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If ArchiveBox cannot write to its Docker volume, first confirm the resolved mount, then compare the container’s numeric UID/GID with the permissions granted by the host or remote filesystem. Don’t start with chmod -R 777 or a recursive chown: the cause may be a read-only mount, a NAS export rule, or a different path than the one you expected.

Diagnose the failing path before changing permissions

ArchiveBox’s Docker entrypoint uses root for setup, then runs ArchiveBox and Chrome as a non-root user. It selects the first non-root numeric owner it finds in the collection; for a new or root-owned collection, it falls back to 911:911. The username shown inside the container is less important than the numeric UID and GID the filesystem sees.

  1. Check the resolved Compose configuration. Run docker compose config. Confirm the intended host directory or named volume is mounted at the expected in-container path. Check for an incorrect source path, a read-only mount option such as :ro, or an override that changes the mount.
  2. Read the exact error. Run docker compose logs --tail=200 archivebox. Note the path and operation that failed. Writing the SQLite index, creating an archive snapshot, and writing runtime or cache files can involve different locations.
  3. Compare numeric identity and access. Check the collection’s owner and group on the host, the UID/GID ArchiveBox selects, and the effective owner or ACL on a NAS or other remote mount. Host and container usernames can differ even when the numeric IDs match—or match by name while the IDs differ.
  4. Correct the actual mismatch. If the filesystem grants writes to a different numeric identity, set PUID and PGID to the permitted IDs in your Compose service. If the mount or server denies access, fix its mount options, export mapping, or ACL instead.
  5. Retry initialization after the correction. Stop the service, inspect the configuration and logs, initialize, then start it again using the sequence below.

Set PUID and PGID in Compose

Use the numeric UID and GID that the mounted filesystem actually permits to write. For example, if the permitted identity is UID 1000 and GID 1000, add these values to the archivebox service’s environment section (change them to match your system):

services:
  archivebox:
    environment:
      - PUID=1000
      - PGID=1000

After editing, verify the resolved configuration and retry initialization:

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Use the same Compose project and service definition for these commands. If initialization still fails, return to the exact path in the error rather than applying a broad ownership change. A restart policy may repeat a failing startup, but it does not create or fix the underlying permissions problem.

Match the fix to the storage type

Local bind mount or named volume

For a local bind mount, check the directory on the Docker host and confirm the selected UID/GID can write there. For a named volume, confirm that Compose is mounting the volume you intended and that its contents are writable by the selected identity. Correct ownership or access narrowly at the relevant path if needed; avoid applying recursive changes to the entire archive just because one operation failed.

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NAS, NFS, or another remote mount

Check both the container’s view and the server-side policy. A remote share may map IDs differently, deny writes through an export rule, or be mounted read-only. ArchiveBox’s troubleshooting documentation states: “A read-only mount or NFS export that denies both the selected user and root cannot be repaired from inside the container.” Adjust the server-side mapping, export, or ACL first; changing PUID/PGID inside Compose cannot override a server denial.

Keep SQLite and application state local

With SQLite, keep index.sqlite3, configuration, logs, temporary/runtime files, and sidecar databases on reliable local storage. The official Docker image guidance allows remote storage for data/archive/; PostgreSQL is the documented exception for the main index. A remote archive path still needs server-side ownership and write permissions that match the selected UID/GID. See the official Docker image guidance and ArchiveBox troubleshooting documentation for the current layout and behavior.

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When UID/GID remapping is appropriate

Aligning PUID/PGID directly with the IDs authorized by the host or server is the simpler first approach. Historical ArchiveBox troubleshooting material mentions bindfs as an advanced way to present a remapped UID/GID when the underlying identity cannot be changed; an older example maps ID 33 to 911. That is environment-dependent historical guidance, not a default fix for a current installation. Validate the mount and image behavior before introducing an extra remapping layer.

The official Docker image documentation also describes an Rclone/FUSE mount pattern with --allow-other, --uid 911, --gid 911, --vfs-cache-mode full, and --vfs-links. These flags illustrate matching the effective mount owner to ArchiveBox’s PUID/PGID; they are not universal settings for every remote mount. Docker Desktop runs its daemon in a VM, so a FUSE mount on the host does not automatically behave like one on a Linux Docker host.

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Why recursive chmod or chown is usually the wrong first fix

ArchiveBox checks access and performs create/delete probes on important output paths. When those checks fail, its startup logic makes a shallow repair attempt on exact collection paths; it does not recursively scan or change data/archive/. A recursive ownership command can be slow or disruptive on a large archive, and it will not make a read-only mount or server-side denial writable. Identify the failing path and the permission boundary before making a targeted change.

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Troubleshoot common failure patterns

Symptom Likely cause to check Next action
Permission denied at the collection path The selected UID/GID does not match the host directory owner, group, or ACL. Compare numeric IDs and configure PUID/PGID to match an identity with write access.
Permission denied despite matching IDs A read-only mount, restrictive ACL, NAS mapping, or export policy may still block writes. Inspect mount options and server-side permissions; correct them where the share is managed.
SQLite or runtime file cannot be created Application state may be on remote storage, or the failing state path may not be writable. Keep SQLite and application state on reliable local storage and verify the mount and access for that path.
Compose starts the wrong directory or volume A source path, named volume, or override differs from what you expect. Inspect docker compose config and correct the resolved mount.
Container repeatedly restarts The restart policy is repeating a startup failure; it does not explain the original denial. Read the service logs, correct the underlying mount or identity issue, then retry initialization.
It worked before an image or Compose change The deployed image may use older behavior or the resolved configuration may have changed. Check the pinned image tag and resolved Compose configuration; verify the current entrypoint guidance applies to that version.

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