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My dropbox is stuck on sync.

My dropbox is stuck on sync.

EdC30
Helpful | Level 6
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My Dropbox has been stuck syncing the exact same number of files for several days. There is no problem with my Internet connection and I have tried quitting/restarting/unlinking the app many times. What is showing on the Dropbox website is correct but what is showing on the app/on my computer is out of date. I use it every day for work and am desperate to fix the problem ASAP.

1 Accepted Solution

Accepted Solutions

EdC30
Helpful | Level 6
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Thanks for your help, Lusil, but I think we should leave this here now. I hadn't realised the process would take this long to move to the first stage of someone getting in touch who can actually help/give advice. Unfortunately I don't have that sort of time at my disposal to resolve the issue so you can close the ticket now. My business requirements mean this is a really urgent enquiry, not something that can take four days without an engineer even getting in touch yet. Thanks again for your help.

In the end I found an online solution that meant me having to back up my Dropbox data on an external hard drive as a safety, then unlinking my computer from Dropbox (again), quitting the Dropbox application on my computer (again), then deleting everything related to Dropbox from my Mac (data/application/cache/hidden files etc...) and then starting again from scratch. The crucial two elements seem to have been deleting the Dropbox data on my computer as well as going into the Mac Terminal application and entering a command to show all hidden files. There is a hidden .dropbox file that needed deleting (amongst others buried elsewhere in the system).

I then relinked the computer with my Dropbox account - effectively treating it as if it's a brand new computer with no history of my Dropbox account anywhere to be found on it. The sync seems to be working now - it certainly isn't stuck at the same point as before - but not everything has finished syncing yet so I'll just have to wait and see...

Thanks again for your help and sorry you weren't able to resolve it for me this time.

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48 Replies 48

Lusil
Dropbox Staff
Go to solution

Hi there @EdC30

Thanks for reaching out to us about this. I'd be more than happy to help!

At first, awesome work on the initial troubleshooting - definitely narrows down our investigation. 

Could you also check if there's a third party app, like a security app, that could be hindering the syncing process? Could you try temporarily disabling your antivirus? Maybe that will do the trick. 

Let me know of any updates!


Lusil
Community Moderator @ Dropbox
dropbox.com/support


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EdC30
Helpful | Level 6
Go to solution
Hi there. Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. Sorry - should have already said that I don’t have any AV or security software. (I’m running MacOS Catalina if that’s also helpful to know?)

Lusil
Dropbox Staff
Go to solution

Thanks for your swift reply too, @EdC30!

I've sent you a ticket to the email address connected to your Community profile.

When you have the chance, please check your inbox for my latest message. 

Looking forward to hearing back from you!


Lusil
Community Moderator @ Dropbox
dropbox.com/support


Heart Did this post help you? If so, please give it a Like below.
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EdC30
Helpful | Level 6
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Hi. I've replied to your email. My Dropbox is still stuck syncing. Do you have any further suggestions as to how I can solve this problem, please?

Lusil
Dropbox Staff
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I've replied to your email, @EdC30

Don't hesitate to get back to me there with any additional questions and we'll take it from there. 

Thanks! :grin:


Lusil
Community Moderator @ Dropbox
dropbox.com/support


Heart Did this post help you? If so, please give it a Like below.
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Gayrisafi
Explorer | Level 4
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Hi Lusil,

I am experiencing the same stuck syncing problem with Dropbox desktop version 81.4.196 on Windows 10.

Can you please help me too?

Lusil
Dropbox Staff
Go to solution

Hey @Gayrisafi

I'd be more than happy to! Let's see what we can do. 

At first, could you please try reinstalling the latest stable version of the desktop app (83.4.152)?

You can do this by following the steps below:

  1. Make sure you've saved and quit all apps that access files in the Dropbox folder.
  2. Stop the desktop app (if needed) by selecting Quit Dropbox.
  3. Uninstall the desktop app.
  4. When that finishes, reboot your computer to make sure the uninstall is complete.
  5. Download and install the newest version from this link

Let me know if this helps!


Lusil
Community Moderator @ Dropbox
dropbox.com/support


Heart Did this post help you? If so, please give it a Like below.
:arrows_counterclockwise: Still stuck? Ask me a question!
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Gayrisafi
Explorer | Level 4
Go to solution

Hi Lusil,

Thanks for your swift reply.

I did exactly like you've asked.

The number of files stuck syncing decreased (from 196 to 21), but the folders marked with the blue syncing icon stayed the same. What is weirder is that when I enter some of these folders I see no files marked with the blue syncing icon, all green.

EdC30
Helpful | Level 6
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I have that same issue as part of my problem too - when I enter some of the blue syncing folders, there are no files marked with the blue syncing icon, all green. This isn't the case for all the folders/files, just some.

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