cancel
Showing results for 
Show  only  | Search instead for 
Did you mean: 
Announcements
Want to learn some quick and useful tips to make your day easier? Check out how Calvin uses Replay to get feedback from other teams at Dropbox here.

Apps and Installations

Have a question about a Dropbox app or installation? Reach out to the Dropbox Community and get solutions, help, and advice from members.

cancel
Showing results for 
Show  only  | Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Dropbox stopped working on Ubuntu 18.04 LTS; advanced re-install did not help

Dropbox stopped working on Ubuntu 18.04 LTS; advanced re-install did not help

witsend
Helpful | Level 5
Go to solution

Hi,

I have been using DB for years; these days, I use it to sync files across 3 computers; all of them with a different version of Ubuntu Linux. On two of these computers, DB works great. However, one one computer at home (with initially Ubuntu 18.04 LTS), DB suddenly stopped working. Specifically, it would take forever to sync the 2-3 small txt files that needed to be synced.

I tried different things to solve the issue, but it made things worse:

* stop and restart dropbox (using the CLI tool)

* re-install DB, using both methods described here (deb file and CLI):

https://www.dropbox.com/install-linux

* doing an advanced (Linux) re-install, as explained here:

https://help.dropbox.com/installs-integrations/desktop/advanced-reinstall?fallback=true

* tried to install an older version, as suggested somewhere (sorry, can't find the corresponding ticket any more)

* moved the Dropbox folder to a different location (so to as re-install my files from scratch), and "unlink" the computer (on the web-site: parameters > security > devices) so as to link it again later.

* updated the OS of the computer to Ubuntu to 19.04.

Nothing worked. Whenever I re-install, I do *not* get the pop-up which asks to which account I should link this computer; nothing in the terminal either when running from the terminal.  When I click on the DB icon (on query the CLI tool), it simply says "connecting". When I select preferences > Account, it says it is not connected to any account. (But again, it does not let me select an account!) Current version is v82. If I try to install an older version, it automatically updates to this (apparently non-working) version.

To make things worse, I tried to log in the DB web site from the same computer with my browser, it did not work either! I enter my login, my password, but then it just stalls. This is using Firefox, but I tried with Chrome and Chromium as well, to no avail. Apperently a CAPTCHA should show up, but it does not, whatever the browser. I also tried in private mode.

Wit's end... Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Nicolas

38 Replies 38

Здравко
Legendary | Level 20
Go to solution

Exact way dropbox uses to prompt for link depends on GUI availability. Could be web link printed on console, if GUI is missing.

PS: Also make sure you are logged in your dropbox profile, in your default web browser, in advance!

twometers
Explorer | Level 4
Go to solution

I am having the same issue as well. Dropbox app won't connect and I cannot open the Dropbox.com site on any browser. I have our network team looking at it, but I cannot tell if it is a Dropbox, Ubuntu, or network issue. 

The issue started last friday like the OP. 

Здравко
Legendary | Level 20
Go to solution

Hi @twometers,

If you can't open Dropbox's site then the application can't be able to link any account and the problem isn't in Dropbox application, definitely, neither Ubuntu (not as a system, but can be some settings). Can you access some other (non company, external) site? You have to solve the network problem initially (wherever it is).

Hope this gives some direction. :wink:

witsend
Helpful | Level 5
Go to solution

@Здравко: Ok, I double-checked; I did as you suggested:

dropbox stop
rm -rf ~/.dropbox
dropbox start

but again it does not ask me to link to any account.

Output on the command line is a few lines of "dropbox: load fq extension..."

witsend
Helpful | Level 5
Go to solution

Also, just to clarify:

1. I can now log in to the dropbox website fine (using Firefox). It's slow but it works. I guess the dropbox servers were too busy or something.

2. I clicked by mistake on the "solved issue" button, but the main issue remains unsolved. (Too bad you can't undo this.)

 

Anyway, support got in touch, so fingers crossed. Thanks a lot to anyone who tried to help me. I will post a solution if I find one. 

Best

rhonaldmoses
New member | Level 2
Go to solution
Did it resolve?

witsend
Helpful | Level 5
Go to solution

Nope... 😞

Support got in touch by e-mail, and recommended various things, but still no resolution in sight. For the record, things that I tried:

* advanced re-install, graphical user version:

https://help.dropbox.com/installs-integrations/desktop/advanced-reinstall

* advanced re-install, command line user version (same page)

* same things, but from a new user account created from scratch

* same things, but with an old version of Dropbox, while protecting the folder to prevent auto-update, as recommended e.g. here:

https://www.dropboxforum.com/t5/Desktop-client-builds/Stable-Build-80-4-126/m-p/363862/highlight/tru...

* updating Ubuntu (now running 19.10)

* tried to install Dropbox instead on another computer, with Linux Ubuntu 16.04 installed, same problems.

Also I have been told to check whether:

* I use Boxifier (I don't)

* I run Drobpox from some corporate network (I don't)

I am now more or less convinced that there is some fundamental issue with current versions of Dropbox on Linux Ubuntu. But I'd be happy to be proven wrong!

 

Здравко
Legendary | Level 20
Go to solution

Hi @witsend,

That sounds really curious! Can you try something "from zero" (hope you don't have too much local files, if you have, keep/move them in advance)? Just some investigation. Stop any working application instance (if any). To be sure everything is from clear, execute following:

killall dropbox
rm -rf ~./Dropbox ~/.dropbox ~/.dropbox-dist
ps ax -o pid,comm | grep dropbox

Now everything should be almost like Dropbox application has never been installed. To be on same "line", post the command (together with the results, if any) in your next reply (same for the rest commands below). Next, download latest stable build and extract it on your home directory. Execute the following command:

~/.dropbox-dist/dropboxd

Open a new terminal window (or tab, as you like), wait a minute or two and try following:

dropbox status
cat ~/.dropbox/dropbox.pid; echo
ps ax -o pid,comm | grep dropbox

Execute the commands above sequentially and post exactly as they appear in terminal.

Hope this could give us some clue/trace.

witsend
Helpful | Level 5
Go to solution

Hi,

OK, third re-install today! 🙂

First box went fine. Last line reports nothing, which means dropbox has been removed properly, I guess?

Second box, running dropboxd from the terminal: the script hangs indefinitely after printing many "load fq extensions". I have to terminate it. (Ctrl-C). Then I can start it again (dropbox start) and it does not hang.

Third box:

  1. dropbox status: "Connecting..."
  2. pid: 30944
  3. ps: 30944 dropbox

So everything looks normal, except again I can't link Dropbox to my account.

Witsend

Здравко
Legendary | Level 20
Go to solution

You didn't post all...

Ok, is there response from 162.125.36.1? (i.e. "ping 162.125.36.1")

Need more support?
Who's talking

Top contributors to this post

  • User avatar
    andrecavalcante New member | Level 2
  • User avatar
    easternseaboard New member | Level 2
  • User avatar
    Здравко Legendary | Level 20
  • User avatar
    corktowner Explorer | Level 3
What do Dropbox user levels mean?