[Bug]: Upgrade from 32.0.1 to 32.0.2 fails with "Check for write permissions"

[gav-]

⚠️ This issue respects the following points: ⚠️

• This is a bug, not a question or a configuration/webserver/proxy issue.
• This issue is not already reported on Github OR Nextcloud Community Forum (I've searched it).
• Nextcloud Server is up to date. See Maintenance and Release Schedule for supported versions.
• I agree to follow Nextcloud's Code of Conduct.

Bug description

Upgrade from 32.0.1 to 32.0.2 fails with "Check for write permissions" for "config.php,v" when using Nextcloud's web updater.

I use RCS to version my nextcloud/config/config.php file, Nextcloud has no reason to write to RCS/config.php,v (RCS's created file).

Steps to reproduce

1. Create an RCS directory under nextcloud/config/
2. Within nextcloud/config use RCS's ci -l config.php which creates an RCS/config.php,v file (note permissions on RCS/config.php,v do not include "writable")
3. Open Nextcloud's web updater and click "Start update"
4. "Check for write permissions" fails with the following text:

The following places can not be written to:

    config.php,v

Expected behavior

Update passes write permissions check for files not managed by Nextcloud.

Nextcloud Server version

32

Operating system

Debian/Ubuntu

PHP engine version

PHP 8.2

Web server

Apache (supported)

Database engine version

MariaDB

Is this bug present after an update or on a fresh install?

Updated from a MINOR version (ex. 32.0.1 to 32.0.2)

Are you using the Nextcloud Server Encryption module?

Encryption is Disabled

What user-backends are you using?

• Default user-backend (database)
• LDAP/ Active Directory
• SSO - SAML
• Other

Configuration report

{                                                           
    "system": {                                             
        "instanceid": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "passwordsalt": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "secret": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "trusted_domains": [
            "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",              
            "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***"                                 
        ],                                                  
        "datadirectory": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "overwrite.cli.url": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "dbtype": "mysql",                                  
        "version": "32.0.1.2",     
        "dbname": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "dbhost": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "dbport": "",   
        "dbtableprefix": "oc_",                             
        "dbuser": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "dbpassword": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",      
        "installed": true,  
        "htaccess.RewriteBase": "\/",                       
        "mail_smtpmode": "smtp",                            
        "mail_from_address": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",                                                           
        "mail_domain": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "memcache.local": "\\OC\\Memcache\\Redis",          
        "memcache.locking": "\\OC\\Memcache\\Redis",        
        "redis": {     
            "host": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",        
            "port": 0,
            "dbindex": 0,
            "password": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",    
            "timeout": 1.5
        },                                                  
        "maintenance": false,                               
        "theme": "",   
        "loglevel": 2, 
        "log_type": "file",
        "logfile": "\/var\/log\/nextcloud.log",             
        "logfilemode": 416,
        "logdateformat": "F d, Y H:i:s",                    
        "enable_previews": true,                            
        "preview_max_x": 1920,        
        "preview_max_y": 1080,                              
        "enabledPreviewProviders": [                      
            "OC\\Preview\\PNG",                   
            "OC\\Preview\\JPEG",                
            "OC\\Preview\\GIF",   
            "OC\\Preview\\BMP",                  
            "OC\\Preview\\XBitmap",                         
            "OC\\Preview\\MP3",                             
            "OC\\Preview\\TXT",                       
            "OC\\Preview\\MarkDown",                        
            "OC\\Preview\\PDF",                             
            "OC\\Preview\\SVG",                             
            "OC\\Preview\\TIFF",                      
            "OC\\Preview\\Font",                        
            "OC\\Preview\\Movie"                  
        ],                  
        "mail_smtphost": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "mail_smtpport": "25",                              
        "mysql.utf8mb4": true,                              
        "defaultapp": "apporder",                        
        "default_phone_region": "AU",                                                                                   
        "maintenance_window_start": 16,                     
        "app_install_overwrite": []
    }                                                       
}

