Dropbox infinite update loop
August 30, 2013 8:44 AM
All of a sudden, Dropbox has decided it needs to continuously update every single one of my files. I have no idea why, and its slowing everything down hugely.
Yesterday my computer was running sluggishly, and eventually noticed that the dropbox spinning-updater was running continuously. Turns out that dropbox is updating all my files - all 90,000+ 180GB worth of them. When I look in the finder, every single folder and file has the blue sync icon attached to it. 99.9% of these items have been fully synced for months or years.
Needless to say this is eating up resources, slowing down internet speed, and is just generally worrisome. Googling hasn't turned up an obvious solution that applies to me. I'm on an iMac, OS 10.7.5, no antivirus software. To the best of my knowledge I have made no updates or changes to the system that might affect this in months. For now, I've just paused dropbox syncing, but this is not a good remedy because I happen to be working on some incredibly important stuff that I really want backed up.
What could be causing this, how do I remedy this, and is this a sign of something troubling?
Yesterday my computer was running sluggishly, and eventually noticed that the dropbox spinning-updater was running continuously. Turns out that dropbox is updating all my files - all 90,000+ 180GB worth of them. When I look in the finder, every single folder and file has the blue sync icon attached to it. 99.9% of these items have been fully synced for months or years.
Needless to say this is eating up resources, slowing down internet speed, and is just generally worrisome. Googling hasn't turned up an obvious solution that applies to me. I'm on an iMac, OS 10.7.5, no antivirus software. To the best of my knowledge I have made no updates or changes to the system that might affect this in months. For now, I've just paused dropbox syncing, but this is not a good remedy because I happen to be working on some incredibly important stuff that I really want backed up.
What could be causing this, how do I remedy this, and is this a sign of something troubling?
Not sure what's happening but in the meantime are you able to throttle Dropbox so that it doesn't eat up all of your bandwidth? There are a few iphone/ipad apps that have dropbox syncing options, have you installed any cloud-storage stuff that may use Dropbox as a storage service that may have reset its syncing nonsense?
posted by jessamyn at 8:51 AM on August 30, 2013
posted by jessamyn at 8:51 AM on August 30, 2013
Thanks for the tip jessamyn! Dropbox's bandwidth now throttled, though I'll probably just go ahead and uninstall/reinstall as grouse suggests.
posted by googly at 8:59 AM on August 30, 2013
posted by googly at 8:59 AM on August 30, 2013
Is there some process that might be updating the timestamp on your files continuously?
For example, we share Dropbox folders with large collaboration teams, and if any team member accidentally edits a file directly within the Dropbox folder instead of working on their personal copy, everyone gets constant updates for the temporary save files that their text editor creates.
- You've opened a browser and viewed your files online via the Dropbox web interface, and nothing is obviously wrong?
- You've tried disconnecting from the network for a while to let Dropbox settle down?
- You've rebooted your computer to flush any runaway processes?
Then alas you're down to grouse's suggestion. I hate it, but I bet it'll work.
posted by RedOrGreen at 10:39 AM on August 30, 2013
For example, we share Dropbox folders with large collaboration teams, and if any team member accidentally edits a file directly within the Dropbox folder instead of working on their personal copy, everyone gets constant updates for the temporary save files that their text editor creates.
- You've opened a browser and viewed your files online via the Dropbox web interface, and nothing is obviously wrong?
- You've tried disconnecting from the network for a while to let Dropbox settle down?
- You've rebooted your computer to flush any runaway processes?
Then alas you're down to grouse's suggestion. I hate it, but I bet it'll work.
posted by RedOrGreen at 10:39 AM on August 30, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
That's what I'd start with.
posted by grouse at 8:51 AM on August 30, 2013