Inability to Activate Smart Sync (remote management software & third party pointing device drivers).

Any luck? I have a machine that I just updated to 10.13.4 and clicking "Allow" still does nothing for enabling the smart sync extension.

EDIT: I was trying to do this via VNC to a mac that did not have a display, keyboard, or mouse attached. Once I attached those items, I was able to click the "Allow" button. Apparently you cannot click that button from a VNC session. Lesson learned.

Security

Team admin

Ross_S
7 years ago
Thanks Jay + Lancelot.

We did end up getting to the bottom of this. This isn't a "bug", but a change in behaviour that only happens in certain circumstances.

My guess here is that you have a graphics tablet or 3rd party mouse connected perhaps Lancelot?

As this is designed behaviour by Apple, it's not something that we're currently trying to fix.

The following will work and isn't too complicated, even if it may seem it:

1. Restart your computer, holding down command+R to enter Recovery Mode

2. Open your Terminal app (Located at /Applications/Utilities/Terminal)
3. Copy and paste the following line into the Terminal.

spctl kext-consent add G7HH3F8CAK

4. After this you can restart the machine, and let it load as normal. Once restarted, you can re-install Dropbox again. When Dropbox has finished installing, while it will not prompt you again to install Smart Sync, the required components will now be present on your machine.

Hope this helps you!

**********************************

Here's a bit more context for the technically minded:

As above, this isn't a bug, but infact designed behaviour by Apple.

To improve security on macOS, kernel extensions installed with or after the installation of macOS High Sierra require user consent to load. This is known as User Approved Kernel Extension Loading. Any user can approve a kernel extension, even if they don’t have administrator privileges. (Source: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208019)

Unfortunately for us, Apple blocks certain GUI inputs from successfully clicking the approve button in System Preferences. There is no feedback to the user about why the approval fails. The two situations that this happens are:

1. If the end user clicking the approve button is using remote management software like VNC or TeamViewer to access the system and perform the approval operation.

2. If a third party pointing device driver -- like Logitech or Wacom -- is installed.

IIT
Helpful | Level 6
7 years ago
Thanks for the pointer on the VNC - this was the issue for us also as we were trying to enable it remotely using 3rd party RMM
paulowen8
New member | Level 2
7 years ago
Hey C1000,

following your edit :
EDIT: I was trying to do this via VNC to a mac that did not have a display, keyboard, or mouse attached. Once I attached those items, I was able to click the "Allow" button. Apparently you cannot click that button from a VNC session. Lesson learned.
Can I just state that you saved us such aggro as the Dropbox support has been abismal for us, as we were remoting onto users workstations, on attempting to press allow through our remote software we encountered the same issue due to the updated security within High Sierra!

For all, I advise that you make sure Mac's are on the latest update : 10.13.4 and if you are enabling Smart Sync, ensure that the user has admin privlidges and would advise doing it in person on the Mac itself, or asking the end user to press on the "Allow" button if you are doing it remote otherwise it won't work. The workstation will then need to reboot.

We have tested this and it has now worked for us for one user, so we will now roll this out for another 20 users.

Hope this helps people!
c1000
- c1000
  Helpful | Level 5
  7 years ago
  Glad I was able to help!
monaronyc
Helpful | Level 5
7 years ago
Guys, sorry for the delay in responding, but yes, i have to say that since the 10.13.4 update to High Sierra, we are finally seeing some relief with Smart Sync. I tried installing DB a couple of ways just to be sure. We tried installing under a new image. New install. Clean install. As well as an upgrade in-place. Yosemite to High Sierra to be exact. So not sure what's happening in your environment. Give us a little more detail. Maybe we can figure it out for you
- IIT
  Helpful | Level 6
  7 years ago
  For anyone experiencing this issue we have now resolved it. The issue we experienced with nothing happening when we clicked the Allow button was due to the fact we were trying this using remote control tools.
  
  OSX Sierra prevents 3rd party apps that emulate the mouse from pressing this button. As soon as we had the end user press the Allow button using the direct connected mouse/trackpad this enabled Smart Sync on the device.
  
