macOS Monterey 12 - Couldnt Start Dropbox

[RobertPatton]

bn.BUILD_KEY: Dropbox
bn.VERSION: 131.4.3968
bn.constants.WINDOWS_SHELL_EXT_VERSION: 48
bn.is_frozen: True
machine_id: dd8495f4-eeb6-52f3-a698-4cbb0543dbcf
pid: 3947
ppid: 1
uid: 501
user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='robertpatton', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=501, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='Robert Patton', pw_dir='/Users/robertpatton', pw_shell='/bin/bash')
effective_user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='robertpatton', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=501, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='Robert Patton', pw_dir='/Users/robertpatton', 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/robertpatton'
appdata: '/Users/robertpatton/.dropbox/instance1'
real_path='/Users/robertpatton/.dropbox/instance1'
mode=0o40700 uid=501 gid=20
parent mode=0o40700 uid=501 gid=20
dropbox_path: '/Users/robertpatton/Dropbox'
real_path='/Users/robertpatton/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/yy/w1nv1hm92x1bn8cmjznvcs780000gn/T'
real_path='/private/var/folders/yy/w1nv1hm92x1bn8cmjznvcs780000gn/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 6525, in finish_dropbox_boot
File "dropbox/client/message_queue.pyc", line 307, in _wrapped
File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 6052, in _init_components_for_account
File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 5976, 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 219, 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 182, 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"

[E-B]

I have the same problem.  Installed Monterey this morning and now can't access DropBox.  I have already tried

• advanced re-install to no effect.  Still got the same error message as everyone else. 
• following andreabonoto's suggestions.  I no longer get the error message,  but nothing happens when I click the DB icon in my dock and the icon in the menu bar is still greyed out.  If I click on the menu bar icon, the pop-up shows the squares going around and the word "starting" interminably--it has been doing that since I downloaded Monterey.  The dock icon continues to offer "open" (rather than "quit") as an option.

Any suggestions?  I am tech savvy enough to have followed the instructions for those two attempts, but just barely, so please respond with the "...for Dummies" version.  🙂  Thanks.

[E-B]

There are a couple of other threads on this already.  E.g., https://www.dropboxforum.com/t5/Dropbox-installs-integrations/macOS-Monterey-12-Couldnt-Start-Dropbo....  If you use Monterey as your search term at least one more will come up.

None of the suggestions seemed to work for me, but when I restarted my computer a few hours later, DB worked again. So whatever protocol you try, be sure you restart your computer afterwards, even if it doesn't say to, so the changes take effect.  Good luck!

[efferre68]

ITALIANS DO IT BETTER!

😄

Grande Andrea!

[E-B]

Make sure to RESTART YOUR COMPUTER after trying any of the suggestions, even if it doesn't say to. 

I went through several of the listed solutions, including several restarts of both DB and my computer--but only the ones that said to restart.  Nothing worked.  A few hours later I had to restart for a different reason and when my computer came back on, DB suddenly started working.

[leonardodonofrio]

Grazie infiniti Andrea

your solution worked immediately , i'm grateful you took the time to post the solution!

Lenny

[PaulyB]

Hello

I have just installed Monterey and needed to complete the advanced reinstall which has not resolved the issue.  Here is my report..  Would appreciate some help.

bn.BUILD_KEY: Dropbox
bn.VERSION: 134.4.4115
bn.constants.WINDOWS_SHELL_EXT_VERSION: 51
bn.is_frozen: True
machine_id: 15b908f2-be52-52d9-9c87-76f94aa1cfc5
pid: 1865
ppid: 1
uid: 501
user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='paulyworld', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=501, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='Paul Buckingham', pw_dir='/Users/paulyworld', pw_shell='/bin/zsh')
effective_user_info: pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='paulyworld', pw_passwd='********', pw_uid=501, pw_gid=20, pw_gecos='Paul Buckingham', pw_dir='/Users/paulyworld', 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/paulyworld'
appdata: '/Users/paulyworld/.dropbox/instance1'
real_path='/Users/paulyworld/.dropbox/instance1'
mode=0o40700 uid=501 gid=20
parent mode=0o40755 uid=501 gid=20
dropbox_path: '/Users/paulyworld/Dropbox'
real_path='/Users/paulyworld/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/kt/y1p7284j7j92_j0gf1_mjysh0000gn/T'
real_path='/private/var/folders/kt/y1p7284j7j92_j0gf1_mjysh0000gn/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 816, in wrapper
File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 6537, in finish_dropbox_boot
File "dropbox/client/message_queue.pyc", line 313, in _wrapped
File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 6070, in _init_components_for_account
File "dropbox/client/main.pyc", line 5994, 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 278, in __init__
File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/modern_client/modern_client.pyc", line 245, 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 209, in __init__
File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/thin_adapter/in_proc.pyc", line 520, in _init_new_engine_locked
File "dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/thin_client/client.pyc", line 188, 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"

[andreabonato]

This is my solution! Someone use it and now DB is working!

Try it!

"To solve the problem, I close all Dropbox items by searching "dropbox" in the Utility Monitor.

Than I refresh Finder by Force Exit in the system menu.

Finally, in System Preference-Safety and Privacy-Complete Access to Disk, I've able Dropbox App.

All now is working!"

Bye.

Andrea

[PaulyB]

Thankyou Andrea.

Problem solved!  Yes - it DID work!  Seems like there needs to be an update for Apple or Dropbox to the app though.

Paul

[efferre68]

I think to me it's worked even without restarting laptop.

My DB icon was not even visible on menu bar rather than greyed out, following Andrea's instructions everything's back to work.

again, ITALIANS DO IT BETTER.

fabrizio

[andreabonato]

This is a step by step sequences....!

1) by Activity Monitor (Launchpad-Others-Activity Monitor) select all Dropbox items (especially Dropbox Finder Extension) and stop by the X bottom on the top of the app;

2) by Force Quit (in the System Menu ) refresh or relaunch Finder;

3) in System Preference-Security and Privacy-Full Disk Access (after clicking lock to make change in the bottom left corner), enable Dropbox.App.

4) I think is better to restart computer after that.

Cross the fingers!

Bye.

Andrea B