New to linux in general. Having trouble writing to external local drive

[zutari]

The Basics

• Nextcloud Server version (e.g., 29.x.x):
  nextcloud 31.0.5snap1
• Operating system and version (e.g., Ubuntu 24.04):
  Ubuntu 24.04.2
• Web server and version (e.g, Apache 2.4.25):
  unsure
• Reverse proxy and version _(e.g. nginx 1.27.2)
  No reverse proxy I think
• PHP version (e.g, 8.3):
  I think snap auto downloaded it. I’m not sure.
• Is this the first time you’ve seen this error? (Yes / No):
  Yes
• When did this problem seem to first start?
  setup
• Installation method (e.g. AlO, NCP, Bare Metal/Archive, etc.)
  Snap
• Are you using CloudfIare, mod_security, or similar? (Yes / No)
  Cloudflare tunnel

Summary of the issue you are facing:

I have a disk mounted to my home server in /mnt/nextcloud-storage/myname.
When I try to add it via the external storage app, it is not able to see it.

Steps to replicate it (hint: details matter!):

Log entries

Error files_external
StorageNotAvailableException
Local storage path does not exist “/mnt/nextcloud-storage/Demi/”

Jun 13, 2025, 12:20:43 PM

Error files_external
StorageNotAvailableException
Local storage path does not exist “/mnt/nextcloud-storage/Yuri/”

Jun 13, 2025, 12:20:43 PM

Error files_external
StorageNotAvailableException
Local storage path does not exist “/mnt/nextcloud-storage/Demi/”

Jun 13, 2025, 12:20:43 PM

Error files_external
StorageNotAvailableException
Local storage path does not exist “/mnt/nextcloud-storage/Yuri/”

Jun 13, 2025, 12:20:37 PM

Error files_external
StorageNotAvailableException
Local storage path does not exist “/mnt/nextcloud-storage/Yuri/”

Jun 13, 2025, 12:20:37 PM

Error files_external
StorageNotAvailableException
Local storage path does not exist “/mnt/nextcloud-storage/Demi/”

Jun 13, 2025, 12:20:17 PM

Error files_external
StorageNotAvailableException
Local storage path does not exist “/mnt/nextcloud-storage/Demi/”

Jun 13, 2025, 12:20:17 PM

Error files_external
StorageNotAvailableException
Local storage path does not exist “/mnt/nextcloud-storage/Demi/”

Jun 13, 2025, 12:19:55 PM

Error files_external
StorageNotAvailableException
Local storage path does not exist “/mnt/nextcloud-storage/Demi/”

Jun 13, 2025, 12:19:55 PM

Error files_external
StorageNotAvailableException
Local storage path does not exist “/mnt/nextcloud-storage/Demi/”

Jun 13, 2025, 12:19:49 PM

Error files_external
StorageNotAvailableException
Local storage path does not exist “/mnt/nextcloud-storage/Demi/”

Jun 13, 2025, 12:19:49 PM

Error files_external
StorageNotAvailableException
Local storage path does not exist “/mnt/nextcloud-storage/demi/”

Jun 13, 2025, 12:19:20 PM

Error files_external
StorageNotAvailableException
Local storage path does not exist “/mnt/nextcloud-storage/demi/”

Jun 13, 2025, 12:19:20 PM

Error no app in context
Exception
HMAC does not match.
Could not decrypt or decode encrypted session data

Jun 13, 2025, 5:53:59 AM

Error no app in context
Exception
HMAC does not match.
Could not decrypt or decode encrypted session data

Jun 13, 2025, 5:53:59 AM

Error no app in context
Exception
HMAC does not match.
Could not decrypt or decode encrypted session data

Jun 13, 2025, 5:53:58 AM

Error no app in context
Exception
HMAC does not match.
Could not decrypt or decode encrypted session data

Jun 13, 2025, 5:53:58 AM

Warning no app in context
Login failed: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Jun 12, 2025, 9:51:13 PM

Warning no app in context
Login failed: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX)

Jun 12, 2025, 9:51:13 PM

Warning no app in context
Host localhost was not connected to because it violates local access rules

