Config reverts back to previous version

Help and Support
1

I backup the current config before adding a remote: ~/.config/rclone$ cp rclone.conf rclone.conf-2025120200
I run rclone config to add a new remote. This prompts for a password to decrypt the config. I add a Google Drive and save it. I'm than able to use this remote. I mount it and use it. Some time later the config reverts to it's previous version and the new remote is not in the config.
Here is an example:

$ rclone config
Enter configuration password:
password:
Current remotes:
Name                 Type
====                 ====
......
$ rclone listremotes
Enter configuration password:
password:
GD-Z-Gemini:
GD-MK-Gemini: <---- This is the new remote
I immediately save the config:
~/.config/rclone$ cp rclone.conf rclone.conf-2025120201
I mount the new remote:
rclone mount GD-Z-bin-ENC: ${GDMOUNT} --vfs-cache-mode full --file-perms 744 --daemon
I work with the new remote without issues.
After a while I check the status of the config on the filesystem:
$ ls -latr
-rwxr-xr-x  1 *** 12222 Dec  2 10:02 rclone.conf-2025120200
-rwxr-xr-x  1 *** 13018 Dec  2 10:14 rclone.conf-2025120201
-rwxr-xr-x  1 *** 12222 Dec  2 10:49 rclone.conf
As you can see from the files size the config is back to the original version and listing remotes doesn't show the new remote anymore
$ rclone listremotes
Enter configuration password:
password:
GD-Z-Gemini:


#### What is the problem you are having with rclone?

#### Run the command 'rclone version' and share the full output of the command.

$ rclone version
rclone v1.71.2
- os/version: ubuntu 24.04 (64 bit)
- os/kernel: 6.18.0-061800-generic (x86_64)
- os/type: linux
- os/arch: amd64
- go/version: go1.25.3
- go/linking: static
- go/tags: none

#### Which cloud storage system are you using? (eg Google Drive)

#### The command you were trying to run (eg `rclone copy /tmp remote:tmp`)

Google drive
rclone mount GD-Z-bin-ENC: ${GDMOUNT} --vfs-cache-mode full --file-perms 744 --daemon

#### The rclone config contents with secrets removed.

<!--  You should use 3 backticks to begin and end your paste to make it readable.   -->

Paste config here


#### A log from the command with the `-vv` flag

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Paste log here
2

what is that and why is it not listed in the output of rclone listremotes ?

that is most strange.
need to use a debug log. see what rclone is doing with the config file, when updating tokens and whatnot.

not sure it matters, but for testing, run commands without --daemon

3

I wonder whether this is the clue. Running rclone process with old version of config opened at some stage overwriting (when updating gdrive token maybe) changes made by another rclone instance.

Rclone does not have any special locking mechanism in place to prevent it I think.

4

It is a long standing issue. See

I avoid it now by using Python with subprocess and start_new_session=True. I have also done similar things with nohupto effectively daemonize the process.

5

Thank you for these links.

Practical lesson here as I see it:

  • do not edit config when mount is running
  • avoid --deamon flag