{"id":10262,"date":"2021-03-22T07:13:04","date_gmt":"2021-03-22T14:13:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.coretechnologies.com\/blog\/?p=10262"},"modified":"2025-10-12T22:19:29","modified_gmt":"2025-10-13T05:19:29","slug":"check-dropbox-windows-service-working","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.coretechnologies.com\/blog\/dropbox-software\/check-dropbox-windows-service-working\/","title":{"rendered":"Q&A: How do I tell that Dropbox is working as a Windows Service?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Q&A:<\/div>\n
\n  We’re trialing AlwaysUp<\/a> to run Dropbox as a Windows Service without anyone logged on. But when I use AlwaysUp, I cannot see the Dropbox tray icon. How do I know that it’s working?<\/p>\n

— Wendy<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Hi Wendy.<\/p>\n

Yes, verifying that Dropbox is functioning is more difficult when you can’t see and interact with it!<\/p>\n

Here are the steps you should follow to prove that the popular file hosting software is working properly in the background as a Windows Service:<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"\"<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Test #1: Is Dropbox running?<\/h2>\n

First, make sure that the Dropbox.exe process is running. If Dropbox.exe isn’t active, it definitely won’t be able to copy your files!<\/p>\n

To confirm that the process is running:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. \n

    Open the Windows Task Manager<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  2. \n

    If necessary, click More details<\/b> to reveal additional information:<\/p>\n

  3. \n

    Switch to the Details<\/b> tab and look for the Dropbox.exe<\/b> process(es) in the list. We found a few on our system:<\/p>\n

    \"Task<\/a><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    If you don’t find any instances of the executable in Task Manager, it means that Dropbox isn’t running. Since you’re using AlwaysUp, check for errors — by selecting Report Activity<\/b> from the Application<\/b> menu — and see if you can figure out why the service is failing to start.<\/p>\n

    Note that when Dropbox is running properly, you should find 3 copies of the executable<\/a> in Task Manager. That is completely normal — it’s just how the file synchronization software works.<\/p>\n

    \n
    \n
    \"\"<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    Test #2: When you add a file online, is it copied down to your PC?<\/h2>\n

    Now that you know that Dropbox is running, let’s check if it’s copying files from cloud storage to your local computer. Please follow these steps:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. \n

      Go to the Dropbox website<\/a> and sign in to your account.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

    2. \n

      Upload a new file to your account. A small text or PDF file should be fine.<\/p>\n

      For example, here you can see that we have uploaded a file named “AlwaysUpWebServiceAPI.pdf”:<\/p>\n

    3. \n

      Wait up to 5 minutes. It can take a while for Dropbox to recognize and copy the new file — especially if you have many files or folders in your account.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

    4. \n

      On your PC, check for the file in the Dropbox folder. This is usually:<\/p>\n

      C:\\Users\\<YOUR-USERNAME>\\Dropbox<\/b><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

      As you can see here, our file was copied successfully:<\/p>\n

      \"New<\/a><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Did your file appear? If so, you are good!<\/p>\n

      If not, wait for a few more minutes. Perhaps Dropbox is copying other files and just hasn’t gotten to yours yet.<\/p>\n

      However, if you don’t see the new file on your PC after 10 minutes, it’s very likely that Dropbox isn’t functioning properly.<\/p>\n

      \n
      \n
      \"\"<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

      Test #3: When you create a file on your PC, is it copied up to the Dropbox cloud?<\/h2>\n

      Whenever you create a new file, Dropbox should quickly copy it to your account online. Please perform these steps to make sure that’s happening:<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. \n

        On your PC, open the local Dropbox folder in File Explorer. Once again, this is probably:<\/p>\n

        C:\\Users\\<YOUR-USERNAME>\\Dropbox<\/b><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/li>\n

      2. \n

        Create a new text file in the folder. Give it a unique, recognizable name.<\/p>\n

        For example, we called ours “Dropbox-test-03-21-2021.txt”:<\/p>\n

      3. \n

        Wait a up to 5 minutes. It can take a while for Dropbox to recognize and copy the new file — especially if you have lots of files or folders in your account.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

      4. \n

        Go to the Dropbox website<\/a> and sign in to your account.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

      5. \n

        Confirm that the file appears in your account.<\/p>\n

        Once again, the test was successful on our system. The file appeared as expected:<\/p>\n

        \"New<\/a><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        However, if you don’t see your file, please wait a bit longer. You can confidently declare a failure if the file doesn’t show up after 10 minutes.<\/p>\n

        \n
        \n
        \"\"<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

        Test #4: When you remove a file from your PC, is it removed online?<\/h2>\n

        Local file deletions should be quickly reflected in the cloud. To check on that, please:<\/p>\n

          \n
        1. \n

          Start File Explorer on your PC and navigate to your Dropbox folder.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

        2. \n

          Delete a file that you don’t need — perhaps the one that you created in test #2.<\/p>\n

          Note: If you see a confirmation window like this, be sure to check the Don’t ask me this again<\/b> box before clicking the Delete everywhere<\/b> button:<\/p>\n

        3. \n

          Wait for up to 5 minutes. It can take a while for the file synchronization components to recognize the deletion and spring into action.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

        4. \n

          Go online and confirm that the file has been removed from your cloud storage.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          \n
          \n
          \"\"<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

          Test #5: When you delete a file from the Dropbox cloud, is it deleted from your PC?<\/h2>\n

          Finally, whenever a file is deleted from your cloud storage, it should soon disappear from your PC’s shared folder. To verify that:<\/p>\n

            \n
          1. \n

            Open your web browser and go to your cloud storage page.<\/li>\n

          2. \n

            Find a file that you don’t need and delete it from the repository.<\/p>\n

            For example, we chose to remove the file we created in test #3:<\/p>\n

          3. \n

            Wait up to 5 minutes for the deletion to propagate to your PC.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

          4. \n

            Open File Explorer on your computer and confirm that the file has been removed from your local Dropbox folder.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            If the file remains after 10 minutes, something is wrong.<\/p>\n

            \n
            \n
            \"\"<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

            Get in touch if any test failed<\/h2>\n

            Did one or more of the tests fail? Please let us know<\/a> and we’ll be happy to help.<\/p>\n

            In addition to the results of the 4 tests above, please be sure to send us the information outlined in this article<\/a> so that we can provide our best support!<\/p>\n

            \n
            \n
            \n
            \"\"<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

            \"New!\" UPDATE: Use Cloud Storage Tester to validate Dropbox <\/h2>\n
            <\/a><\/div>\n

            The easiest way to check that Dropbox is copying your files to and from the cloud is to use Cloud Storage Tester<\/a>.<\/p>\n

            It’s a free, portable utility to check that the Dropbox client application is working properly on your computer.<\/p>\n

            Check it out!<\/p>\n

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            \n\n\n\n
            Read more articles about Dropbox…<\/nobr><\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n