Jun 12, 2025, 9:13:55 PM

Warning no app in context
Host localhost was not connected to because it violates local access rules

Jun 12, 2025, 9:13:55 PM

Warning no app in context
Host localhost was not connected to because it violates local access rules

Jun 12, 2025, 9:13:55 PM

Warning no app in context
Host localhost was not connected to because it violates local access rules

Jun 12, 2025, 9:13:55 PM

Apps

The output of occ app:list (if possible).
Enabled:

• activity: 4.0.0
• app_api: 5.0.2
• bruteforcesettings: 4.0.0
• circles: 31.0.0
• cloud_federation_api: 1.14.0
• comments: 1.21.0
• contactsinteraction: 1.12.0
• dashboard: 7.11.0
• dav: 1.33.0
• federatedfilesharing: 1.21.0
• federation: 1.21.0
• files: 2.3.1
• files_downloadlimit: 4.0.0
• files_pdfviewer: 4.0.0
• files_reminders: 1.4.0
• files_sharing: 1.23.1
• files_trashbin: 1.21.0
• files_versions: 1.24.0
• firstrunwizard: 4.0.0
• logreader: 4.0.0
• lookup_server_connector: 1.19.0
• memories: 7.5.2
• nextcloud_announcements: 3.0.0
• notifications: 4.0.0
• oauth2: 1.19.1
• password_policy: 3.0.0
• photos: 4.0.0-dev.1
• previewgenerator: 5.8.0
• privacy: 3.0.0
• profile: 1.0.0
• provisioning_api: 1.21.0
• recognize: 9.0.1
• recommendations: 4.0.0
• related_resources: 2.0.0
• serverinfo: 3.0.0
• settings: 1.14.0
• sharebymail: 1.21.0
• support: 3.0.0
• survey_client: 3.0.0
• systemtags: 1.21.1
• text: 5.0.0
• theming: 2.6.1
• twofactor_backupcodes: 1.20.0
• user_status: 1.11.0
• viewer: 4.0.0
• weather_status: 1.11.0
• webhook_listeners: 1.2.0
• workflowengine: 2.13.0
  Disabled:
• admin_audit: 1.21.0
• encryption: 2.19.0
• files_external: 1.23.0
• suspicious_login: 9.0.1
• twofactor_nextcloud_notification: 5.0.0
• twofactor_totp: 13.0.0-dev.0
• user_ldap: 1.22.0

[scubamuc]

@zutari welcome to the Nextcloud community and thanks for supporting Nextcloud snap

@zutari

I have a disk mounted to my home server in /mnt/nextcloud-storage/myname.
When I try to add it via the external storage app, it is not able to see it.

The interface providing the ability to access removable media is not automatically connected upon install, so if you’d like to use external storage (or otherwise use a device in /media or /mnt for data), you need to give the snap permission to access removable media by connecting that interface:

sudo snap connect nextcloud:removable-media

How to manage external media and storage for Nextcloud snap

Managing external media and storage Snap confinement is a security feature and determines the amount of access an application has to system resources, such as files, the network, peripherals and services. Thus your Nextcloud snap is securely confined from the host system. Unless you specifically allow the Nextcloud snap to access the /media or /mnt directories on the host system, you will not be able to access any other directory outside of the confinement. What permissions should external med…

Nextcloud snap wiki and support

Nextcloud snap is a community driven installation method and is designed to be easy to install and simple to maintain. Folks requiring assistance with Nextcloud snap are welcome to check out our Nextcloud snap wiki. We’re a small friendly team and are glad to assist if you have issues. You’ll find helpful FAQ’s on our GitHub. Quicklinks Nextcloud snap wiki Nextcloud snap FAQ’s Nextcloud snap issues Nextcloud snap How to’s Welcome to the Nextcloud snap Wiki Install Nextcloud snap Requirement…

happy snapping

[scubamuc]

@zutari as a side note, looking at your app list, you’ve installed some third party apps that are known to cause issues with the snap: see FAQ’s

@zutari

• previewgenerator: 5.8.0
• recognize: 9.0.1
• memories: 7.5.2

especially: third party app incompatibility and: known incompatible third party apps

[zutari]

Oh no. The only reason I have nextcloud is for memories. That means I need to use the docker version after all?

