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Davide_Saraceno's avatar
Davide_Saraceno
Helpful | Level 5
2 years ago

"Dropbox cannot start / Dropbox ran into a connection issue" error (macOS Monterey)

Hi,

Dropbox app used to load at startup and work smoothly on my Mac but since a few weeks Dropbox can’t load at startup, giving the following error dialog: 

"Dropbox cannot start / Dropbox ran into a connection issue"

I click OK and get another error dialog: "Couldn't start Dropbox. This may be a temporary error. Please restart Dropbox. For more information, click the help button.” so I get the error log (see below) and click OK.

 

After these steps I’m always able to open Dropbox app from the Applications folder and everything works fine.

So, my issue is only at startup time, when some sort of "connection issue” happens.

 

Please be aware that I’ve already done an advanced re-install (twice!) and all the necessary Accessibility/Full Disk Access/Files and Folders settings are ok.

 

Could you help me?

 

Thanks,

Davide

 

 

ERROR LOG:

 

bn.BUILD_KEY: Dropbox

bn.VERSION: 164.4.7914

bn.constants.WINDOWS_SHELL_EXT_VERSION: 58

bn.is_frozen: True

machine_id: 66e79de1-ab71-531b-992f-a38302c1a335

pid: 522

ppid: 1

uid: 501

user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='davide', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=501, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='Davide Saraceno', pw_dir='/Users/davide', pw_shell='/bin/bash')

effective_user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='davide', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=501, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='Davide Saraceno', pw_dir='/Users/davide', pw_shell='/bin/bash')

euid: 501

gid: 20

egid: 20

group_info: grp.struct_group(gr_name='staff', gr_passwd='*', gr_gid=20, gr_mem=['root'])

effective_group_info: grp.struct_group(gr_name='staff', gr_passwd='*', gr_gid=20, gr_mem=['root'])

DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH: None

cwd: '/'

     real_path='/'

           mode=0o40755 uid=0 gid=0

     parent mode=0o40755 uid=0 gid=0

HOME: '/Users/davide'

appdata: '/Users/davide/.dropbox/instance2'

         real_path='/Users/davide/.dropbox/instance2'

               mode=0o40700 uid=501 gid=20

         parent mode=0o40755 uid=501 gid=20

dropbox_path: '/Users/davide/Library/CloudStorage/Dropbox'

              real_path='/Users/davide/Library/CloudStorage/Dropbox'

                    mode=0o40700 uid=501 gid=20

              parent mode=0o40755 uid=501 gid=20

sys_executable: '/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/MacOS/Dropbox'

                real_path='/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/MacOS/Dropbox'

                      mode=0o100755 uid=501 gid=20

                parent mode=0o40755 uid=501 gid=20

trace.__file__: '/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/Resources/python-packages.zip/dropbox/client/ui/common/boot_error.pyc'

                real_path='/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/Resources/python-packages.zip/dropbox/client/ui/common/boot_error.pyc'

                      not found

                parent not found

tempdir: '/var/folders/mn/ph2x348500l0qcmb5jl0bx2r0000gn/T'

         real_path='/private/var/folders/mn/ph2x348500l0qcmb5jl0bx2r0000gn/T'

               mode=0o40755 uid=501 gid=20

         parent mode=0o40755 uid=501 gid=20

Traceback (most recent call last):

  File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 807, in wrapper

  File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 6259, in finish_dropbox_boot

  File "dropbox/client/message_queue.pyc", line 306, in _wrapped

  File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 5801, in _init_components_for_account

  File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 5725, in create_sync_engine

  File "dropbox/sync_engine_boundary/factory.pyc", line 225, in make_sync_engine

  File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/sync_engine.pyc", line 245, in __init__

  File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/modern_client/modern_client.pyc", line 322, in __init__

  File "dropbox/client/gandalf/legacy.pyc", line 296, in add_on_changed_callback

  File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/modern_client/modern_client.pyc", line 473, in _update_feature_configs

  File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/modern_client/modern_thin_client.pyc", line 286, in UpdateFeatureConfigForFswRules

  File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/thin_client/fp_client.pyc", line 236, in __getattr__

dropbox.sync_engine.nucleus.thin_client.exceptions.NucleusConnectionTimeoutError: Nucleus clients are not running. Connection error: None

 

 

 

  • Hannah's avatar
    Hannah
    Icon for Dropbox Staff rankDropbox Staff

    Hey Davide_Saraceno, thanks for bringing this to our attention.

     

    Can we send you an email, so we can investigate this a bit more closely?

      • Hannah's avatar
        Hannah
        Icon for Dropbox Staff rankDropbox Staff

        Not a problem, Davide, I just emailed you, so we can continue from there.

         

        Thanks!

