The Dropbox App on my MAC (MacOs 11.7.3) won't start

[Relaxalot]

I've tried deleting and re downloading but it just sits there showing status as "starting". I've checked and corrected permissions.

 

[Hannah]

Hey @Relaxalot, thanks for bringing this to our attention.

Are you also getting a "couldn't start Dropbox" error pop-up on your screen when you try to open Dropbox?

Have you received a notification to update your Dropbox to the new Dropbox for macOS version?

If not, which version of the app are you using? You can hover over your Dropbox icon for this info.

Thanks in advance for your reply!

[Relaxalot]

Hi Hannah,

I don't get a "couldn't start Dropbox" error pop up. If I click on the Dropbox icon in the top menu bar it just shows the screen that I pasted. The blue boxes move as if it is loading but it never gets past the "start" state.

If I hover over the Dropbox icon is just shows "Dropbox 170.4.5895 and Starting.....".

Hope this gives you some clues.

[Jay]

Hi @Relaxalot, do you have any proxy, VPN, firewall, security software, or even ISP/router settings that could be restricting traffic to the following Dropbox domains?

[Relaxalot]

Hi Jay,

None of those. 
I only discovered it wasn’t loading when I noticed that Dropbox.com was out of sync with my Dropbox folder in Finder (which otherwise appears normal) and went looking for a sync issue. 
Looking at the date of the last correctly synched file, I believe that it probably must have gone awry when I last upgraded MacOS. 
However, I’ve tried reloading Dropbox and updating permissions. 

[Walter]

Hey @Relaxalot - sorry to jump in here, but could you try reinstalling the app as outlined here and let us know how it goes?

Just make sure to grant Dropbox full disk access as well. 

[Relaxalot]

Hi Walter,

I reinstalled as per the link you sent and checked and reset permissions but it still just hangs as per previous.....

[Megan]

Hi @Relaxalot, let's try one more thing. 

Could you try re-installing the app, but during the installation process, you should be seeing the advanced settings. If you access them, you should have the ability to choose which folders you'd like to sync locally. 

I'd like for you to choose no folders, and see if the app will get past the starting phase after this. 

[Relaxalot]

Hi Megan,

I've uninstalled Dropbox and then tried re-installing it both ways (online and off-line). In neither case at any stage during installation can I see settings or advanced settings......

[Relaxalot]

Hi Megan,

OK, I worked out that do install completely cleanly, I needed to move/rename my local Dropbox folder. The installation process then goes through  a full setup and I was able to select advanced settings and deselect all folders as per your suggestion. Unfortunately that hasn't solved the problem as the icon on the toolbar at the top of the MAC screen still shows Dropbox "starting" but it never completes.