Symlinks not supported without the --links flag

Help and Support
1

STOP and READ USE THIS TEMPLATE NO EXCEPTIONS - By not using this, you waste your time, our time and really hate puppies. Please remove these two lines and that will confirm you have read them.

I am trying to install rclone for the first time in Windows 11, to access a Google Drive account. I installed WinFsp first, then ran this command:

rclone mount iotrax: m: --vfs-cache-mode writes

I get this error:

ERROR : symlinks not supported without the --links flag: /

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 v1.70.3
- os/version: Microsoft Windows 11 Pro 23H2 23H2 (64 bit)
- os/kernel: 10.0.22631.5039 (x86_64)
- os/type: windows
- os/arch: amd64
- go/version: go1.24.4
- go/linking: static
- go/tags: cmount

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 iotrax: m: --vfs-cache-mode writes

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

λ rclone config redacted

```
[iotrax]
type = drive
scope = drive
token = XXX
team_drive =
### Double check the config for sensitive info before posting publicly
```

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

rclone mount --vfs-cache-mode full iotrax:/ i: -vv
2025/08/11 18:21:35 DEBUG : rclone: Version "v1.70.3" starting with parameters ["rclone" "mount" "--vfs-cache-mode" "full" "iotrax:/" "i:" "-vv"]
2025/08/11 18:21:35 DEBUG : Creating backend with remote "iotrax:/"
2025/08/11 18:21:35 DEBUG : Using config file from "C:\\Users\\My User\\AppData\\Roaming\\rclone\\rclone.conf"
2025/08/11 18:21:35 DEBUG : Google drive root '': 'root_folder_id = 0ABl-RKtz94onUk9PVA' - save this in the config to speed up startup
2025/08/11 18:21:35 DEBUG : fs cache: renaming cache item "iotrax:/" to be canonical "iotrax:"
2025/08/11 18:21:35 DEBUG : Google drive root '': vfs cache: root is "C:\\Users\\My User\\AppData\\Local\\rclone"
2025/08/11 18:21:35 DEBUG : Google drive root '': vfs cache: data root is "\\\\?\\C:\\Users\\My User\\AppData\\Local\\rclone\\vfs\\iotrax"
2025/08/11 18:21:35 DEBUG : Google drive root '': vfs cache: metadata root is "\\\\?\\C:\\Users\\My User\\AppData\\Local\\rclone\\vfsMeta\\iotrax"
2025/08/11 18:21:35 DEBUG : Creating backend with remote ":local,encoding='Slash,LtGt,DoubleQuote,Colon,Question,Asterisk,Pipe,BackSlash,Ctl,RightSpace,RightPeriod,InvalidUtf8,Dot',links=false:C:/Users/My User/AppData/Local/rclone/vfs/iotrax/"
2025/08/11 18:21:35 DEBUG : :local: detected overridden config - adding "{R5KD5}" suffix to name
2025/08/11 18:21:35 DEBUG : fs cache: renaming cache item ":local,encoding='Slash,LtGt,DoubleQuote,Colon,Question,Asterisk,Pipe,BackSlash,Ctl,RightSpace,RightPeriod,InvalidUtf8,Dot',links=false:C:/Users/My User/AppData/Local/rclone/vfs/iotrax/" to be canonical ":local{R5KD5}://?/C:/Users/My User/AppData/Local/rclone/vfs/iotrax"
2025/08/11 18:21:35 DEBUG : Creating backend with remote ":local,encoding='Slash,LtGt,DoubleQuote,Colon,Question,Asterisk,Pipe,BackSlash,Ctl,RightSpace,RightPeriod,InvalidUtf8,Dot',links=false:C:/Users/My User/AppData/Local/rclone/vfsMeta/iotrax/"
2025/08/11 18:21:35 DEBUG : :local: detected overridden config - adding "{R5KD5}" suffix to name
2025/08/11 18:21:35 DEBUG : fs cache: renaming cache item ":local,encoding='Slash,LtGt,DoubleQuote,Colon,Question,Asterisk,Pipe,BackSlash,Ctl,RightSpace,RightPeriod,InvalidUtf8,Dot',links=false:C:/Users/My User/AppData/Local/rclone/vfsMeta/iotrax/" to be canonical ":local{R5KD5}://?/C:/Users/My User/AppData/Local/rclone/vfsMeta/iotrax"
2025/08/11 18:21:35 DEBUG : Network mode mounting is disabled
