lusil This is the permission error i keep getting after it fails to start. 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/12wV8LidupkROGsHlLIxLFzopJm8dj70x/view?usp=sharing 

I followed instructions in the section "Permission errors" and "access denied" error via this link:

https://help.dropbox.com/installs-integrations/sync-uploads/stuck-syncing 

Upon the first line entered into Terminal:

sudo chflags -R nouchg ~/Dropbox ~/.dropbox ~/.dropbox-master 

 It mentions no such file of directory. But my dropbox is in the default location.

I tried uninstalling and using the advanced download to no avail. Same perission error persists.

[Lusil]

Thanks for the screenshot! 

Could you click on the hyperlink that appears on the error message and copy-paste in your next reply the error log that comes up?

[Peruru]

bn.BUILD_KEY: Dropbox

bn.VERSION: 100.4.409

bn.constants.WINDOWS_SHELL_EXT_VERSION: 40

bn.is_frozen: True

machine_id: 43849dc8-9e3a-55c8-acfd-9089dcdcc0c7

pid: 834

ppid: 1

uid: 501

user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='xCatT', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=501, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='Pearlynn Tan', pw_dir='/Users/xCatT', pw_shell='/bin/bash')

effective_user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='xCatT', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=501, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='Pearlynn Tan', pw_dir='/Users/xCatT', pw_shell='/bin/bash')

euid: 501

gid: 20

egid: 20

group_info: grp.struct_group(gr_name='staff', gr_passwd='*', gr_gid=20, gr_mem=['root'])

effective_group_info: grp.struct_group(gr_name='staff', gr_passwd='*', gr_gid=20, gr_mem=['root'])

DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH: None

cwd: '/'

     real_path='/'

            mode=0o40755 uid=0 gid=0

     parent mode=0o40755 uid=0 gid=0

HOME: '/Users/xCatT'

appdata: '/Users/xCatT/.dropbox/instance1'

         real_path='/Users/xCatT/.dropbox/instance1'

                mode=0o40700 uid=501 gid=20

         parent mode=0o40755 uid=501 gid=20

dropbox_path: '/Users/xCatT/Dropbox'

              real_path='/Users/xCatT/Dropbox'

                    mode=0o40700 uid=501 gid=20

              parent mode=0o40755 uid=501 gid=20

sys_executable: '/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/MacOS/Dropbox'

                real_path='/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/MacOS/Dropbox'

                      mode=0o100755 uid=501 gid=20

                parent mode=0o40755 uid=501 gid=20

trace.__file__: '/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/Resources/python-packages.zip/dropbox/client/ui/common/boot_error.pyc'

                real_path='/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/Resources/python-packages.zip/dropbox/client/ui/common/boot_error.pyc'

                      not found

                parent not found

tempdir: '/var/folders/z4/f0ps9dfj04z2l114417x0dlw0000gn/T'

         real_path='/private/var/folders/z4/f0ps9dfj04z2l114417x0dlw0000gn/T'

                mode=0o40700 uid=501 gid=20

         parent mode=0o40755 uid=501 gid=20

Traceback (most recent call last):

  File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 799, in wrapper

  File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 6653, in finish_dropbox_boot

  File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 6092, in _init_components_for_account

  File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 6043, in create_sync_engine

  File "dropbox/sync_engine_boundary/factory.pyc", line 280, in make_sync_engine

  File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/sync_engine.pyc", line 375, in __init__

  File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/thin_adapter/in_proc.pyc", line 252, in __init__

  File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/thin_adapter/in_proc.pyc", line 606, in _init_new_engine_locked

  File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/thin_client/client.pyc", line 146, in __init__

  File "extensions/nucleus/nucleus_python.pyx", line 84, in nucleus_python.NucleusSyncEngine.__cinit__

nucleus_python.SyncEngineError: Initializing engine |>> Initializing filesystem |>> Attempting to register icons |>> Reading existing xattr |>> fgetxattr syscall: fill buffer |>> I/O error

[Lusil]

It seems like it's reporting an Operational disk I/O error, which generally means that it can't read from your hard drive and that there's an underlying hardware issue.

Although you can try a simple reinstall of the desktop app to see if that does the trick, I'd highly recommend that you have your hard drive backed up and checked by a professional. 

You can learn how to check your hard disk for errors, here. 

Let me know how it goes or if you have any other questions - thanks!

