Dropbox on Ubuntu 18.04 LTS (BTRFS) Doesn't Sync Properly?

[CompSciSarah]

I'm running a clean install on Ubuntu 18.04LTS (Latest updates and latest dropbox downloaded from the .deb on the Dropbox website) using the BTRFS filesystem, and Dropbox doesn't sync properly.

It just flashes the blue syncing icon in the system tray and doesn't download anything. This also happens when I restart the computer. I had a previous installation of dropbox (I purged it and deleted the .dropbox folder to reinstall), and it had the same issue.

When I reinstalled, everything worked fine again, but I moved the folder (Via the dropbox app in the 'sync' tab), and I'm back to the same issue of no synchronization.

What should I do to restore syncing?

Here are my hardware specs:

sarah@LesserArk:~$ inxi -Fx
System:    Host: LesserArk Kernel: 5.3.0-40-generic x86_64 bits: 64 gcc: 7.4.0
           Desktop: KDE Plasma 5.12.9 (Qt 5.9.5) Distro: Ubuntu 18.04.4 LTS
Machine:   Device: laptop System: Hewlett-Packard product: HP ENVY 17 Notebook PC v: 097E110000405E00000620100 serial: N/A
           Mobo: Hewlett-Packard model: 1968 v: KBC Version 93.52 serial: N/A
           UEFI: Insyde v: F.70 date: 10/20/2017
Battery    BAT0: charge: 41.6 Wh 100.0% condition: 41.6/41.6 Wh (100%)
           model: Hewlett-Packard Primary status: Full
CPU:       Quad core Intel Core i7-4702MQ (-MT-MCP-) arch: Haswell rev.3 cache: 6144 KB
           flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 17558
           clock speeds: max: 3200 MHz 1: 1437 MHz 2: 1670 MHz 3: 1550 MHz 4: 1561 MHz 5: 1692 MHz 6: 1463 MHz
           7: 1475 MHz 8: 1441 MHz
Graphics:  Card-1: Intel 4th Gen Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller bus-ID: 00:02.0
           Card-2: NVIDIA GK107M [GeForce GT 750M] bus-ID: 01:00.0
           Display Server: x11 (X.Org 1.20.5 ) drivers: modesetting,nvidia (unloaded: fbdev,vesa,nouveau)
           Resolution: 1920x1080@60.04hz, 1920x1080@74.97hz
           OpenGL: renderer: GeForce GT 750M/PCIe/SSE2 version: 4.6.0 NVIDIA 390.116 Direct Render: Yes
Audio:     Card-1 Intel 8 Series/C220 Series High Definition Audio Controller
           driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0
           Card-2 Intel Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor HD Audio Controller
           driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:03.0
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k5.3.0-40-generic
Network:   Card-1: Intel Wireless 7260 driver: iwlwifi bus-ID: 07:00.0
           IF: wlp7s0 state: up mac: e4:70:b8:f8:99:b8                                                                                            
           Card-2: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller                                                              
           driver: r8169 port: 3000 bus-ID: 0f:00.0                                                                                               
           IF: eno1 state: down mac: a0:1d:48:fa:67:c0                                                                                            
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 3550.8GB (9.6% used)                                                                                                   
           ID-1: /dev/sda model: TOSHIBA_MQ01ABD1 size: 1000.2GB                                                                                  
           ID-2: /dev/sdb model: LITEONIT_LMS size: 24.0GB                                                                                        
           ID-3: /dev/sdc model: ST2000LM015 size: 2000.4GB                                                                                       
           ID-4: /dev/sdd model: Samsung_SSD_860 size: 500.1GB                                                                                    
           ID-5: /dev/mmcblk0 model: N/A size: 2.0GB                                                                                              
           ID-6: USB /dev/sdf model: U3_Cruzer_Micro size: 2.0GB                                                                                  
           ID-7: USB /dev/sdg model: TransMemory size: 16.0GB                                                                                     
           ID-8: USB /dev/sde model: Gaming_Xbox_360 size: 8.0GB                                                                                  
Partition: ID-1: / size: 399G used: 303G (77%) fs: btrfs dev: /dev/sdd2                                                                           
           ID-2: /home size: 399G used: 303G (77%) fs: btrfs dev: /dev/sdd2
           ID-3: swap-1 size: 16.00GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sdd3
RAID:      No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 60.0C mobo: N/A gpu: 0.0:53C
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info:      Processes: 434 Uptime: 8:46 Memory: 8097.1/15945.4MB Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 7.5.0
           Client: Shell (bash 4.4.201) inxi: 2.3.56

[Walter]

Hi @CompSciSarah; thanks for joining our Community!

I'll be glad to look into this for you; I'll just need the status of the desktop app after you moved the Dropbox folder which resulted in the syncing issue you mentioned. Can you let me know what the desktop app within your system tray is reporting at the moment so I can have a better view of the matter at hand Sarah?

Let me know what you find and we'll take it from there! 

[CompSciSarah]

I actually did a test to see if just reinstalling (After totally purging Dropbox and it's config files and re-downloading from scratch) and letting it be (Don't move it, just let it do its thing in the home folder) would effect it. The bug returned upon restart and is now syncing endlessly 😞 The icon has the blue syncing icon and the status says: syncing... What data would you like me to provide? 🙂

[Walter]

Thanks for the update @CompSciSarah!

I just wanted to see the app's exact status. Is it just 'Syncing' or 'Syncing xxx files' for example? Do any of your files have 

While we're at it, what exact version of our desktop app are you using at the moment? 

Let me know what you find Sarah!

[Здравко]

Hi @CompSciSarah,

I'm just curious: Is there some special reason same partition to be used as a root file system and home in same time? If you are not sure what exactly you are doing, such a practice is very "slippery" (not only related to Dropbox application, but to system stability at all)! To avoid confusion, I don't state that this is mandatory the reason for your issue.

[CompSciSarah]

These aren't the same block device, they're different BTRFS subvolumes: BTRFS Subvolume Wiki @Здравко 

This is normal for a BTRFS filesystem and is great for backups/restores.

[CompSciSarah]

@WalterMy version of Dropbox is

92.4.382

This is a screenshot of the tray while it is doing it's thing:

[Walter]

Thank you for that @CompSciSarah!

This version is slightly outdated as our most recent, stable one is 93.4.273 now. 

Can you give it a go and let me know how it goes? 

[CompSciSarah]

I installed the dropbox from the link you sent and verified via the preferences panel that it is the latest version.

It still has the same issue. 😞

[Walter]

Thanks for keeping me in the loop @CompSciSarah.

I'm sorry to hear this persists for you and as a last resort, I'd suggest a clean, advanced re-install at this point.

Stay safe and see you around the Community!