As for the other two, I disabled them. Does this mean that I need to start from scratch? I was resolving a static IP address issue I had so I did not try the removable-media solution yet.

[scubamuc]

@zutari

Oh no. The only reason I have nextcloud is for memories.

sorry to hear that…

Similar to Recognize the Memories app tries to load tensorflow in node.js and will bump into glibc 2.27 and fail, so the Memories app won’t work with the snap until this issue is solved.

alternatively you could look at https://immich.app/ but that would be defeating the object a little

@zutari

Does this mean that I need to start from scratch?

personally I have no issues with the default photos app… but I don’t need memories to boost my memory

if that one app is reason enough to set up an entire Nextcloud server… would be overkill. in that case self hosting immich would be more resource friendly.

[zutari]

I really appreciate your replies here.

I guess I can deal with the photos app until memories is fixed in snap. I heard that immich is not fully developed so it is a bit unstable, but I am considering it as well.

Do you know if memories is something that I can just install once it’s working again and it will work pretty flawlessly?

Like I said I’m pretty new to self-hosting so I thought that memories might be important as I saw it mentioned many times when researching. It’s just a private server for my gf and I to store our photos so we don’t have to pay for google storage. In that case maybe the default photos app might be fine.

[scubamuc]

@zutari

Do you know if memories is something that I can just install once it’s working again and it will work pretty flawlessly?

the devs are working on it… there are some issues, but then I’m just the support guy . once its implemented we’ll do the necessary testing and it should work flawlessly. remember we’re all volunteers with day jobs, so there’s no telling when this will be resolved.

[scubamuc]

@zutari

It’s just a private server for my gf and I to store our photos so we don’t have to pay for google storage.

yeah, i wouldn’t give up my data sovereignty and pay for it too… you’re better off hosting your own private Nextcloud snap using default photos app. Especially since you’re not a Linux admin, as you’ve mentioned.

The ideal Nextcloud snap is an “install and forget” Nextcloud instance that works on most architectures and updates itself without requiring administrative skills. See requirements

[scubamuc]

@zutari

I was resolving a static IP address issue

see

101: Network, domain and DNS

Network requirements for self-hosting Nextcloud Network Assuming a network where the host running Nextcloud acquires a static local IPv4 address from DHCP/router and the required TCP ports 80 and 443 are enabled and internet facing for that IPv4 address, the routers public IPv4 address must be available via DNS (Domain Name System) request. static local IPv4 address from DHCP/router internet facing TCP ports 80 and 443 for local IPv4 address DNS entry pointing to routers public IPv4 addre…

[zutari]

Oh I’m sorry if it came off as I was rushing anyone. I’m very glad to have a free alternative to the tech giants. I have even heard of google claiming there are illegal photos and closing the accounts of people with pictures of their baby taking a bath.

I moreso meant to ask if the memories app use the same photos as are in the default photos app, or will I have to migrate them to memories somehow (if you know).

[scubamuc]

@zutari

Oh I’m sorry if it came off as I was rushing anyone

no worries…

@zutari

I moreso meant to ask if the memories app use the same photos as are in the default photos app, or will I have to migrate them to memories somehow (if you know).

being a snap user myself, I have no experience bar using that app

[vawaver]

I just want to mention that Memories app works fine in Nextcloud AIO. I use this app for my photos.

@scubamuc gives you perfect support for SNAP solution.

I can help with Nextcloud AIO if needed.
I love selfhosted solutions.

[zutari]

I just took a look at that. I might give it a try. It says that it’s not really meant for cloudflare tunnel, but I cannot port forward so I can’t run lets-encrypt. But it does look like it’s still possible to work around.

[vawaver]

It depends on your conditions.
I always recommend if you have

• static (public) IP
• your domain / subdomains
  you can host all services without additional things like Cloudflare.