Couldn't Start Dropbox - macOS Monterey

[amiralin]

After installing the new macOS Monterey I am getting the below error 

Couldn't start Dropbox

This is usually because of a permissions error. Storing your home folder on a network share can also cause an error. For more information, click the help button below.

I tried to remove dropbox using instructions on the website and re-install using advance install and still see the error. 

bn.BUILD_KEY: Dropbox

bn.VERSION: 133.4.4089

bn.constants.WINDOWS_SHELL_EXT_VERSION: 51

bn.is_frozen: True

machine_id: 523bf589-eb29-56d6-9beb-1631aa56ce2b

pid: 1077

ppid: 1

uid: 501

user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='amirnathoo', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=501, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='Amirali Nathoo', pw_dir='/Users/amirnathoo', pw_shell='/bin/zsh')

effective_user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='amirnathoo', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=501, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='Amirali Nathoo', pw_dir='/Users/amirnathoo', pw_shell='/bin/zsh')

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/amirnathoo'

appdata: '/Users/amirnathoo/.dropbox/instance1'

         real_path='/Users/amirnathoo/.dropbox/instance1'

                mode=0o40700 uid=501 gid=20

         parent mode=0o40755 uid=501 gid=20

dropbox_path: '/Users/amirnathoo/Dropbox'

              real_path='/Users/amirnathoo/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/xq/rpxg71x17dj4ylbw_svqhdjc0000gn/T'

         real_path='/private/var/folders/xq/rpxg71x17dj4ylbw_svqhdjc0000gn/T'

                mode=0o40700 uid=501 gid=20

         parent mode=0o40755 uid=501 gid=20

Traceback (most recent call last):

  File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 808, in wrapper

  File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 6497, in finish_dropbox_boot

  File "dropbox/client/message_queue.pyc", line 307, in _wrapped

  File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 6030, in _init_components_for_account

  File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 5954, in create_sync_engine

  File "dropbox/sync_engine_boundary/factory.pyc", line 226, in make_sync_engine

  File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/sync_engine.pyc", line 280, in __init__

  File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/modern_client/modern_client.pyc", line 222, in __init__

  File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/modern_client/base.pyc", line 152, in __init__

  File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/thin_adapter/in_proc.pyc", line 217, in __init__

  File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/thin_adapter/in_proc.pyc", line 587, in _init_new_engine_locked

  File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/thin_client/client.pyc", line 185, in __init__

  File "desktop/extensions/nucleus/nucleus_python.pyx", line 76, in nucleus_python.NucleusSyncEngine.__cinit__

nucleus_python.SyncEngineError: "Initializing engine |>> Initializing filesystem |>> Attempting to register icons |>> fchflags syscall: _set_hidden |>> Permission denied"

please assist

[Sandbox Studio]

I removed an old home folder which hasn't been used in 2 years, turns out dropbox app data was still stored on this user folder / home directory. I am now unable to run or re-install dropbox, I just get the following popups and messages:

the following folder was removed, the user account no longer exists and hasn't been used in years:

add pw and get this:

I then select the link and get this:

bn.BUILD_KEY: Dropbox
bn.VERSION: 144.4.4491
bn.constants.WINDOWS_SHELL_EXT_VERSION: 52
bn.is_frozen: True
machine_id: de9b9f98-bc2e-5975-b767-aedf8a415ca5
pid: 1792
ppid: 1
uid: 501
user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='Studio', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=501, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='Studio', pw_dir='/Users/Studio', pw_shell='/bin/bash')
effective_user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='Studio', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=501, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='Studio', pw_dir='/Users/Studio', 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', 'benni', '_xgridcontroller', '_xgridagent', '_carddav', '_xcsbuildagent', '_serialnumberd'])
effective_group_info: grp.struct_group(gr_name='staff', gr_passwd='*', gr_gid=20, gr_mem=['root', 'benni', '_xgridcontroller', '_xgridagent', '_carddav', '_xcsbuildagent', '_serialnumberd'])
DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH: None
cwd: '/'
real_path='/'
mode=0o40755 uid=0 gid=0
parent mode=0o40755 uid=0 gid=0
HOME: '/Users/Studio'
appdata: '/Users/benni/.dropbox/instance1'
real_path='/Users/benni/.dropbox/instance1'
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=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/g4/6ff89mzj5v5c_84hvrd2swm80000gn/T'
real_path='/private/var/folders/g4/6ff89mzj5v5c_84hvrd2swm80000gn/T'
mode=0o40700 uid=501 gid=20
parent mode=0o40755 uid=501 gid=20
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 1247, in safe_makedirs
File "dropbox/fsutil.pyc", line 655, in safe_makedirs
File "os.pyc", line 213, in makedirs
File "os.pyc", line 213, in makedirs
File "os.pyc", line 223, in makedirs
PermissionError: [Errno 13] Permission denied: '/Users/benni'

During handling of the above exception, another exception occurred:

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 7916, in main_startup
File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 2778, in initialize
File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 1648, in startup_low
File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 1256, in safe_makedirs
File "dropbox/fsutil.pyc", line 655, in safe_makedirs
File "os.pyc", line 213, in makedirs
File "os.pyc", line 213, in makedirs
File "os.pyc", line 223, in makedirs
PermissionError: [Errno 13] Permission denied: '/Users/benni'

[Megan]

Hi @Sandbox Studio, let's see what we can find on this! 

Can you please run the following command through your Mac's terminal app?

sudo mv ~/.dropbox ~/.Trash/dropbox.old

Please note that once the prompt displays, the instruction completes the requested task. If the command returns an error, or does not respond after an hour, you may want to try restarting your computer and trying this step again.

From there, restart Dropbox from the Application folder and then sign in and apply any Selective Sync settings you may have had prior to this reset during the sign in process. Your account will take a few moments to reindex the files and sync any pending changes.

Keep me posted. 

[Sandbox Studio]

thanks for your reply, I tried this but unable to run on our default mac user account as this is set as a guest user, I then logged in with admin and get the following message:

Last login: Sat Mar 19 14:33:16 on console

Sandbox-MacPro-Studio:~ admin$ sudo mv ~/.dropbox ~/.Trash/dropbox.old

Password:

mv: rename /Users/admin/.dropbox to /Users/admin/.Trash/dropbox.old: No such file or directory

Sandbox-MacPro-Studio:~ admin$

[Jay]

Hi @Sandbox Studio, the command was meant to be used assuming you were able to login to that Mac account.

The error message is correct, since you don't have a Dropbox folder on the admin account. Try using the following command:

sudo mv "/Users/benni/.dropbox" ~/.Trash/dropbox.old

[Sandbox Studio]

Thanks very much, we resolved this by making the guest user an admin, we were then able to run the command and install the new dropbox. All is working fine now 🙂

Thanks for providding the commands and instructions!

Kind regards, Benni

[Jay]

Glad to hear it's working now. Enjoy your week!

[lsinger9404]

Wow… That was great. I've been waiting since first installing Monterey for that to work, and finally.

[thelittlelowerlayer]

I think you are missing the point,  we can't INSTALL dropbox, so can't add it to the full disk access thing....?  wth?  dropbox is ALL I needed to upgrade for and now you have eaten all my poems.  hmmmmmph.

[Benjamin W.3]

Got the same error message following a restart (Dropbox beta having worked satisfactorily up to that point). Followed instructions for allowing Full Disk Access, which seemed to fix the issue. Begs the question as to what was happening to disk access before the restart.

[sophiahirakis]

Hello Group, 

I am trying to install Dropbox for the first time on an M2 2022 Macbook Pro 13 inch and cannot even open the disk image (*.dmg file)

Any help would be appreciated!