Ubuntu

Why is Dropbox requesting root access

Asked by tadiv

Now and then when I boot my machine (Ubuntu 13.10) and likely while running Chrome across various web pages (I think I'm usually in a browser, but I'm not sure), an administrator password dialog box is presented stating that the Dropbox request requires the admin password ( see an image of the dialog box at http://imageshack.com/a/img89/9084/5fy0.png ) - AS it is that I have not been asking Dropbox to do something, I have simply selected [cancel] on the dialog box...

Can someone explain why this is happening?

Thanks,
Tom

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actionparsnip
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actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#1

What is the output of :

lsb_release -a; uname -a; dpkg -l | grep dropbox

Thanks

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tadiv (tadiv-comcast) said : 		#2

Here is it:
tadiv@tadiv-desktop:~$ lsb_release -a; uname -a; dpkg -l | grep dropbox
No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description: Ubuntu 13.10
Release: 13.10
Codename: saucy
Linux tadiv-desktop 3.11.0-15-generic #23-Ubuntu SMP Mon Dec 9 18:16:27 UTC 2013 i686 i686 i686 GNU/Linux
ii nautilus-dropbox 1.4.0-3ubuntu0.13.10.1 i386 Dropbox integration for Nautilus
tadiv@tadiv-desktop:~$

It happened again this AM - I clicked the details button and it had something to do with publicdesktop policy but the webpage listed was not found- next time I'll capture the urn and process name...

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actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#3

Does this happen whilst you are installing the package or just during use?

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tadiv (tadiv-comcast) said : 		#4

Typically it happens within the first few (maybe 15) minutes of booting my machine and logging in... I typically start up Thunderbird and the Chrome browser and hop around some web pages - the request typically pops up on top of a webpage I'm browsing, but I have not noticed any pattern - I don't recall it ever happening while the package installer is running... Just during general use of the desktop...

Tom

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Best actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#5

Ok, try:

sudo apt-get --purge remove nautilus-dropbox
rm -r ~/.dropbox
sudo apt-get clean
sudo chown -R $USER:$USER $HOME
sudo apt-get install nautilus-dropbox

You donbt need to edit the commands. When you reinstall dropbox select to merge the folders.

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tadiv (tadiv-comcast) said : 		#6

I did not see an optin to merge the files, but this process is complete... I'll call this solved and re-open it if the issue pops back up -

Thanks!

Tom

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tadiv (tadiv-comcast) said : 		#7

Thanks actionparsnip, that solved my question.

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tadiv (tadiv-comcast) said : 		#8

When responding above, I had not completed the process - I did see (and chose) the optin to merge... Any ideas on why this was happening in the first place?

Thanks again,
Tom

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actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#9

No idea as I don't know how you installed it first time. Maybe it was the permission being set