List of activated Apps

Enabled:                                                    
  - activity: 5.0.0-dev.0
  - bookmarks: 16.0.1                                       
  - bruteforcesettings: 5.0.0-dev.0               
  - circles: 32.0.0                                         
  - cloud_federation_api: 1.16.0  
  - comments: 1.22.0                                        
  - contactsinteraction: 1.13.1
  - dashboard: 7.12.0
  - dav: 1.34.2         
  - deck: 1.16.1                                            
  - federatedfilesharing: 1.22.0     
  - federation: 1.22.0                                      
  - files: 2.4.0                                            
  - files_downloadlimit: 5.0.0-dev.0                        
  - files_external: 1.24.0
  - files_pdfviewer: 5.0.0-dev.0
  - files_reminders: 1.5.0   
  - files_sharing: 1.24.0                                                                                               
  - files_trashbin: 1.22.0                                                                                              
  - files_versions: 1.25.0                                  
  - firstrunwizard: 5.0.0-dev.0                             
  - impersonate: 3.0.0    
  - logreader: 5.0.0-dev.0                                  
  - lookup_server_connector: 1.20.0          
  - metadata: 0.23.0      
  - notifications: 5.0.0-dev.0                              
  - oauth2: 1.20.0                                          
  - password_policy: 4.0.0-dev.0         
  - photos: 5.0.0-dev.1                                     
  - previewgenerator: 5.11.0                                                                                            
  - privacy: 4.0.0-dev.0                                    
  - profile: 1.1.0
  - provisioning_api: 1.22.0                                                                                            
  - related_resources: 3.0.0-dev.0                                                                                      
  - serverinfo: 4.0.0-dev.0                                 
  - settings: 1.15.1                                                                                                    
  - sharebymail: 1.22.0                                                                                                 
  - support: 4.0.0-dev.0                                    
  - systemtags: 1.22.0                                                                                                  
  - tasks: 0.17.1                                                                                                       
  - text: 6.0.1                                             
  - theming: 2.7.0                                          
  - twofactor_backupcodes: 1.21.0                        
  - updatenotification: 1.22.0                           
  - user_status: 1.12.0                                     
  - viewer: 5.0.0-dev.0                                     
  - weather_status: 1.12.0                                  
  - webhook_listeners: 1.3.0                                
  - workflowengine: 2.14.0
Disabled:                                                   
  - admin_audit: 1.22.0
  - app_api: 32.0.0 (installed 32.0.0)                      
  - encryption: 2.20.0   
  - nextcloud_announcements: 4.0.0-dev.0 (installed 1.4.0)  
  - recommendations: 5.0.0-dev.0 (installed 0.8.0)
  - survey_client: 4.0.0-dev.0 (installed 1.7.0)            
  - suspicious_login: 10.0.0-dev.0
  - twofactor_nextcloud_notification: 6.0.0-dev.0           
  - twofactor_totp: 14.0.0                                  
  - user_ldap: 1.23.0

Nextcloud Signing status

No errors have been found.

Nextcloud Logs

From updater.log:

2025-11-21T10:35:12+1100 nEHWevIAdp [info] getChangelogURL()
2025-11-21T10:35:12+1100 nEHWevIAdp [info] end of checkForUpdate() Update to Nextcloud 32.0.2 available. (channel: "stable")<br /><span class="light">Following file will be downloaded automatically:</span> <code class="light">https://download.nextcloud.com/server/releases/nextcloud-32.0.2.zip</code><br /><a class="external_link" href="https://nextcloud.com/changelog/#32-0-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Open changelog ↗</a>
2025-11-21T10:35:32+1100 DNRyyTAD3o [info] request to updater
2025-11-21T10:35:32+1100 DNRyyTAD3o [info] currentStep()
2025-11-21T10:35:32+1100 DNRyyTAD3o [info] POST request for step "1"
2025-11-21T10:35:32+1100 DNRyyTAD3o [info] startStep("1")
2025-11-21T10:35:32+1100 DNRyyTAD3o [info] checkForExpectedFilesAndFolders()
2025-11-21T10:35:32+1100 DNRyyTAD3o [info] end of checkForExpectedFilesAndFolders()
2025-11-21T10:35:32+1100 DNRyyTAD3o [info] endStep("1")
2025-11-21T10:35:32+1100 6oU8xxfS0m [info] request to updater
2025-11-21T10:35:32+1100 6oU8xxfS0m [info] currentStep()
2025-11-21T10:35:32+1100 6oU8xxfS0m [info] Step 1 is in state "end".
2025-11-21T10:35:32+1100 6oU8xxfS0m [info] POST request for step "2"
2025-11-21T10:35:33+1100 6oU8xxfS0m [info] startStep("2")
2025-11-21T10:35:33+1100 6oU8xxfS0m [info] checkWritePermissions()
2025-11-21T10:35:33+1100 6oU8xxfS0m [error] POST request failed with UpdateException
2025-11-21T10:35:33+1100 6oU8xxfS0m [error] Exception: UpdateException
Message: 
Code:0
Trace:
#0 /var/www/html/nextcloud/updater/index.php(1421): Updater->checkWritePermissions()
nextcloud/server#1 {main}
File:/var/www/html/nextcloud/updater/index.php
Line:398
Data:
Array
(
    [0] => config.php,v
)

