The Dropbox desktop application doesn't load due to a permissions denied error

[nchonacky]

I recently needed to reinstalled the main drive contents of my iMac from its clean image. After doing that successfully and booting it up, I received a message asking me to reinstall Dropbox application. I did so, but then that Dropbox installation couldn't start. The Dropbox content stored on your server is still intact and fully accessible from my MacBook Pro which shares it. Theresulting error file content is below. Can you help?

bn.BUILD_KEY: Dropbox

bn.VERSION: 94.4.384

bn.constants.WINDOWS_SHELL_EXT_VERSION: 37

bn.is_frozen: True

machine_id: 7c1201f2-a5eb-5e1a-a83f-fd6e71a1e410

pid: 7116

cwd: '/'

real_path='/'

            mode=0o40755           uid=0   gid=0

parent  mode=0o40755           uid=0   gid=0

HOME: '/Users/Norman'

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

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

            mode=0o40700           uid=501           gid=20

parent  mode=0o40700           uid=501           gid=20

dropbox_path: '/Users/Norman/Dropbox'

              real_path='/Users/Norman/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/x5/ts_3tqk51zdcw9nyqn_yk0t00000gn/T'

         real_path='/private/var/folders/x5/ts_3tqk51zdcw9nyqn_yk0t00000gn/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 830, in wrapper

  File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 6958, in finish_dropbox_boot

  File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 6425, in _init_components_for_account

  File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 6376, in create_sync_engine

  File "dropbox/sync_engine_boundary/factory.pyc", line 348, in make_sync_engine

  File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/sync_engine.pyc", line 378, in __init__

  File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/thin_adapter/in_proc.pyc", line 251, in __init__

  File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/thin_adapter/in_proc.pyc", line 601, in _init_new_engine_locked

  File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/thin_client/client.pyc", line 144, 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 |>> Opening dst |>> open syscall |>> Permission denied

[Jay]

Hi @nchonacky, thanks for messaging the Community!

If you’re not on a Basic account with more than 3 devices connected to your account, could you try an advanced reinstall of the app using these steps.

Let me know how it goes!

[bluetiger85]

I have this problem with Dropbox:

bn.BUILD_KEY: Dropbox
bn.VERSION: 96.4.172
bn.constants.WINDOWS_SHELL_EXT_VERSION: 37
bn.is_frozen: True
machine_id: 8bb65c38-f70e-4014-93d5-7b4fa6bb0f4e
pid: 5484
cwd: 'C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Dropbox\\Client'
real_path='C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Dropbox\\Client'
mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0
parent mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0
HOME: None
appdata: 'C:\\Users\\Umberto\\AppData\\Local\\Dropbox\\instance1'
real_path='C:\\Users\\Umberto\\AppData\\Local\\Dropbox\\instance1'
mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0
parent mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0
dropbox_path: 'C:\\Users\\Umberto\\Dropbox'
real_path='C:\\Users\\Umberto\\Dropbox'
mode=0o40555 uid=0 gid=0
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\\96.4.172\\python-packages.zip\\dropbox\\client\\ui\\common\\boot_error.pyc'
real_path='C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Dropbox\\Client\\96.4.172\\python-packages.zip\\dropbox\\client\\ui\\common\\boot_error.pyc'
not found
parent not found
TMP: C:\Users\Umberto\AppData\Local\Temp
TEMP: C:\Users\Umberto\AppData\Local\Temp
tempdir: 'C:\\Users\\Umberto\\AppData\\Local\\Temp'
real_path='C:\\Users\\Umberto\\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 828, in wrapper
File "dropbox\client\main.pyc", line 6996, in finish_dropbox_boot
File "dropbox\client\main.pyc", line 6433, in _init_components_for_account
File "dropbox\client\main.pyc", line 6384, in create_sync_engine
File "dropbox\sync_engine_boundary\factory.pyc", line 352, in make_sync_engine
File "dropbox\sync_engine\nucleus\classic_client\sync_engine.pyc", line 370, in __init__
File "dropbox\sync_engine\nucleus\classic_client\thin_adapter\in_proc.pyc", line 251, in __init__
File "dropbox\sync_engine\nucleus\classic_client\thin_adapter\in_proc.pyc", line 601, in _init_new_engine_locked
File "dropbox\sync_engine\nucleus\thin_client\client.pyc", line 144, in __init__
File "extensions\nucleus\nucleus_python.pyx", line 84, in nucleus_python.NucleusSyncEngine.__cinit__
nucleus_python.SyncEngineError: Initializing engine |>> Initializing platform |>> |>> Permission denied

How can I solve it?

[Lusil]

Hey @bluetiger85, thanks for reaching out to us. I moved your post here as you're experiencing something similar to what another user has described. 

Could you have a look at what Jay mentions in their post above and see if that does the trick?

Let us know how it goes, thanks!

[tizzo82]

Hello guys,

after i restored my backup on my new Mac, i can't star the dropbox app.PLease help me!

The error is this:

n.BUILD_KEY: Dropbox

bn.VERSION: 114.4.426

bn.constants.WINDOWS_SHELL_EXT_VERSION: 46

bn.is_frozen: True

machine_id: 5f4fd641-3020-5509-bff9-2acd78475dbc

pid: 1553

ppid: 1

uid: 501

user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='Tiz', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=501, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='Tiziano Di Sansa', pw_dir='/Users/Tiz', pw_shell='/bin/bash')

effective_user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='Tiz', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=501, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='Tiziano Di Sansa', pw_dir='/Users/Tiz', 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', 'tiz', '_nsurlstoraged', '_serialnumberd'])

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

DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH: None

cwd: '/'

     real_path='/'

            mode=0o40755 uid=0 gid=0

     parent mode=0o40755 uid=0 gid=0

HOME: '/Users/Tiz'

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

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

                mode=0o40700 uid=501 gid=20

         parent mode=0o40755 uid=501 gid=20

dropbox_path: '/Users/Tiz/Dropbox'

              real_path='/Users/Tiz/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/4q/tv_m60hx1bd8vxy1_8wcf4600000gn/T'

         real_path='/private/var/folders/4q/tv_m60hx1bd8vxy1_8wcf4600000gn/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 815, in wrapper

  File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 6615, in finish_dropbox_boot

  File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 6080, in _init_components_for_account

  File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 6019, in create_sync_engine

  File "dropbox/sync_engine_boundary/factory.pyc", line 262, in make_sync_engine

  File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/sync_engine.pyc", line 316, in __init__

  File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/modern_client/modern_client.pyc", line 174, in __init__

  File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/modern_client/base.pyc", line 160, in __init__

  File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/thin_adapter/in_proc.pyc", line 221, in __init__

  File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/thin_adapter/in_proc.pyc", line 601, in _init_new_engine_locked

  File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/thin_client/client.pyc", line 217, in __init__

  File "extensions/nucleus/nucleus_python.pyx", line 88, in nucleus_python.NucleusSyncEngine.__cinit__

nucleus_python.SyncEngineError: "Initializing engine |>> Initializing filesystem |>> Attempting to register icons |>> Opening dst |>> open syscall |>> Permission denied"

[Lusil]

Hi there @tizzo82, thanks for checking in with us. 

I moved your post here, where other users have had a similar issue. 

As Jay suggests in their previous post, could you give an advanced reinstall a shot?

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