Errors

Every error, explained

What each message NFS Files can show means, and what fixes it. Tap Learn More in the app to land on the right one.

Connecting

• timeout The server didn't respond in time
  The app sent its request and nothing came back. Usually the NAS is off, asleep, on a different network, or a firewall is silently dropping the packets.
• refused The server refused the connection
  A machine is at that address, but nothing is listening on the port. The NFS service is probably switched off, or the app is pointed at the wrong port.
• host_unreachable No route to the server
  Your device couldn't find a path to that address. On iPhone, iPad and Mac the most common cause is the Local Network permission being off.
• network_unreachable No network for that address
  Your device has no usable network interface for that address — Wi-Fi is off, you're on cellular only, or (on a Mac) the Local Network permission is denied.
• dns Couldn't find a server with that name
  The name you typed didn't resolve to an address. `.local` names only work on the same network segment, and short names like `nas` usually don't work on iOS at all.
• connection_closed The server closed the connection
  A machine answered, then hung up before finishing. Usually the NFS service is restarting, a TCP wrapper rule rejected you, or the NAS went to sleep mid-conversation.
• connection_reset The server dropped the connection
  The connection was open and working, then the server reset it. Almost always transient: the NAS rebooted, the NFS service restarted, or a firewall timed out an idle session.
• connection_failed Couldn't reach the server
  A network error the app couldn't classify further. The system's own description is in the message; the basics below cover most of them.
• malformed_reply The server sent a reply the app couldn't understand
  Whatever is on that port isn't speaking NFS. Usually a Custom Port pointed at the wrong service, or a proxy in the way.
• program_unavailable NFS isn't registered on this server
  The portmapper answered but has no NFS or MOUNT service registered for the version the app asked for. NFS is probably enabled but not running, or the server is NFSv4-only.
• rpc_rejected The server rejected the request at the RPC layer
  The program version the app asked for isn't what the server offers. Usually a server that speaks only NFSv4 reached through the NFSv3 path, or Custom Port pointing at a different RPC service.
• auth_rejected The server rejected the app's credentials
  The server won't accept plain AUTH_SYS (uid/gid) authentication. Either the export requires Kerberos, or the security list for the share doesn't include `sys`.
• export_not_found That folder isn't shared
  The server has NFS running but doesn't export the path you typed. The path has to match the server's export list exactly — and every NAS spells it differently.
• mount_access_denied The server refused this device
  The most common NFS error there is. Two causes look identical from the client: the share requires privileged ports (add `insecure`), or your device's address isn't in the share's allowed-client list.
• mount_denied The server refused to share that folder
  The MOUNT request failed with an error other than access denied or not found — the path is a file, is too long, or the server hit an internal error.
• unsupported The server doesn't support something the app needs
  The server answered, but lacks an operation NFS Files relies on. Try pinning the other NFS version; if that doesn't help, email the message.

While browsing and transferring

• nfs_perm Operation not permitted
  The server allows you into the folder but refused this particular change. Almost always: changing an owner or group needs root, and the export squashes root.
• nfs_noent No such file or folder
  The item isn't there any more — renamed, moved or deleted by someone else since the listing was loaded — or, on NFSv4, the export path doesn't exist under the server's pseudo-root.
• nfs_io The server reported an I/O error
  The server tried to read or write the disk and failed. That's a storage problem on the NAS, not a network one — check its storage health.
• nfs_access Access denied by the server
  You're connected, but the server won't let the user you present read or write here. NFS has no passwords — the numeric User ID is your identity, and the export may squash it.
• nfs_exist An item with that name already exists
  The server already has something with that name in this folder — possibly one you can't see because it differs only by case, or is a hidden file.
• nfs_notdir That item isn't a folder
  The app tried to open or list something that's a file (or a link to a file), not a folder.
• nfs_isdir That item is a folder
  A file operation was attempted on a folder. Refresh — the item may have changed type on the server since it was listed.
• nfs_fbig The file is too large for this server
  The server can't hold a file this size — usually a 4 GB limit on an exFAT/FAT32 volume (USB drives), or a per-file quota.
• nfs_nospc The server is out of space
  The volume the share lives on is full. Free some space on the NAS, or check whether snapshots or a recycle bin are holding it.
• nfs_rofs The share is read-only
  The export is shared read-only, or the volume under it went read-only after an error.
• nfs_nametoolong The name is too long
  Server filesystems cap each name at 255 bytes — and accented or non-Latin characters take two to four bytes each.
• nfs_notempty The folder isn't empty
  The server won't delete a folder that still has something in it — sometimes a hidden file you can't see in Files.app or the Finder.
• nfs_dquot Storage quota exceeded
  The user you present (or the user the export squashes you to) has hit their quota on the NAS.
• nfs_stale Stale file handle
  The server no longer recognises the handle the app holds for this item — it was moved or deleted server-side, or the export was restarted. Reconnect from the server list.
• nfs_badhandle The file handle is no longer valid
  An NFSv4 server rejected the handle the app holds. Same cure as a stale handle: reconnect from the server list.
• nfs_notsupp The operation isn't supported by this server
  The server doesn't implement this NFS operation. Small userspace servers skip things like SETATTR (used by the permission editor); do that action on the server instead.
• nfs_serverfault The server hit an internal error
  The NFS server itself failed while handling the request. Usually transient; if it repeats, the NAS's own log says why.
• nfs_delay The server asked to retry in a moment
  The server is busy or the item is temporarily unavailable (a spun-down disk, a snapshot in progress). Wait a few seconds and try again.
• nfs_expired The connection to the server expired
  The NFSv4 lease timed out — usually after the app was in the background a while or the NAS restarted. Reconnect from the server list.
• nfs_grace The server is still starting up
  The NFSv4 server just restarted and is in its grace period (typically 90 seconds) while old clients reclaim their state. Wait a minute and retry.

Something not listed? The app shows codes like nfs_status_123 for statuses it hasn’t seen before — email the code and what you were doing.