PS. If you're on a Basic (free) account, note that there's a three device limit and you'll have to make sure that you've got less than three devices connected to proceed.

[Peruru]

Hello @Lusil 

So i have contacted apple support and they mentioned that it may be because i was still using the old OS - High sierra, i have updated it to the latest macOS - Catalina.

I removed dropbox before i did the OS update and have just reintsalled dropbox from here https://www.dropbox.com/desktop.

After installing it, i ran the programme and it tried to start up for some time (about 5 mins) and an error message appeared.

When i clicked on the link it shows this in text edit (note):

bn.BUILD_KEY: Dropbox

bn.VERSION: 103.4.383

bn.constants.WINDOWS_SHELL_EXT_VERSION: 44

bn.is_frozen: True

machine_id: 43849dc8-9e3a-55c8-acfd-9089dcdcc0c7

pid: 3567

ppid: 1

uid: 501

user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='xCatT', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=501, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='Pearlynn Tan', pw_dir='/Users/xCatT', pw_shell='/bin/bash')

effective_user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='xCatT', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=501, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='Pearlynn Tan', pw_dir='/Users/xCatT', pw_shell='/bin/bash')

euid: 501

gid: 20

egid: 20

group_info: grp.struct_group(gr_name='staff', gr_passwd='*', gr_gid=20, gr_mem=['root', 'xCatT', 'xCatTadmin', 'postgres', '_xcsbuildagent', '_xcscredserver'])

effective_group_info: grp.struct_group(gr_name='staff', gr_passwd='*', gr_gid=20, gr_mem=['root', 'xCatT', 'xCatTadmin', 'postgres', '_xcsbuildagent', '_xcscredserver'])

DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH: None

cwd: '/'

     real_path='/'

            mode=0o40755 uid=0 gid=80

     parent mode=0o40755 uid=0 gid=80

HOME: '/Users/xCatT'

appdata: '/Users/xCatT/.dropbox/instance1'

         real_path='/Users/xCatT/.dropbox/instance1'

                mode=0o40700 uid=501 gid=20

         parent mode=0o40755 uid=501 gid=20

dropbox_path: '/Users/xCatT/Dropbox'

              real_path='/Users/xCatT/Dropbox'

                    mode=0o40700 uid=501 gid=20

              parent mode=0o40755 uid=501 gid=20

sys_executable: '/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/MacOS/Dropbox'

                real_path='/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/MacOS/Dropbox'

                      mode=0o100755 uid=501 gid=20

                parent mode=0o40755 uid=501 gid=20

trace.__file__: '/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/Resources/python-packages.zip/dropbox/client/ui/common/boot_error.pyc'

                real_path='/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/Resources/python-packages.zip/dropbox/client/ui/common/boot_error.pyc'

                      not found

                parent not found

tempdir: '/var/folders/z4/f0ps9dfj04z2l114417x0dlw0000gn/T'

         real_path='/private/var/folders/z4/f0ps9dfj04z2l114417x0dlw0000gn/T'

                mode=0o40700 uid=501 gid=20

         parent mode=0o40755 uid=501 gid=20

Traceback (most recent call last):

  File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 794, in wrapper

  File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 6534, in finish_dropbox_boot

  File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 5998, in _init_components_for_account

  File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 5949, in create_sync_engine

  File "dropbox/sync_engine_boundary/factory.pyc", line 269, in make_sync_engine

  File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/sync_engine.pyc", line 380, in __init__

  File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/thin_adapter/in_proc.pyc", line 220, in __init__

  File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/thin_adapter/in_proc.pyc", line 574, in _init_new_engine_locked

  File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/thin_client/client.pyc", line 150, in __init__

  File "extensions/nucleus/nucleus_python.pyx", line 84, in nucleus_python.NucleusSyncEngine.__cinit__

nucleus_python.SyncEngineError: "Initializing engine |>> Initializing filesystem |>> Attempting to register icons |>> Reading existing xattr |>> fgetxattr syscall: fill buffer |>> I/O error"

My dropbox is in the default location. Please advice what i may do to get it up and running.

[Lusil]

Hey again, @Peruru. 

Since the I/O error persists even after you updating your OS, it could be that the issue lies with your hardware.

You can try an advanced reinstall, but if that doesn't do the trick, I'd highly recommend backing your hard drive up and checking with a professional. 

Again, please bear in mind that if you're on a Basic (free) account, you'll have to make sure that you've got less than three devices connected to proceed, since there's a three device limit.