Additional info

No response

[MrRinkana]

Aren't write permissions to config.php mandatory? Nextcloud sometimes has to write things there, such as setting "maintenance mode: true" during updates, no?

[gav-]

Aren't write permissions to config.php mandatory? Nextcloud sometimes has to write things there, such as setting "maintenance mode: true" during updates, no?

You clearly haven't read my bug report, and I am forced to reply in case someone is now misled by your comment.

I explicitly stated that the file in question is config.php,v. It is not a file that Nextcloud has any reason to modify. It is an artifact from using RCS for version control.

[joshtrichards]

Update passes write permissions check for files not managed by Nextcloud.

All files in the installation folder are managed by Nextcloud.

The error message is from the built-in automated Updater app and matches implementation. Write permission is required for it to be able to reliably move around and update the installation folder contents:

https://docs.nextcloud.com/server/latest/admin_manual/maintenance/update.html#what-does-the-updater-do

If that's a problem you can use an alternative update method, such as the manual upgrade process (also documented in the Admin Manual).

[vlastimilott]

Trying to update from 32.0.0 to 32.0.2, this is from updater.log. The CLI updater stops with the same failure.

2025-11-29T10:45:01+0000 qUpDrQoRIj [info] checkForUpdate() Array
(
    [version] => 32.0.2.2
    [versionstring] => Nextcloud 32.0.2
    [url] => https://download.nextcloud.com/server/releases/nextcloud-32.0.2.zip
    [downloads] => SimpleXMLElement Object
        (
            [bz2] => Array
                (
                    [0] => https://github.com/nextcloud-releases/server/releases/download/v32.0.2/nextcloud-32.0.2.tar.bz2
                    [1] => https://download.nextcloud.com/server/releases/nextcloud-32.0.2.tar.bz2
                )

            [zip] => Array
                (
                    [0] => https://github.com/nextcloud-releases/server/releases/download/v32.0.2/nextcloud-32.0.2.zip
                    [1] => https://download.nextcloud.com/server/releases/nextcloud-32.0.2.zip
                )

        )

    [web] => https://docs.nextcloud.com/server/32/admin_manual/maintenance/upgrade.html
    [changes] => https://updates.nextcloud.com/changelog_server/?version=32.0.2
    [autoupdater] => 1
    [eol] => 0
    [eolDate] => SimpleXMLElement Object
        (
        )

