Cron fails with open directory "" error on 1 of 3 Macs

Help and Support
1

What is the problem you are having with rclone?

Rclone sync script via cron works on only 2 out of 3 Macs. I'm syncing a Google Drive folder to a local folder. Ran first on M2 MacBook Pro successfully, it failed on Ventura Intel iMac, then tested successfully on M1 MacBook Air. Note that in all cases, running the script manually from the CLI works successfully. With cron, I get a 'failed to open directory "" ' error (see output below). Note that I've excluded the M1 MacBook info below for brevity.

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

MacBook Pro:
rclone v1.73.4
- os/version: darwin 26.4.1 (64 bit)
- os/kernel: 25.4.0 (arm64)
- os/type: darwin
- os/arch: arm64 (ARMv8 compatible)
- go/version: go1.25.8
- go/linking: dynamic
- go/tags: cmount
iMac:
rclone v1.73.4
- os/version: darwin 13.7.8 (64 bit)
- os/kernel: 22.6.0 (x86_64)
- os/type: darwin
- os/arch: amd64
- go/version: go1.25.9
- go/linking: dynamic
- go/tags: cmount

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

```Google Drive```

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

```
========================================
/usr/local/bin/rclone sync "mygd:theFolder/" "/Users/myname/Desktop/TEST/theFolder/" \
--progress \
--log-file blah_log.txt \
--stats-log-level NOTICE
========================================
```

Please run 'rclone config redacted' and share the full output. If you get command not found, please make sure to update rclone.

```
[XXXgd]
type = drive
client_id = XXX
client_secret = XXX
scope = drive
token = XXX
team_drive = 

```

A log from the command that you were trying to run with the -vv flag

