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Forum Discussion
39 files stuck syncing for weeks
Using the Mac version 88.4.172 of the Dropbox app on my 2015 MacBook Pro (with the latest Catalina macOS 10.15.2). Dropbox has been stuck for several weeks on 39 files syncing. I use Smart Sync for a number of folders.
These are the steps I’ve taken to try to fix this issue:
- Quit Dropbox and restarted.
- Restarted the MacBook Pro.
- Killed all Dropbox processes using Activity Monitor (force quit them). Then restarted the MacBook Pro, and restarted the Dropbox app.
- Deleted and reinstalled the Dropbox app in the normal manner.
- Deleted and reinstalled the Dropbox app using the Advance Reinstall directions at: https://help.dropbox.com/installs-integrations/desktop/advanced-reinstall
- Checked for “bad files” — per Dropbox instructions — and got stuck using this link: https://www.dropbox.com/bad_files_check, which froze up on the Safari, Firefox and Opera browsers. This link is discussed in numerous discussions and seems to be something Dropbox has been “working on” fixing for more than a year.
- Removed all aliases in the Dropbox folder and subfolders.
- Checked for and removed all symlinks in the Dropbox folder and subfolders.
- Checked for circular arrow “syncing” symbol in the Dropbox folder and subfolders; found none. All files and folders have the green checkmark symbol.
- Looked for hidden files that might be causing issues, found none other than normal Mac “.DS_Store” files — in most folders — plus three Dropbox hidden files: “.dropbox”, “.dropbox. cache”, and “Icon?”, in the Dropbox main folder.
What else can I do?
Let's reset the configuration settings of the Dropbox desktop app.
Unlink and relink. The system will take some time to re-index your files and sync them all.
If the number of files remains stuck after this, I will create a ticket to check a few more things with you and provide the next steps.
Thank you for your patience yotimbo
- Fiona
Dropbox Staff
Thanks for reporting the issue and all the steps you've tried so far yotimbo.
I appreciate your patience. It looks like you may have some files with permissions settings that block Dropbox from syncing them.
Here is what we can do now.
:pushpin: Please note that it is very important to follow these steps specifically as failure to do so may result in other issues
1) Make sure the Dropbox desktop application is running
2) Click on the Dropbox icon in your menu bar and then click on the gear in the Notifications panel
3) Select 'Preferences'
4) Click on the 'Account' tab
5) Hold down the 'Option/Alt' key
6) Click on the 'Fix Permissions' button (make sure you're still holding down the 'Option/Alt' key)
7) You may be prompted for your a username and password, this is your computer login credentials, not your Dropbox account ones
This will allow Dropbox access to your home folder, Dropbox folder, and any required settings.
Let me know if this worked for you. If not, let me know if you have your Dropbox folder or its system files are located in a mounted network drive or a remote location (like roaming profiles).
Looking forward to your response.
Hope this is helpful!
Hi Fiona -- Thank you for the quick response. The solution listed above did not change anything after the permissions were fixed. My Dropbox folder and system files are on my MacBook Pro, not on a network drive or remote location.
- Fiona
Let's reset the configuration settings of the Dropbox desktop app.
Unlink and relink. The system will take some time to re-index your files and sync them all.
If the number of files remains stuck after this, I will create a ticket to check a few more things with you and provide the next steps.
Thank you for your patience yotimbo
I had the same problem. After troubleshooting it several different ways and not succeeding even after the "fix permissions" method did not work, I uninstalled AVG antivirus. Quit and restarted Dropbox. All my files got synced and problem solved.
Hope this helps.
I've tried all the suggested solutions listed on this thread: https://www.dropboxforum.com/t5/Files-folders/39-files-stuck-syncing-for-weeks/td-p/388751
None have improved the sync status. The number of files grow each day.
The issue does not appear to be isolated to any single machine as dozens of my team members that also share the same dropbox account are experiencing the same issue, although their file counts are all different.
Some files will sync OK and others are stuck in a syncing status.
I suspect a bad file, but the bad file check page suggested on the link above continually crashes in Chrome. I haven't tried other browsers as the author of that post called out similar experiences with Firefox and Safari.
How we can get insight into which files are failing to sync and why? The log files are in a proprietary format which might give some insight.
- Fiona
Hello rgbysgt.
I am merging your topic in this thread since you have checked on the steps here and the issue persists.
Are the files stuck on the website and you cannot see them locally? :thinking:
Is there any big event that could explain the number of files syncing for all of you? What do you see in your events page?
Also, please let me know if the number of files is decreasing and if you are using Smart Sync or selective sync.
Thank you!
Hi Fiona-
There are instances where we see a RED X on the file sync status and others where the arrows are present but they never sync. Furthermore, some files will sync successfully and show a green check.
I don't see anything on the events screen that indicates there's a major event that would have triggered this. The number of files have been growing over the last several weeks and have not declined. When I had unlinked and relinked the account it was at ~230 files and then after that step it jumped to +2000 and is now +4000. Other members of my team have counts of 216, 9, & 44.
