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Forum Discussion
Inability to Activate Smart Sync (remote management software & third party pointing device drivers).
Any luck? I have a machine that I just updated to 10.13.4 and clicking "Allow" still does nothing for enabling the smart sync extension.
EDIT: I was trying to do this via VNC to a mac that di...
- We did end up getting to the bottom of this. This isn't a "bug", but a change in behaviour that only happens in certain circumstances.My guess here is that you have a graphics tablet or 3rd party mouse connected perhaps Lancelot?As this is designed behaviour by Apple, it's not something that we're currently trying to fix.The following will work and isn't too complicated, even if it may seem it:1. Restart your computer, holding down command+R to enter Recovery Mode2. Open your Terminal app (Located at /Applications/Utilities/Terminal)
3. Copy and paste the following line into the Terminal.
spctl kext-consent add G7HH3F8CAK
4. After this you can restart the machine, and let it load as normal. Once restarted, you can re-install Dropbox again. When Dropbox has finished installing, while it will not prompt you again to install Smart Sync, the required components will now be present on your machine.Hope this helps you!**********************************Here's a bit more context for the technically minded:As above, this isn't a bug, but infact designed behaviour by Apple.To improve security on macOS, kernel extensions installed with or after the installation of macOS High Sierra require user consent to load. This is known as User Approved Kernel Extension Loading. Any user can approve a kernel extension, even if they don’t have administrator privileges. (Source: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208019) Unfortunately for us, Apple blocks certain GUI inputs from successfully clicking the approve button in System Preferences. There is no feedback to the user about why the approval fails. The two situations that this happens are:1. If the end user clicking the approve button is using remote management software like VNC or TeamViewer to access the system and perform the approval operation.2. If a third party pointing device driver -- like Logitech or Wacom -- is installed.
Jay
Dropbox Staff
Dropbox StaffOkay, well if you're not using a remote login to access your Mac, and Apple have stated there is nothing wrong with your device, then we're sure that our colleague Ross_S will get to the bottom of it.
Ross_SDropbox Staff
Dropbox Staff
We did end up getting to the bottom of this. This isn't a "bug", but a change in behaviour that only happens in certain circumstances.
My guess here is that you have a graphics tablet or 3rd party mouse connected perhaps Lancelot?
As this is designed behaviour by Apple, it's not something that we're currently trying to fix.
The following will work and isn't too complicated, even if it may seem it:
1. Restart your computer, holding down command+R to enter Recovery Mode
2. Open your Terminal app (Located at /Applications/Utilities/Terminal)
3. Copy and paste the following line into the Terminal.
4. After this you can restart the machine, and let it load as normal. Once restarted, you can re-install Dropbox again. When Dropbox has finished installing, while it will not prompt you again to install Smart Sync, the required components will now be present on your machine.
3. Copy and paste the following line into the Terminal.
spctl kext-consent add G7HH3F8CAK
4. After this you can restart the machine, and let it load as normal. Once restarted, you can re-install Dropbox again. When Dropbox has finished installing, while it will not prompt you again to install Smart Sync, the required components will now be present on your machine.
Hope this helps you!
**********************************
Here's a bit more context for the technically minded:
As above, this isn't a bug, but infact designed behaviour by Apple.
To improve security on macOS, kernel extensions installed with or after the installation of macOS High Sierra require user consent to load. This is known as User Approved Kernel Extension Loading. Any user can approve a kernel extension, even if they don’t have administrator privileges. (Source: https://support.
Unfortunately for us, Apple blocks certain GUI inputs from successfully clicking the approve button in System Preferences. There is no feedback to the user about why the approval fails. The two situations that this happens are:
1. If the end user clicking the approve button is using remote management software like VNC or TeamViewer to access the system and perform the approval operation.
2. If a third party pointing device driver -- like Logitech or Wacom -- is installed.
Thank you, this has fixed the issue!
For your record, I don't have any 3rd party pointing device, I'm only using the built-in trackpad of my macbook (neither am I accessing it remotely).
Here is my macbook config:
Thank you, this resolved the issue for me as well. I am not technical and was afraid of trying this, but it worked, and I am now smart syncing.
- This is exactly what was wrong for me too.
As a matter of fact I have a logitech muse and keyboard combo on my mac and a Wacom tablet.
I've spent all day today diagnosing the problem. Who would have ever thought it was a simple as a mouse, or tablet issue !
Thank you so much.
FYI, I didn't need to do any of the terminal stuff - I just unhooked my USD dongle and cables and used my trackpad - and it all worked. I have done the procedure described above: I uninstalled and removed the application, I restarted in "Recovery" mode, I wrote the codes you indicated in the Terminal, I restarted ... I reinstalled the application and the files were not yet synchronized, when the problem presented again ... I do not even see the dropbox icon to be able to add it in Accesibility ... I'm very fed up. I will quit the application, maybe looking first for another way...
- Jay
I have only an old magic mouse (apple...). I will try disconnecting it. Thanks
Unplugging my Wacom worked for me. Thanks for this!
I have tried the above fix and still not seeing sync in my finder. I have no non apple devices fitted either.
- Walter
Hey there perrit - sorry to hear about this.
Can you confirm that you've enabled the Finder's Integration to begin with?
To do this, go to your Mac's 'System Preferences', then 'Extensions' and then find the 'Finder Extensions'. You can enable/disable our integration, if needed, from there.
I hope this helps and please keep me posted on your findings!
Hi Walter,
Thank you for your reply. I actually already fixed it myself before your post - but yes that was actually what fixed the problem.
Although an hour on the phone to dropbox help yesterday couldn't tell me this – I ended up finding it myself by searching through every preference looking for something dropbox related. Such an easy fix in the end so frustrating that I wasted so much time on this.