    • RSTurbo's avatar
      RSTurbo
      Explorer | Level 3

      Hello,

       

      since the last big update of Dropbox (moving whole user's stuff from <user directory>/Dropbox into Devices) I often get the same errors.

      The update itself succeeded, so I guessed everything would be fine and indeed under the Section Devices I have access to all my files stored in Dropbox.

      Before posting my dropbox_error.txt file I want to mention one point that I was aware of reading the error file. It is the lines:

       

      trace.__file__: '/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/Resources/python-packages.zip/dropbox/client/ui/common/boot_error.pyc'
            real_path='/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/Resources/python-packages.zip/dropbox/client/ui/common/boot_error.pyc'
                            not found
                      parent not found

       

      ... and look at the subdirectory python-packages.zip as part of the long path specified. So indeed there is an existing zip archive in the middle of the path and obviously all next subdirectories and consequently the root file boot_error.pyc cannot be reached.

      It's now the question if this leads to the last error in the dropbox_error.txt file or not (see last line below)

       

      I append the whole dropbox_error.txt:

      bn.BUILD_KEY: Dropbox
      bn.VERSION: 165.4.4300
      bn.constants.WINDOWS_SHELL_EXT_VERSION: 59
      bn.is_frozen: True
      machine_id: 14ec14d1-1d2c-534a-a1cc-45a482069c81
      pid: 579
      ppid: 1
      uid: 503
      user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='ralfschukey', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=503, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='Ralf Schukey', pw_dir='/Users/ralfschukey', pw_shell='/bin/bash')
      effective_user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='ralfschukey', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=503, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='Ralf Schukey', pw_dir='/Users/ralfschukey', pw_shell='/bin/bash')
      euid: 503
      gid: 20
      egid: 20
      group_info: grp.struct_group(gr_name='staff', gr_passwd='*', gr_gid=20, gr_mem=['root', '_serialnumberd'])
      effective_group_info: grp.struct_group(gr_name='staff', gr_passwd='*', gr_gid=20, gr_mem=['root', '_serialnumberd'])
      DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH: None
      cwd: '/'
           real_path='/'
                  mode=0o40755 uid=0 gid=0
           parent mode=0o40755 uid=0 gid=0
      HOME: '/Users/ralfschukey'
      appdata: '/Users/ralfschukey/.dropbox/instance2'
               real_path='/Users/ralfschukey/.dropbox/instance2'
                      mode=0o40700 uid=503 gid=20
               parent mode=0o40700 uid=503 gid=20
      dropbox_path: '/Users/ralfschukey/Library/CloudStorage/Dropbox'
                    real_path='/Users/ralfschukey/Library/CloudStorage/Dropbox'
                          mode=0o40700 uid=503 gid=20
                    parent mode=0o40755 uid=503 gid=20
      sys_executable: '/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/MacOS/Dropbox'
                      real_path='/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/MacOS/Dropbox'
                            mode=0o100755 uid=503 gid=20
                      parent mode=0o40755 uid=503 gid=20
      trace.__file__: '/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/Resources/python-packages.zip/dropbox/client/ui/common/boot_error.pyc'
            real_path='/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/Resources/python-packages.zip/dropbox/client/ui/common/boot_error.pyc'
                            not found
                      parent not found
      tempdir: '/var/folders/s_/_ms8k6n14875l1g51l1s60nw0000gq/T'
               real_path='/private/var/folders/s_/_ms8k6n14875l1g51l1s60nw0000gq/T'
                      mode=0o40700 uid=503 gid=20
               parent mode=0o40755 uid=503 gid=20
      Traceback (most recent call last):
        File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 811, in wrapper
        File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 6279, in finish_dropbox_boot
        File "dropbox/client/message_queue.pyc", line 306, in _wrapped
        File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 5821, in _init_components_for_account
        File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 5745, in create_sync_engine
        File "dropbox/sync_engine_boundary/factory.pyc", line 225, in make_sync_engine
        File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/sync_engine.pyc", line 245, in __init__
        File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/modern_client/modern_client.pyc", line 322, in __init__
        File "dropbox/client/gandalf/legacy.pyc", line 296, in add_on_changed_callback
        File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/modern_client/modern_client.pyc", line 473, in _update_feature_configs
        File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/modern_client/modern_thin_client.pyc", line 286, in UpdateFeatureConfigForFswRules
        File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/thin_client/fp_client.pyc", line 236, in __getattr__
      dropbox.sync_engine.nucleus.thin_client.exceptions.NucleusConnectionTimeoutError: Nucleus clients are not running. Connection error: None

       

      I hope you can help and thanks in advance

      Ralf

      • Jay's avatar
        Jay
        Icon for Dropbox Staff rankDropbox Staff

        Hi RSTurbo, in order to look into this matter in more detail, would it be possible to reach out to the email associated with your forum profile?

