Dropbox is stuck syncing after an update, what can I do?

Daphnethanks for your reply.  Regarding this:

"I wouldn't recommend it, but you can try installing a previous version of the app from here, as the newest versions have the latest security enhancements etc. Also, the app would automatically update to the latest version."

Really appreciate you being in the trenches with us on this!

1) Dropbox seemed to work well (and invisibly) for many of us before the last update, so the 'security enhancements' thing doesn't sound credible.  Many of us are pretty savvy here, it would be worth considering starting to begin giving us solid info.

2) What would be the point of installing a previous version if it updates to the latest version anyway?

Hi Daphne  - I cannot remove the symlinks because they are part of a production application in use (with users). Furthermore, Dropbox officially came out and said that Symlinks are "okay" to have in your Dropbox, they just won't be "followed":

 from Dropbox's official statement regarding this most recent update: "Symlinks are similar to shortcuts that let you have 1 folder in 2 places on your device. For example, if you have a symlink in Dropbox that links to another folder in Dropbox, you’ll now see a symlink and 1 folder—not 2 copies of the same folder."

Further further more, symlinks are unique to Linux, and we have many people in this thread with the exact same problem who are on Windows. My symlinks were not causing any issues prior to the most recent update from Dropbox.

I just tried the new beta and same problem: "Syncing..." (no numbers), until it eats all 32GB of RAM and dies.

When is Dropbox going to stop blaming the users for being the source of the problem and realize that everything worked fine for us up until the last update? They need to fix their code and do better testing going forward. This is an embarassment. 

This is ridiculous, depending on how long this takes to solve Im going to suggest our studio to migrate to another file handling /cloud services, .Its not only worse because im the only one affected out of 14ppl.

Matt F.16 Exactly! If they don't acknowledge it I'm off Dropbox. Not worth a penny if I cannot trust the company I pay 20 euros a month. Their support, their policy is nothing but just copy-paste, polite but meaningless empty convo.

I managed to get my dropbox working. Its not an ideal solution, I had myself deleted from my Dropbox team account, all files erased then reinvited. Im slowly beeing shared our work folders, however the DL rate is pitiful 500kbps (where it should have been at least 10.000 kbps.... yes it is on unlimited b4 anyone in the support has the never to ask this.

Hello again everyone!

Thanks for joining us here user2891. To see those "fix" options, you'll need to keep the space bar key pressed while in the "Account" tab of the app preferences.

If this doesn't do the trick, can you check the steps I mentioned here to see if you have any symlinks within your Dropbox folder?

At the moment, this is a change that's being rolled out to everyone Matt F.16, so it may be that some of you haven't received this change yet while others have. I just want to make sure that we go over all the important troubleshooting so we don't miss anything.

Windows currently supports the use of symbolic links on 10, 8, 7 and Vista which is why I asked if everyone could check this.

I didn't want to rule out reinstalling another version of the app DarseZ if you wanted to try it. I just wanted to add to it since some of you were wondering if and how this is possible. 

So we can look into this with the device info, I've reached out to the email linked with your profile Matt F.16. Please check your inbox when you have the chance and we can go from there.

gformenti, I was able to locate your communication with my colleague via email. I've passed along your comments here to keep them in the loop. 

They might be able to assist you with the sync speeds since they can have a look into the device specifics with you. If you'd like to, I'd suggest replying back to their last email to let them know.

As always, I'm just a post away!

Thanks Daphne ! I responded to the email.

The frustrating part here is that fundamentally you have a group of people who have made no changes on their side, and the update has broken their sync, but Dropbox has not acknowledged that they have a problem. Symlinks or no symlinks, Dropbox' official stance is that Symlinks CAN BE THERE (they will just be copied as files). 

I'm really frustrated and disappointed. 

I worked patiently with Daphne via email to troubleshoot and she passed my information on to a second level tech support person.  I finally got an email for them and his response was basically "I can't help you, you're using Server 2012r2 and we don't support it."

I've been a paying customer for several years, and I have run Dropbox successfully for that entire time running Dropbox on Windows 2012r2 (my primary workstation desktop computer) the entire time.  Win2012r2 is just Windows 8.1 with the server tools, and 8.1 is supported.  I'm not doing anything exotic, it only runs under one user account as if it was any desktop.

This software worked well for me for years, Dropbox updated it and now it doesn't work for me (or others) and no explanation or effort is being put in to find what are obvous bugs in the software that hamper sync for some people.  And now I'm being told "sorry, we don't support you anymore".

From what I've read in this thread, it seems the Dropbox update has caused widespread syncing problems.

