nextcloud / nextcloud/server

[Bug]: Files are silently removed from database when storage fails

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0. Needs triage 25-feedback bug feature: external storage feature: filesystem
Dominant language
PHP
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Description

⚠️ 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 (I've searched it).
  • Nextcloud Server is up to date. See Maintenance and Release Schedule for supported versions.
  • Nextcloud Server is running on 64bit capable CPU, PHP and OS.
  • I agree to follow Nextcloud's Code of Conduct.
Bug description

When trying to access a file on Nextcloud but, for some reason, the underlying storage device fails with an I/O error, Nextcloud removes the file from the database silently.

For an unsuspecting user, after solving the storage device problem and restarting Nextcloud, it will find said file has disappeared even though it still exists on the Nextcloud data directory.
This happens silently, so a user might find out months later that many of his files have mysteriously vanished.

The files can be added back by re-scanning the data directory, but that is assuming the user ever finds out that these files have been disappearing.
There are no Warning or Error logs about this either.

I could only trigger this bug by downloading big folders with multiple files through the web interface and having a storage I/O error during the download, but there might be other ways to trigger it.

The behavior seems similar to the one described here:
https://help.nextcloud.com/t/content-wiped-out-from-database-after-storage-unmounted/89534

Steps to reproduce

I'll describe how I can trigger the bug consistently on an external HDD, but there might be other ways to trigger it.

  1. Have Nextcloud with the data directory on an external USB HDD.
  2. Start the download of a big folder with multiple files through the web interface.
  3. Pull the USB cable to simulate a storage failure.
  4. Re-plug the cable, re-mount the storage, restart Nextcloud and refresh the web page.
  5. Notice how at least one file has vanished from the folder you were trying to download (possibly the file that was being accessed at the instant you unplugged the HDD).
Expected behavior

Nexcloud should provide an error message in the log, but should never assume a file has been deleted just because of an I/O error.

Installation method

Community Docker image

Operating system

Other

PHP engine version

PHP 8.1

Web server

Apache (supported)

Database engine version

MariaDB

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

Fresh Nextcloud Server install

Are you using the Nextcloud Server Encryption module?

None

What user-backends are you using?
  • Default user-backend (database)
  • LDAP/ Active Directory
  • SSO - SAML
  • Other
Configuration report
{
    "system": {
        "htaccess.RewriteBase": "\/",
        "memcache.local": "\\OC\\Memcache\\APCu",
        "apps_paths": [
            {
                "path": "\/var\/www\/html\/apps",
                "url": "\/apps",
                "writable": false
            },
            {
                "path": "\/var\/www\/html\/custom_apps",
                "url": "\/custom_apps",
                "writable": true
            }
        ],
        "memcache.distributed": "\\OC\\Memcache\\Redis",
        "memcache.locking": "\\OC\\Memcache\\Redis",
        "redis": {
            "host": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
            "password": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
            "port": 6379
        },
        "instanceid": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "passwordsalt": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "secret": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "trusted_domains": [
            "nextcloud.example.com"
        ],
        "datadirectory": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "dbtype": "mysql",
        "version": "25.0.3.2",
        "overwrite.cli.url": "https:\/\/nextcloud.example.com",
        "overwriteprotocol": "https",
        "dbname": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "dbhost": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "dbport": "",
        "dbtableprefix": "oc_",
        "mysql.utf8mb4": true,
        "dbuser": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "dbpassword": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "installed": true,
        "default_phone_region": "PT",
        "mail_from_address": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "mail_smtpmode": "smtp",
        "mail_sendmailmode": "smtp",
        "mail_domain": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "mail_smtpsecure": "tls",
        "mail_smtpauthtype": "LOGIN",
        "mail_smtphost": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "mail_smtpport": "587",
        "mail_smtpauth": 1,
        "mail_smtpname": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "mail_smtppassword": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "loglevel": 2,
        "maintenance": false,
        "theme": ""
    }
}
List of activated Apps
Enabled:
  - activity: 2.17.0
  - circles: 25.0.0
  - cloud_federation_api: 1.8.0
  - comments: 1.15.0
  - contactsinteraction: 1.6.0
  - dashboard: 7.5.0
  - dav: 1.24.0
  - federatedfilesharing: 1.15.0
  - federation: 1.15.0
  - files: 1.20.1
  - files_pdfviewer: 2.6.0
  - files_rightclick: 1.4.0
  - files_sharing: 1.17.0
  - files_trashbin: 1.15.0
  - files_versions: 1.18.0
  - firstrunwizard: 2.14.0
  - logreader: 2.10.0
  - lookup_server_connector: 1.13.0
  - nextcloud_announcements: 1.14.0
  - notifications: 2.13.1
  - oauth2: 1.13.0
  - password_policy: 1.15.0
  - photos: 2.0.1
  - privacy: 1.9.0
  - provisioning_api: 1.15.0
  - recommendations: 1.4.0
  - related_resources: 1.0.4
  - serverinfo: 1.15.0
  - settings: 1.7.0
  - sharebymail: 1.15.0
  - support: 1.8.0
  - survey_client: 1.13.0
  - systemtags: 1.15.0
  - text: 3.6.0
  - theming: 2.0.1
  - twofactor_backupcodes: 1.14.0
  - twofactor_totp: 7.0.0
  - updatenotification: 1.15.0
  - user_status: 1.5.0
  - viewer: 1.9.0
  - weather_status: 1.5.0
  - workflowengine: 2.7.0
Disabled:
  - admin_audit
  - bruteforcesettings
  - encryption
  - files_external
  - suspicious_login
  - user_ldap
Nextcloud Signing status
No errors have been found.
Nextcloud Logs
No logs are printed when triggering this bug.
Additional info

OS: Arch Linux

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

The issue names no source file, test, or entry point. Start by reproducing the failure with an external USB HDD during a web download, then trace how the missing storage result affects the database and logging. Done means an I/O failure is logged and does not remove the file's database entry.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
mariadb, php
Domain
backend, databases
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
35/100

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