```
2026/04/17 14:01:00 DEBUG : rclone: Version "v1.73.4" starting with parameters ["/usr/local/bin/rclone" "sync" "prigd:Departments/Director/" "/Users/xxxxxx/Desktop/TEST/Departments/Director/" "-vv" "--progress" "--log-file" "blah_log2.txt" "--stats-log-level" "DEBUG"]
2026/04/17 14:01:00 DEBUG : Creating backend with remote "prigd:Departments/Director/"
2026/04/17 14:01:00 DEBUG : Using config file from "/Users/xxxxxx/.config/rclone/rclone.conf"
2026/04/17 14:01:01 DEBUG : Google drive root 'Departments/Director': 'root_folder_id = 0ANpVj4iovW2bUk9PVA' - save this in the config to speed up startup
2026/04/17 14:01:01 DEBUG : fs cache: renaming cache item "prigd:Departments/Director/" to be canonical "prigd:Departments/Director"
2026/04/17 14:01:01 DEBUG : Creating backend with remote "/Users/xxxxxx/Desktop/TEST/Departments/Director/"
2026/04/17 14:01:01 DEBUG : fs cache: renaming cache item "/Users/xxxxxx/Desktop/TEST/Departments/Director/" to be canonical "/Users/xxxxxx/Desktop/TEST/Departments/Director"
2026/04/17 14:01:01 ERROR : failed to open directory "": open /Users/xxxxxx/Desktop/TEST/Departments/Director: operation not permitted
2026/04/17 14:01:02 DEBUG : Added delayed dir = "Administrative Assistant", newDst=<nil>
2026/04/17 14:01:02 DEBUG : Icon␍: Need to transfer - File not found at Destination
2026/04/17 14:01:02 DEBUG : Icon␍.d95aa868.partial: size = 0 OK
2026/04/17 14:01:02 DEBUG : Icon␍: md5 = d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e OK
2026/04/17 14:01:02 ERROR : Icon␍.d95aa868.partial: partial file rename failed: rename /Users/xxxxxx/Desktop/TEST/Departments/Director/Icon
.d95aa868.partial /Users/xxxxxx/Desktop/TEST/Departments/Director/Icon
: operation not permitted
2026/04/17 14:01:02 INFO  : Icon␍.d95aa868.partial: Removing failed copy
2026/04/17 14:01:02 DEBUG : Administrative Assistant/Icon␍: Need to transfer - File not found at Destination
2026/04/17 14:01:02 DEBUG : Local file system at /Users/xxxxxx/Desktop/TEST/Departments/Director: Waiting for checks to finish
2026/04/17 14:01:02 DEBUG : Local file system at /Users/xxxxxx/Desktop/TEST/Departments/Director: Waiting for transfers to finish
2026/04/17 14:01:02 DEBUG : Administrative Assistant/Icon␍.a7158590.partial: size = 0 OK
2026/04/17 14:01:02 DEBUG : Administrative Assistant/Icon␍: md5 = d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e OK
2026/04/17 14:01:02 ERROR : Administrative Assistant/Icon␍.a7158590.partial: partial file rename failed: rename /Users/xxxxxx/Desktop/TEST/Departments/Director/Administrative Assistant/Icon
.a7158590.partial /Users/xxxxxx/Desktop/TEST/Departments/Director/Administrative Assistant/Icon
: operation not permitted
2026/04/17 14:01:02 INFO  : Administrative Assistant/Icon␍.a7158590.partial: Removing failed copy
2026/04/17 14:01:02 ERROR : Local file system at /Users/xxxxxx/Desktop/TEST/Departments/Director: not deleting files as there were IO errors
2026/04/17 14:01:02 ERROR : Administrative Assistant: Failed to update directory timestamp or metadata: chtimes /Users/xxxxxx/Desktop/TEST/Departments/Director/Administrative Assistant: operation not permitted
2026/04/17 14:01:02 ERROR : Local file system at /Users/xxxxxx/Desktop/TEST/Departments/Director: not deleting directories as there were IO errors
2026/04/17 14:01:02 ERROR : Attempt 1/3 failed with 5 errors and: failed to set directory modtime: chtimes /Users/xxxxxx/Desktop/TEST/Departments/Director/Administrative Assistant: operation not permitted
2026/04/17 14:01:02 ERROR : failed to open directory "": open /Users/xxxxxx/Desktop/TEST/Departments/Director: operation not permitted
2026/04/17 14:01:03 DEBUG : Added delayed dir = "Administrative Assistant", newDst=<nil>
2026/04/17 14:01:03 DEBUG : Icon␍: Need to transfer - File not found at Destination
2026/04/17 14:01:03 DEBUG : Icon␍.d95aa868.partial: size = 0 OK
2026/04/17 14:01:03 DEBUG : Icon␍: md5 = d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e OK
2026/04/17 14:01:03 ERROR : Icon␍.d95aa868.partial: partial file rename failed: rename /Users/xxxxxx/Desktop/TEST/Departments/Director/Icon
.d95aa868.partial /Users/xxxxxx/Desktop/TEST/Departments/Director/Icon
: operation not permitted
2026/04/17 14:01:03 INFO  : Icon␍.d95aa868.partial: Removing failed copy
2026/04/17 14:01:03 DEBUG : Administrative Assistant/Icon␍: Need to transfer - File not found at Destination
2026/04/17 14:01:03 DEBUG : Local file system at /Users/xxxxxx/Desktop/TEST/Departments/Director: Waiting for checks to finish
2026/04/17 14:01:03 DEBUG : Local file system at /Users/xxxxxx/Desktop/TEST/Departments/Director: Waiting for transfers to finish