My guess is that Dropbox does not have adequate server capacity to handle all of the re-syncing that is being requested, and that explains the low download rates users are experiencing.

Unfortunately, it's unlikely Dropbox will acknowledge this, because it would imply they need to offer some form of compensation to users for not providing the service level paid for.

So instead, Dropbox appears to be running a disinformation campaign portraying the issue as caused by users, such as the symlink problem that keeps coming up in support messages.

Ironically, Dropbox's advice that users keep trying to re-sync simply maintains the overload of server requests, perpetuating the problem.

But Dropbox makes millions from many users, so the delay is not much to them. However, individual users who cannot access files are losing productivity and reputation in their own work, which matters a lot. Dropbox needs to understand that.

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user2891 wrote:

From what I've read in this thread, it seems the Dropbox update has caused widespread syncing problems.

My guess is that Dropbox does not have adequate server capacity to handle all of the re-syncing that is being requested, and that explains the low download rates users are experiencing.

 

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I'm torn between two theories, one of which touches on yours:

1) The explicit drop in symlink support is tied to some new, very low level file syncing/reading change which is attempting to use undocumented APIs or very low level file system access, and this code is problematic on a lot of systems.

2) The problem is *not* related to the desktop specifically, but to some backend sync database changes (which may or may not have been primary drivers of the symlink change).  Systems with problems have some glitch with their sync status on the Dropbox side.  This causes the desktop client to have some kind of meta-sync issue, with the desktop client unable to reconcile data from Dropbox against the local file store.

The only way to test either of this as far as I can tell is to remove dropbox from a system having a problem and totally de-link this system from the dropbox account and then attempt to re-sync it as a "new" install.   It may also be necessary on the system being "re-linked" to target a new local Dropbox folder on an entirely different local storage device, so as to avoid any specific issues tied to the original local file system.

Trouble is, with hundreds of gigabytes of data, such a solution creates syncing chaos, workflow problems and potentially days of waiting to see if it even helps.

user2891 perfect guess! I totally agree.

anonymous how is your search? 

s4ndman I'm running Backup & Sync & paid for space, unfortunately it's more seemingly endless updating.  But will see how it goes once it's settled down.  I'll move over and close my DB paid account if it works.

DarseZI'll look this cloud provider.

Curiosity: any thoughts about Onedrive?

Hi s4ndman I haven't really tried Onedrive, although of course it's a possibility .  I'm tied into the google biz suite so it seemed like a good way to go.  As long as it's simple and doesn't distract...and when there is a problem they say it...then I'm happy.

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DarseZ wrote:

2) What would be the point of installing a previous version if it updates to the latest version anyway?

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Exactly, this. My only hope for fixing this issue right now is downgrading, but after I install an older version it immediately upgrades back to the latest (non-working) version.

So here at the studio the whole **bleep**show is going down aswell. 

• selective sync issues around the board
• everything suddenly started resyncing, 
• massive cpu load makes computer unusuable
• they've been on 24/7 for the past 3 days in the hope that it would fix, but its sloow
• talking about slow, it seems all servers are loaded because of this, because sync is switching between 5h,17h,2d every second.

So i did fix permissions and hardlinks, but still problematic... 

Oh yeah indeed we have 2 or three symlinks running, but they are a fraction of the data and indeed have always been supported...

Daphne"I didn't want to rule out reinstalling another version of the app"

But it wouldn't make a difference because the app would immediately update!  It seems as if you might be making things more convoluted by suggesting things that aren't possible.

It is actually not that complicated. They **bleep**ed up and they don't want to admit it. Fix hardlinks now only works for a few hours and then the issue is back on.

gformentiI tried Google Backup & Sync which has been problematic.  OneNote has been seamless so far, research continues

I've tried downgrading to Dropbox 87 and 86 and nothing changed.

I've tried fixing permissions and fixing hardlinks and neither works. 

My only hope is that Dropbox fixes this SOON SOON SOON!

Ronald H. Daphne confirmed later that backgrading doesn't do anything because the app will just update again.  So I'm puzzled why it was even brought up.

Miraculously, it appears that there has been progress in sync. Of more than 3000 files pending for some time, only 17 now.

Hello everyone! 

Our latest stable is out and you can give it a try. 89.4.278 Let us know your feedback under the stable version post.

This is a long discussion, so to assist all of you the best way possible, having all the information we need, I encourage you to create a ticket with us here and provide us with the ticket number in your next comment. 

If you do have a case with an agent of ours already, we can add helpful notes for them or event take over your case, if possible. 

Super important note.:pushpin:

Please first make sure to try the steps Daphne has offered here. 

Thank you!