  Confirmed working on OSX 10.13.4 with Dropbox Client v47.4.74
  - usegnini
    Explorer | Level 4
    7 years ago
    Thanks, it worked... amazing. Once again the mysteries of code.
GillesB-EXO
Explorer | Level 4
7 years ago
Hello,

I try to activate Smartsync on my mac (10.13.4) and it opens the pref pane, but after typing my PW the Autorise button doesn't do anything, it reacts as a button (On off) but nothing happens.

Any clue?
GillesB-EXO
Explorer | Level 4
7 years ago
Hello,

I try to activate Smart sync on my mac running under OSX 10.13.4, and it asks to open pref pane, which displays a message about Dorpbox being blocked, then I type my PW to unlock, and then I click on autorize but nothing happens despite the fatc that the button behaves normally.

Any clue?
- Norah
  Dropbox Staff
  7 years ago
  
  Hi GillesB-EXO, welcome to Dropbox Community!
  
  Can you try enabling the Accessibility Settings with the steps provided here? Also, make sure you’re not using the remote log in to the computer.
  
  If this is not the case a screenshot of what you see when you try to activate Smart Sync (omitting any personal information) would help a lot!
  
  Thanks in advance for your reply!
GillesB-EXO
Explorer | Level 4
7 years ago

Drop down from the top menu bar

Click on activer

Click on Ouvir les préférences (Open preferences)

Click on the LOCK then type password and return

And normally by clicking "Autoriser" it shoul work (Same procedure that I used several times for other system extensions that are not provided throught Mac Appstore)

But the button actuates (Turn grey when clicking) and nothing Happens!!!

I use Mac OX X since it's first version... So I'm a bit familiar with this... and this is the first time I encounter such a behaviour.
Norah
Dropbox Staff
7 years ago

Hey GillesB-EXO, thanks for all the detailed information provided!

I’ve moved your post to this thread. Try having a look at what other people have tried and let me know if it works for you.

Let me know if you are Remotely logged in to the computer? Also,make sure the mouse is connected to the computer.

If you're using VNC, remote logins, teamviewer, or any other software, this can conflict with the OS. If emulated mouse presses aren't allowed, then you're prevented from doing even the most basic of functions.

Let me know how it goes!
- GillesB-EXO
  Explorer | Level 4
  7 years ago
  Nope, I aam NOT using remote control in that case.
  
  I new that problem of MacOSX as I'm using often Teamviewer to help other user, so I won't have asked for if taht would hava been the case.
  
  My problem is different and really annoying
  - Walter
    Dropbox Staff
    7 years ago
    Have you tried re-installing the desktop application?
TappadBox
Helpful | Level 6
6 years ago
Hi,
I am desperatly trying to enable smart sync on my mac (OS Mojave 10.14.6, Dropbox version 84.3.125)

No matter what I seem to do I keep getting stuck at this step (pictured), with no dropbox to "allow" in the settings (sorry about the setting section beeing in Swedish in the pic, but it should look the same in the English version)

I have tried solving the problem by:
exiting and restarting dropbox (several times)
restarting my computer (several times)
reinstalling dropbox (three times)
unlinking and relinking my computer from dropbox (once)

Please help!
- Jane
  Dropbox Staff
  6 years ago
  Hey TappadBox, I appreciate the in-depth description!
  
  Following-up from the screenshot you’ve included, kindly note that I’ve moved your post here, in order to ping you towards our previous discussion on the matter above.
  
  If you follow the Solution on this thread, you should see that Ross (one of our higher-level specialists) has previously advised on the best next steps regarding the behavior you’re experiencing. Would you mind checking out his suggestion whenever you have a minute?
  
  Thanks & please keep us posted on the results!
  - TappadBox
    Helpful | Level 6
    6 years ago
    Yay it worked!! (I struggeled a bit to understand how to move on from the choice of reinstalling my OS but once I figured out how to open the terminal app it worked perfectly).
    
    Thank you so much!