@Randolph West is correct in the install version of Dropbox, and you may have to update the software to reduce software errors.
When you detail that Dropbox states that all files are up to date (when in fact they are not up to date), your system (either through firewall or through a virus scanner) may be blocking specific ports. Also, if you are accessing the internet through a router, the router may be blocking the specific port that is required by Dropbox. It would be prudent to re-submit a question detailing port-blocking and Dropbox, with a link to this initial question.
Since you describe that your internet connection is intermittent, it may also be prudent to check whether or not you have maxed out your monthly data allotment with your internet service provider (ISP).
As @Randolph West stated, it may be beneficial to install the most recent version of Dropbox. However, I would add the following suggestion: after installing a new dropbox client, AND if the dataset that is syncing with Dropbox is not large (less than 4GB), I would copy all Dropbox contents (subfolders, files, everything) to a thumb drive from the computer with more current files. When on your other computer, disconnect the internet connection, and replace all the files on that computer's Dropbox with all the files on your thumbdrive. When the transfer is complete, re-establish the internet connection.
This will make Dropbox do a low-overhead hash-check instead of transferring all the files to/from Dropbox servers. If no changes happened between the time you put data from computer A on your USB stick, and transferred files to computer B, Dropbox should see if the local data is current.
If this problem continues to persist, I would suggest that you visit the Dropbox support forum, and link to this question on superuser.
This problem seems to be linked to "the Turkish issue" (involving both dotted and non-dotted versions of i). There is some kind of duplicate checking mechanism in Dropbox to side step problems with case insensitive file systems. In site of their claim to full UTF-8 support there is at least one bug affecting syncing of folders that contain characters that don't convert from upper to lower case and back round trip using generic algorithms.
Removing all content with the non English ı
and İ
characters solves this sync issue.
Once everything is in sync again across platforms, adding the content back in as find as long as there is there is not a file that would be ambiguous giving a non-case sensitive file system and a case conversion involving those letters.
Best Answer
They just released V1.4.20 which is the first version with Windows 8 specific fixes (notification area icon for example).
If this version does not fix it I suggest you wait a bit as it seems the dropbox team is a little late to win 8.
I've seen numerous other bugs floating around the web when installing the OS so I think it is just a matter of time.
Tell me if this version works for you!