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kanderson's avatar
kanderson
New member | Level 2
5 years ago

Error String: PermissionError: [WinError 5] Access is denied: 'C:\\Users\\username'

Hello, I am getting this error message upon trying to start dropbox on a users computer. The user's username changed and the dropbox installation is pointing to the old username. Dropbox was not installed previous to the username change. This is on a Windows 10 Computer. Any help is appreciated.

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

    Hey kanderson, I hope you're well today!

     

    I would suggest trying to reinstall the desktop app to see if that does the trick. You can check out the steps to uninstall the app from here.

     

    Let me know if that does the trick!

    • mfinn's avatar
      mfinn
      Explorer | Level 4

      @Daphne Unfortunately, I have done that more than once in trying to resolve this issue and it has not fixed the issue.

    • mfinn's avatar
      mfinn
      Explorer | Level 4

      Daphne wrote:

      Hey kanderson, I hope you're well today!

       

      I would suggest trying to reinstall the desktop app to see if that does the trick. You can check out the steps to uninstall the app from here.

       

      Let me know if that does the trick!


      I forgot to mention for some reason my username was taken yesterday and I was forced to change it. As stated in my other reply, Reinstalling the program did not fix the issue.

       

      Thanks in advance.

    • mfinn's avatar
      mfinn
      Explorer | Level 4

      Walter wrote:

      In that case, you may need to perform a clean, advanced re-install mfinn.

       

      Keep us posted and have a lovely weekend ahead! 


      Walter,

       

      That did it first try. I just assumed that the uninstall removed all of that information.

       

      Thank you for your help!

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

    Thanks for keeping us in the loop mfinn; I'm glad to hear it's sorted now.

     

    Should you ever come up with another Dropbox question, please let us know!

     

    Cheers! 

  • cscott7112's avatar
    cscott7112
    New member | Level 2

    Hi,

     

    I change my windows profile folder name from cscot to cscott and dropbox does not start anymore.  Here is the dropbox_error file content, any help?  I imagine I will have to change something in the registry ...

     

    bn.BUILD_KEY: Dropbox
    bn.VERSION: 105.4.651
    bn.constants.WINDOWS_SHELL_EXT_VERSION: 45
    bn.is_frozen: True
    machine_id: 73c7416c-64ad-466c-a2b4-914de437a64a
    pid: 3720
    cwd: 'C:\\WINDOWS\\SysWOW64'
    real_path='C:\\WINDOWS\\SysWOW64'
    mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0
    parent mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0
    HOME: None
    appdata: 'C:\\Users\\cscot\\AppData\\Local\\Dropbox\\instance1'
    real_path='C:\\Users\\cscot\\AppData\\Local\\Dropbox\\instance1'
    not found
    parent not found
    dropbox_path: 'C:\\Christian Scott\\TRAVAUX\\Dropbox'
    real_path='C:\\Christian Scott\\TRAVAUX\\Dropbox'
    mode=0o40555 uid=0 gid=0
    parent mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0
    sys_executable: 'C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Dropbox\\Client\\Dropbox.exe'
    real_path='C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Dropbox\\Client\\Dropbox.exe'
    mode=0o100777 uid=0 gid=0
    parent mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0
    trace.__file__: 'C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Dropbox\\Client\\105.4.651\\python-packages.zip\\dropbox\\client\\ui\\common\\boot_error.pyc'
    real_path='C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Dropbox\\Client\\105.4.651\\python-packages.zip\\dropbox\\client\\ui\\common\\boot_error.pyc'
    not found
    parent not found
    TMP: C:\Users\cscott\AppData\Local\Temp
    TEMP: C:\Users\cscott\AppData\Local\Temp
    tempdir: 'C:\\Users\\cscott\\AppData\\Local\\Temp'
    real_path='C:\\Users\\cscott\\AppData\\Local\\Temp'
    mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0
    parent mode=0o40777 uid=0 gid=0
    Traceback (most recent call last):
    File "dropbox\client\main.pyc", line 7715, in main_startup
    File "dropbox\client\main.pyc", line 2946, in run
    File "dropbox\client\main.pyc", line 1703, in startup_low
    File "dropbox\client\main.pyc", line 1257, in safe_makedirs
    File "dropbox\overrides.pyc", line 263, in makedirs
    File "dropbox\overrides.pyc", line 263, in makedirs
    File "dropbox\overrides.pyc", line 263, in makedirs
    [Previous line repeated 1 more time]
    File "dropbox\overrides.pyc", line 276, in makedirs
    PermissionError: [WinError 5] Access is denied: 'C:\\Users\\cscot'

     

    Thanks,

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

      Hey cscott7112, thanks for reaching out ot us. 

       

      I moved your post here, where another user was getting the same error message. 

       

      Have a look at what is suggested and let us know if you have any trouble along the way. 

       

      Cheers!