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Couldn't start Dropbox permissions error
Hi,
My dropbox app won't open at all anymore. I get a Couldn't Open Dropbox message saying it's usually a permissions error. I've been through my shared folders on the webpage and checked and r...
Hi again Andy Coda,
The dummy file you have created seems Ok. That proves the issue is not in your default settings. It appears exactly as has to be. The commands you have executed, as listed, can't be a reason for the issue observed. Still not clear what could be the reason, but let's try fix it by hands. At the beginning what shows the list of troublesome folder? Post the result of:
ls -al /Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/Frameworks/DropboxCrashpad.framework/Versions/A
Next try fix the problem using following commands:
sudo chown -R "$USER" /Applications/Dropbox.app
chmod -R a+r /Applications/Dropbox.app
chmod -R u+w /Applications/Dropbox.app
chmod -R go-w /Applications/Dropbox.appExecute the first (ls) command again. Is something changed? 🧐
Hope this helps.
Andy Coda wrote:
..., I've followed a series of terminal scripts from the FAQ section but it did nothing. ...
Hi Andy Coda,
As mentioned in the error message (on the bottom), you have given strange write permission on some places. In the same context, what are the "series of terminal scripts" you have tried? To be clearer, share a link to them and/or post exact steps you have done (list the commands used). Just for one more example: every local user have write access to your Dropbox folder, but can't read or comes in there. 🤷 I can't see any meaning to be so. It byself isn't a reason Dropbox to stop work, but could be a "symptom".
Have you tried reinstall the application? Dropbox application folders recreation (during reinstall) might fix the permissions automatically. 😉 Try it, if haven't yet!
If still no any luck (including error log, you have posted, doesn't change in any way), let's see how your system create a file by default. Just create a dummy file, list it, and finally remove it using following commands:
echo "Hello world" > ~/hello_world.txt ls -l ~/hello_world.txt rm ~/hello_world.txt
Execute the commands one by one and post the result of the "ls" command (the second one). Let's see if some setting gets mess and those permissions are set by default. 🧐
Good luck.
Hi Здравко
So, I did the commands as listed for the dummy list, hope I understood correctly, and this is the result of the ls command:
-rw-r--r-- 1 andrewmackay staff 12 20 Mar 15:13 /Users/andrewmackay/hello_world.txt
The file did appear as a txt file in that location so.
rgds
Andy
Hi again Andy Coda,
The dummy file you have created seems Ok. That proves the issue is not in your default settings. It appears exactly as has to be. The commands you have executed, as listed, can't be a reason for the issue observed. Still not clear what could be the reason, but let's try fix it by hands. At the beginning what shows the list of troublesome folder? Post the result of:
ls -al /Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/Frameworks/DropboxCrashpad.framework/Versions/A
Next try fix the problem using following commands:
sudo chown -R "$USER" /Applications/Dropbox.app
chmod -R a+r /Applications/Dropbox.app
chmod -R u+w /Applications/Dropbox.app
chmod -R go-w /Applications/Dropbox.appExecute the first (ls) command again. Is something changed? 🧐
Hope this helps.
I'm having the same issue. Except that I just used the Migration Assistant on my new laptop from a Time Machine backup. I found this other info, but it didn't work for me. So now I'm lost.
Hi HleeLee,
Take in mind that the initial error message is a template pretty same for almost all kind of critical issues Dropbox application encounters. The same message dialog definitely doesn't mean the same issue! When you are saying:
HleeLee wrote:I'm having the same issue. ...
... what do you actually mean? 🤔 Is it the same log text or not? The dialog is saying the same even if there is an issue not directly related to permission! 😉
Hope this clarifies matter, why so many different solutions related to the "same" message.
So the result of the first command is:
total 2256
drwxrwxrwx@ 5 andrewmackay staff 170 16 Mar 18:06 .
drwxrwxrwx@ 4 andrewmackay staff 136 16 Mar 17:58 ..
-rwxrwxrwx@ 1 andrewmackay staff 1151856 16 Mar 18:06 DropboxCrashpad
drwxrwxrwx@ 3 andrewmackay staff 102 16 Mar 17:58 Resources
drwxrwxrwx@ 3 andrewmackay staff 102 16 Mar 17:58 _CodeSignature
Andis-iMac:~ andrewmackay$
and here is the ls command again after running those commands:
total 2256
drwxr-xr-x@ 5 andrewmackay staff 170 16 Mar 18:06 .
drwxr-xr-x@ 4 andrewmackay staff 136 16 Mar 17:58 ..
-rwxr-xr-x@ 1 andrewmackay staff 1151856 16 Mar 18:06 DropboxCrashpad
drwxr-xr-x@ 3 andrewmackay staff 102 16 Mar 17:58 Resources
drwxr-xr-x@ 3 andrewmackay staff 102 16 Mar 17:58 _CodeSignature
Andis-iMac:~ andrewmackay$
to me looks the same, excpet the '-' has moved, if that means anything.
Andy Coda wrote:
...-rwxrwxrwx@ 1 andrewmackay staff 1151856 16 Mar 18:06 DropboxCrashpad
...
and here is the ls command again after running those commands:
...-rwxr-xr-x@ 1 andrewmackay staff 1151856 16 Mar 18:06 DropboxCrashpad
...to me looks the same, excpet the '-' has moved, if that means anything.
Yes, it means, definitely. Did you see 'w'? That means 'write' permission. The Dropbox application complains you have given too many permissions to everybody. Do you remember? On first list, there are 3 'w's! The first is your permission, second is group (staff) permission, and the last is for everybody else (the same for 'r' - read and 'x' - execution for file or enter for directory). In second list for the same file only you personally have write permission. Let's see the end result: Does the Dropbox application runs normally? If not, is the error log the same? Post it, if any.
It's good idea to figure out how exactly you have all these permissions given erroneously and no repeat it anymore! Try recall what you have done short before the problem rise up.