2025/08/11 18:21:35 INFO  : Google drive root '': vfs cache: cleaned: objects 0 (was 0) in use 0, to upload 0, uploading 0, total size 0 (was 0)
2025/08/11 18:21:35 DEBUG : Mounting on "i:" ("iotrax")
2025/08/11 18:21:35 DEBUG : Google drive root '': Mounting with options: ["-o" "attr_timeout=1" "-o" "uid=-1" "-o" "gid=-1" "--FileSystemName=rclone" "-o" "volname=iotrax"]
2025/08/11 18:21:35 DEBUG : Google drive root '': Init:
2025/08/11 18:21:35 DEBUG : Google drive root '': >Init:
2025/08/11 18:21:35 DEBUG : /: Statfs:
2025/08/11 18:21:35 DEBUG : /: >Statfs: stat={Bsize:4096 Frsize:4096 Blocks:3932160 Bfree:3080098 Bavail:3080098 Files:1000000000 Ffree:1000000000 Favail:0 Fsid:0 Flag:0 Namemax:255}, errc=0
2025/08/11 18:21:35 DEBUG : /: Getattr: fh=0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
2025/08/11 18:21:35 DEBUG : /: >Getattr: errc=0
2025/08/11 18:21:35 DEBUG : /: Readlink:
2025/08/11 18:21:35 ERROR : symlinks not supported without the --links flag: /
2025/08/11 18:21:35 DEBUG : /: >Readlink: errc=-40, linkPath=""
2025/08/11 18:21:35 DEBUG : /: Getxattr: name="non-existant-a11ec902d22f4ec49003af15282d3b00"
2025/08/11 18:21:35 DEBUG : /: >Getxattr: errc=-40, value=""
The service rclone has been started.
2025/08/11 18:21:36 DEBUG : /: Getattr: fh=0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
2025/08/11 18:21:36 DEBUG : /: >Getattr: errc=0
2025/08/11 18:21:36 DEBUG : /: Getattr: fh=0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
2025/08/11 18:21:36 DEBUG : /: >Getattr: errc=0
2025/08/11 18:21:36 DEBUG : /: Opendir:
2025/08/11 18:21:36 DEBUG : /: OpenFile: flags=O_RDONLY, perm=-rwxrwxrwx
2025/08/11 18:21:36 DEBUG : /: >OpenFile: fd=/ (r), err=<nil>
2025/08/11 18:21:36 DEBUG : /: >Opendir: errc=0, fh=0x0
2025/08/11 18:21:36 DEBUG : /: Statfs:
2025/08/11 18:21:36 DEBUG : /: >Statfs: stat={Bsize:4096 Frsize:4096 Blocks:3932160 Bfree:3080098 Bavail:3080098 Files:1000000000 Ffree:1000000000 Favail:0 Fsid:0 Flag:0 Namemax:255}, errc=0
2025/08/11 18:21:36 DEBUG : /: Getattr: fh=0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
2025/08/11 18:21:36 DEBUG : /: >Getattr: errc=0
2025/08/11 18:21:36 DEBUG : /: Releasedir: fh=0x0
2025/08/11 18:21:36 DEBUG : /: >Releasedir: errc=0
2025/08/11 18:21:36 DEBUG : /: Getattr: fh=0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
2025/08/11 18:21:36 DEBUG : /: >Getattr: errc=0
2025/08/11 18:21:36 DEBUG : /: Opendir:
2025/08/11 18:21:36 DEBUG : /: OpenFile: flags=O_RDONLY, perm=-rwxrwxrwx
2025/08/11 18:21:36 DEBUG : /: >OpenFile: fd=/ (r), err=<nil>
2025/08/11 18:21:36 DEBUG : /: >Opendir: errc=0, fh=0x0
2025/08/11 18:21:36 DEBUG : /: Releasedir: fh=0x0
2025/08/11 18:21:36 DEBUG : /: >Releasedir: errc=0
2025/08/11 18:21:36 DEBUG : /: Getattr: fh=0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
2025/08/11 18:21:36 DEBUG : /: >Getattr: errc=0
2025/08/11 18:21:36 DEBUG : /: Getattr: fh=0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
2025/08/11 18:21:36 DEBUG : /: >Getattr: errc=0
2025/08/11 18:21:36 DEBUG : /: Opendir:
2025/08/11 18:21:36 DEBUG : /: OpenFile: flags=O_RDONLY, perm=-rwxrwxrwx
2025/08/11 18:21:36 DEBUG : /: >OpenFile: fd=/ (r), err=<nil>
2025/08/11 18:21:36 DEBUG : /: >Opendir: errc=0, fh=0x0
2025/08/11 18:21:36 DEBUG : /: Releasedir: fh=0x0
2025/08/11 18:21:36 DEBUG : /: >Releasedir: errc=0

Paste  log here
2

welcome to the forum,

if you want symlink support, need to use –-links

3

Thanks. I just ran this command:


rclone mount --vfs-cache-mode full iotrax:/ i: --links
2025/08/11 18:25:46 NOTICE: Google drive root '': Symlinks support enabled
The service rclone has been started.