    • CVMunoz's avatar
      CVMunoz
      New member | Level 2

      Hi,

      Since yesterday Dropbox can’t load at startup, giving the following error dialog: 

      "Dropbox cannot start / Dropbox ran into a connection issue"

      I can only access my folders online and the desktop app is not running anymore.

       

       I’ve already re-install three times the app in my desktop and nothing has changed. It appears the same error.

       

      Could you help me?

       

      Thanks,

      Carla

       

      SEE the Error: dropbox_erroreiqf655f.txt

       

      bn.BUILD_KEY: Dropbox
      bn.VERSION: 165.4.4300
      bn.constants.WINDOWS_SHELL_EXT_VERSION: 59
      bn.is_frozen: True
      machine_id: f715a7a3-fa03-5afc-a31e-aa539647be8d
      pid: 975
      ppid: 1
      uid: 502
      user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='Carla', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=502, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='Carla Muñoz', pw_dir='/Users/Carla', pw_shell='/bin/zsh')
      effective_user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='Carla', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=502, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='Carla Muñoz', pw_dir='/Users/Carla', pw_shell='/bin/zsh')
      euid: 502
      gid: 20
      egid: 20
      group_info: grp.struct_group(gr_name='staff', gr_passwd='*', gr_gid=20, gr_mem=['root', 'Carla', 'admin', '_serialnumberd'])
      effective_group_info: grp.struct_group(gr_name='staff', gr_passwd='*', gr_gid=20, gr_mem=['root', 'Carla', 'admin', '_serialnumberd'])
      DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH: None
      cwd: '/'
      real_path='/'
      mode=0o40755 uid=0 gid=0
      parent mode=0o40755 uid=0 gid=0
      HOME: '/Users/Carla'
      appdata: '/Users/administrador/.dropbox/instance1'
      real_path='/Users/administrador/.dropbox/instance1'
      mode=0o40700 uid=502 gid=20
      parent mode=0o40755 uid=502 gid=20
      dropbox_path: '/Users/Carla/Library/CloudStorage/Dropbox'
      real_path='/Users/Carla/Library/CloudStorage/Dropbox'
      mode=0o40700 uid=502 gid=20
      parent mode=0o40755 uid=502 gid=20
      sys_executable: '/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/MacOS/Dropbox'
      real_path='/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/MacOS/Dropbox'
      mode=0o100755 uid=502 gid=20
      parent mode=0o40755 uid=502 gid=20
      trace.__file__: '/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/Resources/python-packages.zip/dropbox/client/ui/common/boot_error.pyc'
      real_path='/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/Resources/python-packages.zip/dropbox/client/ui/common/boot_error.pyc'
      not found
      parent not found
      tempdir: '/var/folders/ql/7rchb70955l04wsxpjkt6by80000gp/T'
      real_path='/private/var/folders/ql/7rchb70955l04wsxpjkt6by80000gp/T'
      mode=0o40700 uid=502 gid=20
      parent mode=0o40755 uid=502 gid=20
      Traceback (most recent call last):
      File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 811, in wrapper
      File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 6279, in finish_dropbox_boot
      File "dropbox/client/message_queue.pyc", line 306, in _wrapped
      File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 5821, in _init_components_for_account
      File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 5745, in create_sync_engine
      File "dropbox/sync_engine_boundary/factory.pyc", line 225, in make_sync_engine
      File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/sync_engine.pyc", line 245, in __init__
      File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/modern_client/modern_client.pyc", line 322, in __init__
      File "dropbox/client/gandalf/legacy.pyc", line 296, in add_on_changed_callback
      File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/modern_client/modern_client.pyc", line 473, in _update_feature_configs
      File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/modern_client/modern_thin_client.pyc", line 286, in UpdateFeatureConfigForFswRules
      File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/thin_client/fp_client.pyc", line 236, in __getattr__
      dropbox.sync_engine.nucleus.thin_client.exceptions.NucleusConnectionTimeoutError: Nucleus clients are not running. Connection error: Error Domain=com.dropbox.fileprovider.error Code=5 "(null)" UserInfo={NSUnderlyingError=0x600002190060 {Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=4097 "Error while sending fetchServicesForItemID:allowRestrictedSources:completionHandler:" UserInfo={NSDebugDescription=Error while sending fetchServicesForItemID:allowRestrictedSources:completionHandler:, NSUnderlyingError=0x600002193870 {Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=4097 "connection from pid 1192 on anonymousListener or serviceListener" UserInfo={NSDebugDescription=connection from pid 1192 on anonymousListener or serviceListener}}}}}

       

  • Walter's avatar
    Walter
    Icon for Dropbox Staff rankDropbox Staff

    Hey SS71, sorry to hear about this.

