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NFS Mount Errors — Permission Denied, Stale Handle, and Connection Issues

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Overview

Fix NFS mount errors including 'access denied by server', stale NFS file handle, mount timeout, and NFS version compatibility issues on Linux.

Key Details

  • NFS (Network File System) allows sharing directories between Linux systems over the network
  • NFS v4 uses TCP port 2049 only; NFS v3 requires portmapper (port 111) and additional random ports
  • Stale NFS file handle occurs when the server-side file or directory was deleted or the export changed
  • UIDs and GIDs must match between client and server for correct file ownership (or use id mapping)
  • NFS is sensitive to network reliability — high latency or packet loss causes timeouts and hangs

Common Causes

  • NFS export configuration (/etc/exports) not allowing the client's IP address
  • Firewall blocking NFS ports (TCP/UDP 2049 for NFSv4, plus 111 and others for NFSv3)
  • UID/GID mismatch between client and server causing permission denied on files
  • Server-side export path changed or the exported directory deleted
  • Network interruption causing stale NFS file handles

Steps

  1. 1Check server exports: showmount -e server-ip from the client
  2. 2Mount NFSv4: mount -t nfs4 server:/share /mnt/nfs
  3. 3Fix stale handle: unmount and remount: umount -f /mnt/nfs && mount server:/share /mnt/nfs
  4. 4Check server firewall: ensure TCP 2049 is open (NFSv4 only needs this port)
  5. 5Fix permissions: use no_root_squash in /etc/exports (caution: security risk) or fix UID mapping
  6. 6After editing /etc/exports: exportfs -ra to apply changes without restarting NFS

Tags

nfsmountnetwork-filesystemstale-handlefile-sharing

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Frequently Asked Questions

The NFS client is referencing a file or directory that no longer exists on the server (deleted, renamed, or export changed). The fix is to unmount and remount the NFS share.