Can only install with "Run as administrator", possibly causing sync'ing problems

[Dan C.6]

On Windows 7, my account is the administrator account, yet I could only install dropbox by running the install file 'as administrator' (right-click > Run as Administrator). I received a warning when doing this saying that Dropbox may not work properly but I was forced to ignore it because there was no other way for me to install. When I tried installing normally the install process would just disappear instantly with no error message or explanation. Nothing happened!

So now I have it installed and my 'live' folder is not sync'ing to the files on my dropbox account. I suspect this is the problem I was warned about when I had to install 'as Administrator'. Is that likely to be the case? And how in the hell can I install Dropbox normally? I've searched the web and am very surprised not to find a solution to this out there. Surely it can't just be me who's come across this issue.

[DaveC2]

The problem is in that your machine or settings wont run the dropbox install normally, fix that and your will fix the sycning issue which is going to be the result not the cause.

[Dan C.6]

Well thank you Dave. What settings do I need to change to make the install work? As I said, I've googled this plenty to no avail.

[DaveC2]

Thats pretty difficult to say, since normally it will install, you could have changed or damaged any number of settings and caused the problem, or it could be something installed causing the problem. I would suggest setting up another Admin account and seeing if that can install the app, which will tell you if its machine wide or the normal admin account. Also a user level account, see if that installs, might be administrators group permissions are damaged, who knows, way to many possible problems.

[Dan C.6]

Thanks again Dave. Ran a system check to find out if there are issues preventing installs and there are not. I don't have problems installing other programs - only Dropbox.

[Dan C.6 · Accepted solution]

FIXED! Had to set the installer exe to run in compatibility mode.

[New D.]

Dan C. THANK YOU SO MUCH! Your solution worked perfectly for me!

[Ronan B.1]

It worked for me too! I installed Dropbox in a Windows 7 boot camp partition in a Mac that shares Yosemite with compatibility for Windows xp service pack 3, thank you

[Elgin C.]

Dan C can someone please step by step explain how they fixed this. I have had this issue on my computer for almost a year, and this is the first time I have seen someone else with the same problem and able to fix it. I tried the compatibility but it is still not working. Everytime i restart my computer I have to reinstall Dropbox.. its getting very frustrating, and still will only install if I run as administrator.

[Dan C.6]

Elgin C. If you tried it I really wouldn't know what to suggest. I simply right clicked on the DropboxInstaller.exe, clicked the 'Compatibility' tab, selected to run in compatibility mode for Windows XP (Service Pack 3), hit OK and then ran the exe file as normal.

I do have to run Dropbox in Administrator Mode everytime I use it. Have you tried installing in compatibility mode and then every time you run Dropbox, right clicking and selecting "Run as Administrator", or setting it to do this by default (by right clicking the Dropbox icon, clicking the Compability tab and then ticking the Run as Administrator box?

If this doesn't work I'm afraid I can't help further. I'm amazed that Dropbox aren't even paying attention to this issue.