     

    Can you please let us know if you rebooted your computer since you first got this error?

     

    If you did, have you tried reinstalling it?

     

    Let us know of any updates!

    • SS71's avatar
      SS71
      Explorer | Level 3
      Hello,

      Yes, I did reboot the macbook pro and deleted and reinstalled Dropbox without much luck.
      • markus_4x4's avatar
        markus_4x4
        Explorer | Level 4

        I had the same issue and neither rebooting nor reinstalling solved it. The only solution in my case is to run the older version of Dropbox and NOT update it to the version, where the storage location is changed to the new "cloud storage" section on the filesystem. There really is something going wrong with the new Dropbox version for macOS.

  • Marie Starr's avatar
    Marie Starr
    New member | Level 2

    Hi guys, trying to login and can't. Using an old Mac that a colleague was logged into and dropbox won't launch and let me log in. Here' the error message:

     

     

    bn.BUILD_KEY: Dropbox
    bn.VERSION: 185.4.6054
    bn.constants.WINDOWS_SHELL_EXT_VERSION: 67
    bn.is_frozen: True
    machine_id: b2a83de0-3708-522a-8ee9-6fdaf2e4b433
    pid: 654
    ppid: 1
    uid: 502
    user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='***', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=502, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='*** ***', pw_dir='/Users/***', pw_shell='/bin/bash')
    effective_user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='***', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=502, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='*** ***', pw_dir='/Users/***', pw_shell='/bin/bash')
    euid: 502
    gid: 20
    egid: 20
    group_info: grp.struct_group(gr_name='staff', gr_passwd='*', gr_gid=20, gr_mem=['root', 'sinead', '_nsurlstoraged'])
    effective_group_info: grp.struct_group(gr_name='staff', gr_passwd='*', gr_gid=20, gr_mem=['root', 'sinead', '_nsurlstoraged'])
    DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH: None
    cwd: '/'
         real_path='/'
                mode=0o40755 uid=0 gid=0
         parent mode=0o40755 uid=0 gid=0
    HOME: '/Users/***'
    appdata: '/Users/***/.dropbox/instance2'
             real_path='/Users/***/.dropbox/instance2'
                    not found
             parent not found
    dropbox_path: None
                        not found
                  parent not found
    sys_executable: '/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/MacOS/Dropbox'
                    real_path='/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/MacOS/Dropbox'
                          mode=0o100755 uid=502 gid=20
                    parent mode=0o40755 uid=502 gid=20
    trace.__file__: '/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/Resources/python-packages.zip/dropbox/client/ui/common/boot_error.pyc'
                    real_path='/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/Resources/python-packages.zip/dropbox/client/ui/common/boot_error.pyc'
                          not found
                    parent not found
    tempdir: '/var/folders/5r/xc6ktg6557733zb6wsfz4qrm0000gp/T'
             real_path='/private/var/folders/5r/xc6ktg6557733zb6wsfz4qrm0000gp/T'
                    mode=0o40700 uid=502 gid=20
             parent mode=0o40755 uid=502 gid=20
    Traceback (most recent call last):
      File "desktop/dropbox/client/main.py", line 1282, in safe_makedirs
      File "desktop/dropbox/fsutil.py", line 706, in safe_makedirs
      File "../mac_x86_64_dropbox_virtual_env/lib/python3.8/os.py", line 213, in makedirs
      File "../mac_x86_64_dropbox_virtual_env/lib/python3.8/os.py", line 213, in makedirs
      File "../mac_x86_64_dropbox_virtual_env/lib/python3.8/os.py", line 223, in makedirs
    PermissionError: [Errno 13] Permission denied: '/Users/***'
     
    During handling of the above exception, another exception occurred:
     
    Traceback (most recent call last):
      File "desktop/dropbox/client/main.py", line 8106, in main_startup
      File "desktop/dropbox/client/main.py", line 2738, in initialize
      File "desktop/dropbox/client/main.py", line 1683, in startup_low
      File "desktop/dropbox/client/main.py", line 1291, in safe_makedirs
      File "desktop/dropbox/fsutil.py", line 706, in safe_makedirs
      File "../mac_x86_64_dropbox_virtual_env/lib/python3.8/os.py", line 213, in makedirs
      File "../mac_x86_64_dropbox_virtual_env/lib/python3.8/os.py", line 213, in makedirs
      File "../mac_x86_64_dropbox_virtual_env/lib/python3.8/os.py", line 223, in makedirs
    PermissionError: [Errno 13] Permission denied: '/Users/sinead'

     

     

    • Rich's avatar
      Rich
      Icon for Super User II rankSuper User II

      Marie Starr wrote:

      Using an old Mac that a colleague was logged into and dropbox won't launch and let me log in.


      What version is your operating system?

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