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Forum Discussion
Dropbox stopped syncing since update
Ever since Dropbox released their new update, my files have been stuck on the same few hundred files and haven't been able to sync or save anything new in over 4 months. All the while they keep charg...
Hey pdiseris, I hope you're well today!
The first thing I would suggest to check would be to correct the hardlinks and permissions within the Dropbox folder. You can do this with the below steps:
- Click the Dropbox icon in your menu bar/system tray.
- Click the profile pic/initials icon in the top right of the window.
- Choose "Preferences..."
- Go to the "Account" tab.
- While holding the Option/Alt key (Mac) or the
Space barAlt+H keys (Windows), click "Fix Hardlinks". - You might be prompted to enter your computer's username and password (not Dropbox's).
The app might need to sync for a while after doing this, so please just keep an eye out for any progress.
Let me know how it goes!
EDIT: Just updated the steps to reflect the new changes.
Daphne
Dropbox Staff
Dropbox StaffHey pdiseris, I hope you're well today!
The first thing I would suggest to check would be to correct the hardlinks and permissions within the Dropbox folder. You can do this with the below steps:
- Click the Dropbox icon in your menu bar/system tray.
- Click the profile pic/initials icon in the top right of the window.
- Choose "Preferences..."
- Go to the "Account" tab.
- While holding the Option/Alt key (Mac) or the
Space barAlt+H keys (Windows), click "Fix Hardlinks". - You might be prompted to enter your computer's username and password (not Dropbox's).
The app might need to sync for a while after doing this, so please just keep an eye out for any progress.
Let me know how it goes!
EDIT: Just updated the steps to reflect the new changes.
Hi Daphne,
I found your reply on this one but the 'fix hardlinks' approach did not fix my same problem. None of the files I have changed on my windows 10 PC since Jan 1 have synced with dropbox version 87.4.172. Dropbox says sync in progress but nothing moves. Any ideas please? Thanks, Steve
P.S. I am a Plus subscriber.
- Daphne
Hey stevejhastings, thanks for joining us here!
Would you mind trying the steps again, but instead of clicking "Fix hardlinks" can you try the "Fix permissions" option?
There will be a short period after where you might see some small fluctuations in the sync status while this change is applied, so please allow a short time frame to see if there is any progress.
Let me know how it goes and we'll take it from there!
When I press the `Fix Hardlinks' button, nothing happens.
As it happens, after 30mins, I received a notification that the hard links were repaired. i've restarted Dropbox and will see now if the syncing will progress as it should. I'll leave it running all day and check back to see if my local changes upload to the Dropbox server. I have thousands of unsynced new files that need to upload.
- Daphne
Hey pdiseris, I'm very glad to hear that!
It can indeed take a little time for fixing the hardlinks and permissions to take effect, especially if you have a lot of files in your Dropbox folder.
I've made sure to pass this along to your open ticket with our Support team too, just to keep them in the loop.
Keep me posted on the progress, I'm looking forward to hearing back from you.
Cheers!
Hi Daphne,
I have a similar issue with a recent update that broke syncing of hard links in Windows for me as well.
I was happy when I saw your solution, however, I don't get the option to "Fix Hardlinks" anywhere in the options (v. 88.4.172).. I'm confused now.
In Windows, or any other programmes, those same hardlinks work perfectly fine!
Any suggestions?
Cheers
- Daphne
Hi hardlink, thanks for joining the discussion!
To see the option within your desktop app preferences, you need to hold down the Space bar key while you're within the "Account" tab.
When you do this, are you able to see the option? You'll need to keep the key pressed to see and click on the option.
Let me know how it goes!
Hi,
Thanks for the reply, and sorry for the delay on my end:The space bar did indeed bring up the 2 buttons (only after some time though, don't know why it wouldn't work before)..
So, I clicked "Repair", got the info "Dropbox sucessfully repaired .. and made them into copies". However, nothing's changed, the hardlink folders are still not sychronised (and marked with a small red x symbol).
I also clicked on "Fix permissions", which didn't do the trick either. :(
I've also restarted both Dropbox, and then the entire OS, without any success.
Do you have any more suggestions?
Or will the issue be addressed in the coming updates?Thanks in advance!
1. Done this like 10 times with support from DropBox staff.
Its does not work. I had my partner load a small folder 25 images two days to sync to my desktop used to be 2 minutes.
2. I was organizing my files and remaining them on my desktop App now they are gone online. Hundreds of folders.
3. DropBox went from being a favour company to the worse. I am telling everyone to get out before they destroy your folders
- Daphne
I'm sorry to hear about your trouble with this jeffharrington !
Just to check all bases, if you haven't already please check to see if your bandwidth settings within your desktop app are limited at all.
Also, I was able to locate your open ticket with our Support team, and I've passed along your comments to the agent handling your case to keep them in the loop.
Let me know if this helps!
Hi there,
My dropbox has stopped synching all of a sudden. I am on a Mac laptop running Mojave o/s. If I make a file and save in my in dropbox via my finder, it doesn't save onto the web platform and vice versa. I have tried to unlink the dropbox and relink, quit dropbox and relaunch, and go into preferences account and press alt/option and fix hardlinks and have had no success with any of these attempts. Any other ideas? I have enough space on my laptop...it looks like there was an update to dropbox on March 19th, perhaps the issue started then. Thank you.
I followed the steps and on the account tab, the option suggested for Mac simply does not exist.
the only option is 'unlink this dropbox'- Daphne
Hi there Muzza, thanks for joining the topic!
When you're on the "Account" tab within the desktop app settings, when holding the Options/Alt key on your keyboard do you not see these options?
If not, can you let me know which version of the app you currently have installed and the current sync status of the desktop app?
Let me know!
Hi Daphne,
I also have the syncing problem where the icon always shows syncing, but no files are synced. It appears that the last time files synced was four days ago in the camera upload folder. New files have been uploaded to the folder every day, but they are not syncing to my PC. I've tried the fix hardlink and fix permissions, but still not syncing. I'm using version 102.4.431 on Windows 10. What else can you suggest?
