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Re: Stuck on "starting"

Desktop app is stuck 'Starting' when it loads up and doesn't sync

Bert M.
New member | Level 1
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I am a paying customer and very frustrated with Dropbox. I am ready to drop DropBox and look for other alternatives.

Since Friday of last week it has been trying to sync 100Gb in files and it is taking an eternity. Now is stuck in "Starting."
I have rebooted the Mac (10.6.8). I am using Dropbox 3.0.3. I have tried going to Preferences, holding the option key and "Fixing Permission." I also read in the Internet about deleting the hidden cache folder but I have not done it yet since I don't know what to expect.

Any assistance is appreciated.

96 Replies 96

tj0011
New member | Level 2
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We are a large company in the Seattle area and have always  recommended DropBox for business.  "BUT" lately; DropBox has been failing and customers constantly complain about the app getting stuck on stupid...........or what DropBox has, stuck  on starting.  So, you know what we are going to do; have all of our customers cancel their DropBox for business and move everything to Microsoft OneDrive; it is WAY more stable.

Jane
Dropbox Staff
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Hey @tj0011, I’m here to help if I can!  
 
Can you elaborate a bit on that for me please? Are you primarily concerned because your clients are complaining about a syncing issue or are you also facing an issue yourself/yourselves? If so, could you include a bit more detail regarding the source of your concern in your next message? 
 
Thanks!

 


Jane
Community Moderator @ Dropbox
dropbox.com/support

 

Heart Did this post help you? If so please give it a Like below. 
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Questions asked in the community will likely receive an answer within 4 hours!)

spike1968
Helpful | Level 6
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Hi tj0011,

I did the same thing a few years ago now, moved to Google Drive/One and I no longer have any issue and use it everyday as a backup service for my clients. You have made a good decision. This issue has been around for too long and the only answer they can give is the "accepted solution" (the solved link above) above which does not resolve that issue if you are syncing data larger than 500gb.

That cap is not per file save but the combined size of your dropbox folder, so if you have more than 500gb of photos it will stop syncing. It has been confirmed to me by  dropbox support that the syncing issue cannot be resolved for large data folders.

Your post yesterday confimrs this again.

Earwolf M.
Explorer | Level 4
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Having very similar issues to this, more than ever, in 2019

Jane
Dropbox Staff
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Hey @Earwolf M., I’m here to help, thanks for pinging me on this discussion!
 
If that’s not too much trouble for you, could you elaborate a bit on what you’re experiencing? 

 


Jane
Community Moderator @ Dropbox
dropbox.com/support

 

Heart Did this post help you? If so please give it a Like below. 
:white_check_mark: Did this post fix your issue/answer your question? If so please press the 'Accept as Best Answer' button to help others find it.
:arrows_counterclockwise: Still stuck? Ask me a question! (
Questions asked in the community will likely receive an answer within 4 hours!)

Shailen S.
Explorer | Level 4
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I keep getting the notifications for this issue after so many years and I am stunned that this issue is still not resolved on Dropbox side (!!!) I am very sorry for all you guys having this problem. 

I have long moved to Google Drive and can't be bothered by the slow execution of Dropbox to solve such sync issues. Also, Dropbox is no more attractive to free users who want to just test the storage solution, especially with the 3-devices limitations. 

mr c.1
Helpful | Level 7
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I find it hard to accept that there is a file limit - i.e. that I need to start selectively syncing folders if I start to actually utilise my dropbox space.  It is strange that you are forcing users onto a 2TB plan, when your system obviously cannot  handle large file collections.

As with other users I completely fed up with this after many years; I actually changed my dropbox habits due to this -but now that you are forcing the new features and 2TB pricing tier onto me = I may as well leave. 

Dropbox has become a joke.  

 

This thread is closed due to inactivity. Please feel free to create a new topic here. 

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