I didn’t get an error, but I also don’t have an i: drive.

Any ideas??

4

always run command with -vv for debug output

5

Here is the full output:

rclone mount --vfs-cache-mode full iotrax:/ i: --links -vv
2025/08/11 20:46:04 DEBUG : rclone: Version "v1.70.3" starting with parameters ["rclone" "mount" "--vfs-cache-mode" "full" "iotrax:/" "i:" "--links" "-vv"]
2025/08/11 20:46:04 DEBUG : Creating backend with remote "iotrax:/"
2025/08/11 20:46:04 DEBUG : Using config file from "C:\\Users\\My User\\AppData\\Roaming\\rclone\\rclone.conf"
2025/08/11 20:46:04 DEBUG : Google drive root '': 'root_folder_id = 0ABl-RKtz94onUk9PVA' - save this in the config to speed up startup
2025/08/11 20:46:04 DEBUG : fs cache: renaming cache item "iotrax:/" to be canonical "iotrax:"
2025/08/11 20:46:04 NOTICE: Google drive root '': Symlinks support enabled
2025/08/11 20:46:04 DEBUG : Google drive root '': vfs cache: root is "C:\\Users\\My User\\AppData\\Local\\rclone"
2025/08/11 20:46:04 DEBUG : Google drive root '': vfs cache: data root is "\\\\?\\C:\\Users\\My User\\AppData\\Local\\rclone\\vfs\\iotrax"
2025/08/11 20:46:04 DEBUG : Google drive root '': vfs cache: metadata root is "\\\\?\\C:\\Users\\My User\\AppData\\Local\\rclone\\vfsMeta\\iotrax"
2025/08/11 20:46:04 DEBUG : Creating backend with remote ":local,encoding='Slash,LtGt,DoubleQuote,Colon,Question,Asterisk,Pipe,BackSlash,Ctl,RightSpace,RightPeriod,InvalidUtf8,Dot',links=false:C:/Users/My User/AppData/Local/rclone/vfs/iotrax/"
2025/08/11 20:46:04 DEBUG : :local: detected overridden config - adding "{R5KD5}" suffix to name
2025/08/11 20:46:04 DEBUG : fs cache: renaming cache item ":local,encoding='Slash,LtGt,DoubleQuote,Colon,Question,Asterisk,Pipe,BackSlash,Ctl,RightSpace,RightPeriod,InvalidUtf8,Dot',links=false:C:/Users/My User/AppData/Local/rclone/vfs/iotrax/" to be canonical ":local{R5KD5}://?/C:/Users/My User/AppData/Local/rclone/vfs/iotrax"
2025/08/11 20:46:04 DEBUG : Creating backend with remote ":local,encoding='Slash,LtGt,DoubleQuote,Colon,Question,Asterisk,Pipe,BackSlash,Ctl,RightSpace,RightPeriod,InvalidUtf8,Dot',links=false:C:/Users/My User/AppData/Local/rclone/vfsMeta/iotrax/"
2025/08/11 20:46:04 DEBUG : :local: detected overridden config - adding "{R5KD5}" suffix to name
2025/08/11 20:46:04 DEBUG : fs cache: renaming cache item ":local,encoding='Slash,LtGt,DoubleQuote,Colon,Question,Asterisk,Pipe,BackSlash,Ctl,RightSpace,RightPeriod,InvalidUtf8,Dot',links=false:C:/Users/My User/AppData/Local/rclone/vfsMeta/iotrax/" to be canonical ":local{R5KD5}://?/C:/Users/My User/AppData/Local/rclone/vfsMeta/iotrax"
2025/08/11 20:46:04 DEBUG : Network mode mounting is disabled
2025/08/11 20:46:04 DEBUG : Mounting on "i:" ("iotrax")
2025/08/11 20:46:04 DEBUG : Google drive root '': Mounting with options: ["-o" "attr_timeout=1" "-o" "uid=-1" "-o" "gid=-1" "--FileSystemName=rclone" "-o" "volname=iotrax"]
2025/08/11 20:46:04 INFO  : Google drive root '': vfs cache: cleaned: objects 0 (was 0) in use 0, to upload 0, uploading 0, total size 0 (was 0)
2025/08/11 20:46:05 DEBUG : Google drive root '': Init:
2025/08/11 20:46:05 DEBUG : Google drive root '': >Init:
2025/08/11 20:46:05 DEBUG : /: Statfs:
2025/08/11 20:46:05 DEBUG : /: >Statfs: stat={Bsize:4096 Frsize:4096 Blocks:3932160 Bfree:3079483 Bavail:3079483 Files:1000000000 Ffree:1000000000 Favail:0 Fsid:0 Flag:0 Namemax:255}, errc=0
2025/08/11 20:46:05 DEBUG : /: Getattr: fh=0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
2025/08/11 20:46:05 DEBUG : /: >Getattr: errc=0
2025/08/11 20:46:05 DEBUG : /: Readlink:
2025/08/11 20:46:05 DEBUG : /: >Readlink: errc=-22, linkPath=""
2025/08/11 20:46:05 DEBUG : /.: Getattr: fh=0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
2025/08/11 20:46:05 DEBUG : /.: >Getattr: errc=-2
2025/08/11 20:46:05 DEBUG : /: Getxattr: name="non-existant-a11ec902d22f4ec49003af15282d3b00"
2025/08/11 20:46:05 DEBUG : /: >Getxattr: errc=-40, value=""
The service rclone has been started.
2025/08/11 20:46:05 DEBUG : /: Getattr: fh=0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
2025/08/11 20:46:05 DEBUG : /: >Getattr: errc=0
2025/08/11 20:46:05 DEBUG : /: Getattr: fh=0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
2025/08/11 20:46:05 DEBUG : /: >Getattr: errc=0
2025/08/11 20:46:05 DEBUG : /: Opendir:
2025/08/11 20:46:05 DEBUG : /: OpenFile: flags=O_RDONLY, perm=-rwxrwxrwx
2025/08/11 20:46:05 DEBUG : /: >OpenFile: fd=/ (r), err=<nil>
2025/08/11 20:46:05 DEBUG : /: >Opendir: errc=0, fh=0x0
2025/08/11 20:46:05 DEBUG : /: Statfs:
2025/08/11 20:46:05 DEBUG : /: Getattr: fh=0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
2025/08/11 20:46:05 DEBUG : /: >Statfs: stat={Bsize:4096 Frsize:4096 Blocks:3932160 Bfree:3079483 Bavail:3079483 Files:1000000000 Ffree:1000000000 Favail:0 Fsid:0 Flag:0 Namemax:255}, errc=0
2025/08/11 20:46:05 DEBUG : /: >Getattr: errc=0
2025/08/11 20:46:05 DEBUG : /: Releasedir: fh=0x0
2025/08/11 20:46:05 DEBUG : /: >Releasedir: errc=0
2025/08/11 20:46:05 DEBUG : /: Getattr: fh=0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
2025/08/11 20:46:05 DEBUG : /: >Getattr: errc=0
2025/08/11 20:46:05 DEBUG : /: Opendir:
2025/08/11 20:46:05 DEBUG : /: OpenFile: flags=O_RDONLY, perm=-rwxrwxrwx
2025/08/11 20:46:05 DEBUG : /: >OpenFile: fd=/ (r), err=<nil>
2025/08/11 20:46:05 DEBUG : /: >Opendir: errc=0, fh=0x0
2025/08/11 20:46:05 DEBUG : /: Releasedir: fh=0x0
2025/08/11 20:46:05 DEBUG : /: >Releasedir: errc=0
2025/08/11 20:46:05 DEBUG : /: Getattr: fh=0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
2025/08/11 20:46:05 DEBUG : /: >Getattr: errc=0
2025/08/11 20:46:05 DEBUG : /: Getattr: fh=0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
2025/08/11 20:46:05 DEBUG : /: >Getattr: errc=0
2025/08/11 20:46:05 DEBUG : /: Opendir:
2025/08/11 20:46:05 DEBUG : /: OpenFile: flags=O_RDONLY, perm=-rwxrwxrwx
2025/08/11 20:46:05 DEBUG : /: >OpenFile: fd=/ (r), err=<nil>
2025/08/11 20:46:05 DEBUG : /: >Opendir: errc=0, fh=0x0
2025/08/11 20:46:05 DEBUG : /: Releasedir: fh=0x0
2025/08/11 20:46:05 DEBUG : /: >Releasedir: errc=0


```
6

This topic was automatically closed 30 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.