    [signature] => xnW+k/9eIZF5fV87I1kgXQjhPgnP/LW6K8AZ3bep/MJfrDILNtvZCyUAZyR3NjMk
1S6AdZTTYgyRkGqtidi8q5lfsq1wzGxLUZRXNzAqIcYDPrMtPctPW7unhNGEeVsp
XwLonGtJrELEd3kGQX358Qg+ZhmAB6s0Jykt+zjZLmFOi/vZoru2lWtx1hqYDXva
Si4d80+47GGKEq0J9hm3ZXT7YdoMNEBx08vf5oCoebtfyKtqIGROstFl9jkp1Gu/
36+hTTiiicGS8oofCdc2Vt9i7ap59XSexI1Dy3oBnpHZFi/Wi7xUJQ4EZCNksGwT
nhE2PTn9tybRi3nFnpwyRg==
)
2025-11-29T10:45:01+0000 qUpDrQoRIj [info] getChangelogURL()
2025-11-29T10:45:01+0000 qUpDrQoRIj [info] end of checkForUpdate() Update to Nextcloud 32.0.2 available. (channel: "stable")<br /><span class="light">Following file will be downloaded automatically:</span> <code class="light">https://download.nextcloud.com/server/releases/nextcloud-32.0.2.zip</code><br /><a class="external_link" href="https://nextcloud.com/changelog/#32-0-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Open changelog ↗</a>
2025-11-29T10:45:08+0000 qUpDrQoRIj [info] updater started
2025-11-29T10:45:08+0000 qUpDrQoRIj [info] executeStep request for step "1"
2025-11-29T10:45:08+0000 qUpDrQoRIj [info] startStep("1")
2025-11-29T10:45:08+0000 qUpDrQoRIj [info] checkForExpectedFilesAndFolders()
2025-11-29T10:45:08+0000 qUpDrQoRIj [info] end of checkForExpectedFilesAndFolders()
2025-11-29T10:45:08+0000 qUpDrQoRIj [info] endStep("1")
2025-11-29T10:45:08+0000 qUpDrQoRIj [info] executeStep request for step "2"
2025-11-29T10:45:08+0000 qUpDrQoRIj [info] startStep("2")
2025-11-29T10:45:08+0000 qUpDrQoRIj [info] checkWritePermissions()
2025-11-29T10:45:10+0000 qUpDrQoRIj [error] executeStep request failed with UpdateException
2025-11-29T10:45:10+0000 qUpDrQoRIj [error] Exception: NC\Updater\UpdateException
Message: 
Code:0
Trace:
#0 phar:///var/www/xxxxxxxx.xx/team/updater/updater.phar/lib/UpdateCommand.php(399): NC\Updater\Updater->checkWritePermissions()
#1 phar:///var/www/xxxxxxxx.xx/team/updater/updater.phar/lib/UpdateCommand.php(232): NC\Updater\UpdateCommand->executeStep()
#2 phar:///var/www/xxxxxxxx.xx/team/updater/updater.phar/vendor/symfony/console/Command/Command.php(298): NC\Updater\UpdateCommand->execute()
#3 phar:///var/www/xxxxxxxx.xx/team/updater/updater.phar/vendor/symfony/console/Application.php(1040): Symfony\Component\Console\Command\Command->run()
#4 phar:///var/www/xxxxxxxx.xx/team/updater/updater.phar/vendor/symfony/console/Application.php(301): Symfony\Component\Console\Application->doRunCommand()
#5 phar:///var/www/xxxxxxxx.xx/team/updater/updater.phar/vendor/symfony/console/Application.php(171): Symfony\Component\Console\Application->doRun()
#6 phar:///var/www/xxxxxxxx.xx/team/updater/updater.phar/updater.php(17): Symfony\Component\Console\Application->run()
#7 /var/www/xxxxxxxx.xx/team/updater/updater.phar(14): require('...')
#8 {main}
File:phar:///var/www/xxxxxxxx.xx/team/updater/updater.phar/lib/Updater.php
Line:380
Data:
Array
(
    [0] => pack-9f4b83a0ac5de685cc5f58e97f9431b174d8d3a5.pack
    [1] => pack-9f4b83a0ac5de685cc5f58e97f9431b174d8d3a5.idx
)


2025-11-29T10:45:10+0000 qUpDrQoRIj [info] rollbackChanges("2")
2025-11-29T10:45:10+0000 qUpDrQoRIj [info] unlink .step
2025-11-29T10:45:10+0000 qUpDrQoRIj [info] end of  rollbackChanges()

CLI:

[✔] Check for expected files
[✘] Check for write permissions failed
The following places can not be written to:
    pack-9f4b83a0ac5de685cc5f58e97f9431b174d8d3a5.pack
    pack-9f4b83a0ac5de685cc5f58e97f9431b174d8d3a5.idx

Update failed. To resume or retry just execute the updater again.