2026/04/17 14:01:03 DEBUG : Administrative Assistant/Icon␍.a7158590.partial: size = 0 OK
2026/04/17 14:01:03 DEBUG : Administrative Assistant/Icon␍: md5 = d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e OK
2026/04/17 14:01:03 ERROR : Administrative Assistant/Icon␍.a7158590.partial: partial file rename failed: rename /Users/xxxxxx/Desktop/TEST/Departments/Director/Administrative Assistant/Icon
.a7158590.partial /Users/xxxxxx/Desktop/TEST/Departments/Director/Administrative Assistant/Icon
: operation not permitted
2026/04/17 14:01:03 INFO  : Administrative Assistant/Icon␍.a7158590.partial: Removing failed copy
2026/04/17 14:01:03 ERROR : Local file system at /Users/xxxxxx/Desktop/TEST/Departments/Director: not deleting files as there were IO errors
2026/04/17 14:01:03 ERROR : Administrative Assistant: Failed to update directory timestamp or metadata: chtimes /Users/xxxxxx/Desktop/TEST/Departments/Director/Administrative Assistant: operation not permitted
2026/04/17 14:01:03 ERROR : Local file system at /Users/xxxxxx/Desktop/TEST/Departments/Director: not deleting directories as there were IO errors
2026/04/17 14:01:03 ERROR : Attempt 2/3 failed with 5 errors and: failed to set directory modtime: chtimes /Users/xxxxxx/Desktop/TEST/Departments/Director/Administrative Assistant: operation not permitted
2026/04/17 14:01:03 ERROR : failed to open directory "": open /Users/xxxxxx/Desktop/TEST/Departments/Director: operation not permitted
2026/04/17 14:01:03 DEBUG : Added delayed dir = "Administrative Assistant", newDst=<nil>
2026/04/17 14:01:03 DEBUG : Icon␍: Need to transfer - File not found at Destination
2026/04/17 14:01:04 DEBUG : Icon␍.d95aa868.partial: size = 0 OK
2026/04/17 14:01:04 DEBUG : Icon␍: md5 = d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e OK
2026/04/17 14:01:04 ERROR : Icon␍.d95aa868.partial: partial file rename failed: rename /Users/xxxxxx/Desktop/TEST/Departments/Director/Icon
.d95aa868.partial /Users/xxxxxx/Desktop/TEST/Departments/Director/Icon
: operation not permitted
2026/04/17 14:01:04 INFO  : Icon␍.d95aa868.partial: Removing failed copy
2026/04/17 14:01:04 DEBUG : Administrative Assistant/Icon␍: Need to transfer - File not found at Destination
2026/04/17 14:01:04 DEBUG : Local file system at /Users/xxxxxx/Desktop/TEST/Departments/Director: Waiting for checks to finish
2026/04/17 14:01:04 DEBUG : Local file system at /Users/xxxxxx/Desktop/TEST/Departments/Director: Waiting for transfers to finish
2026/04/17 14:01:04 DEBUG : Administrative Assistant/Icon␍.a7158590.partial: size = 0 OK
2026/04/17 14:01:04 DEBUG : Administrative Assistant/Icon␍: md5 = d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e OK
2026/04/17 14:01:04 ERROR : Administrative Assistant/Icon␍.a7158590.partial: partial file rename failed: rename /Users/xxxxxx/Desktop/TEST/Departments/Director/Administrative Assistant/Icon
.a7158590.partial /Users/xxxxxx/Desktop/TEST/Departments/Director/Administrative Assistant/Icon
: operation not permitted
2026/04/17 14:01:04 INFO  : Administrative Assistant/Icon␍.a7158590.partial: Removing failed copy
2026/04/17 14:01:04 ERROR : Local file system at /Users/xxxxxx/Desktop/TEST/Departments/Director: not deleting files as there were IO errors
2026/04/17 14:01:04 ERROR : Administrative Assistant: Failed to update directory timestamp or metadata: chtimes /Users/xxxxxx/Desktop/TEST/Departments/Director/Administrative Assistant: operation not permitted
2026/04/17 14:01:04 ERROR : Local file system at /Users/xxxxxx/Desktop/TEST/Departments/Director: not deleting directories as there were IO errors
2026/04/17 14:01:04 ERROR : Attempt 3/3 failed with 5 errors and: failed to set directory modtime: chtimes /Users/xxxxxx/Desktop/TEST/Departments/Director/Administrative Assistant: operation not permitted
2026/04/17 14:01:04 DEBUG : 
Transferred:   	          0 B / 0 B, -, 0 B/s, ETA -
Errors:                 5 (retrying may help)
Checks:                 0 / 0, -, Listed 9
Elapsed time:         2.4s

2026/04/17 14:01:04 DEBUG : 9 go routines active
2026/04/17 14:01:04 NOTICE: Failed to sync with 5 errors: last error was: failed to set directory modtime: chtimes /Users/xxxxxx/Desktop/TEST/Departments/Director/Administrative Assistant: operation not permitted
====================================
    
 ##################  END OF LOG ###################
```
2

welcome to the forum,

so rclone is working as intended?

those errors are about a local dirs/files on that particular machine.
what is the exact cron command, which user is running cron?

  • as a test, try --inplace --no-update-dir-modtime --retries=1