Benjamin L. Stewart

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tagslinux

24 min read

Installing NextCloud

Installing NextCloud in Cosmic Desktop

  • Recommendations for Setting Up NextCloud in Cosmic Desktop

    This version assumes nothing is installed yet and uses this exact local Linux username and external hard-drive path:

    Linux username: ben
External drive: /mnt/usb-Seagate_Portable_NT3FC3M0-0:0-part1
Recommended sync folder: /mnt/usb-Seagate_Portable_NT3FC3M0-0:0-part1/Nextcloud_Sync

    This guide installs and configures:

    1. Nextcloud Server with the Snap package.

    2. Nextcloud Desktop Client with the official Linux AppImage.

    3. The desktop client so it syncs to the Seagate external drive.

    4. Automatic server startup after reboot.

    5. Automatic desktop-client startup after ben logs in to COSMIC.

    6. A startup wrapper that waits for the external drive before launching sync.

    0. Read this first: server storage vs. desktop sync folder

    Nextcloud has two different parts.

    • Install Snap

      Run these commands exactly:

      sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y snapd
sudo systemctl enable --now snapd.socket

      Then reboot:

      sudo reboot

      After reboot, log back in as ben and check that Snap now works:

      snap version

      Then continue with Nextcloud:

      sudo snap install nextcloud
sudo snap start --enable nextcloud
snap services nextcloud

      I also added this troubleshooting note to your Capacities page so the guide now covers sudo: snap: command not found.

    Nextcloud Server

    The server is the web application. It manages users, files, sharing, the Android app, the web interface, and remote access.

    In this guide, the server is installed with:

    sudo snap install nextcloud

    The server will start automatically after the computer boots.

    Nextcloud Desktop Client

    The desktop client is the sync program. It runs after ben logs in to COSMIC and keeps a local folder synchronized with the Nextcloud server.

    In this guide, the desktop client syncs to:

    /mnt/usb-Seagate_Portable_NT3FC3M0-0:0-part1/Nextcloud_Sync

    Important safety rule

    Do not use the same folder as both:

    • the server’s internal data folder, and

    • the desktop client’s sync folder.

    That can create sync loops, permission conflicts, duplicates, or data loss.

    This guide uses the external hard drive as the desktop sync target. That means files placed in the external drive’s Nextcloud_Sync folder are uploaded to the Nextcloud server, and files uploaded to the server appear in that folder.

    1. Verify the external hard drive

    Open COSMIC Terminal.

    Set the drive path as a variable:

    DRIVE="/mnt/usb-Seagate_Portable_NT3FC3M0-0:0-part1"

    Check that the drive exists:

    ls -ld "$DRIVE"

    Check the filesystem type and free space:

    df -T "$DRIVE"
df -h "$DRIVE"

    Check whether Linux recognizes it as a mount point:

    findmnt "$DRIVE"

    Test whether user ben can write to it:

    touch "$DRIVE/.nextcloud-write-test"
rm "$DRIVE/.nextcloud-write-test"

    If the touch command fails, fix ownership:

    sudo chown ben:ben "$DRIVE"
chmod 755 "$DRIVE"

    Do not recursively change ownership of the entire drive yet unless you are sure everything on it should belong to ben.

    2. Make the external drive mount reliably after reboot

    Nextcloud sync must not start before the external drive is ready.

    First, find the drive UUID:

    lsblk -f

    Look for the partition that mounts at:

    /mnt/usb-Seagate_Portable_NT3FC3M0-0:0-part1

    Write down its UUID and filesystem type

    a8dc957e-100b-49f7-93e2-651cacec923f

    Open /etc/fstab:

    sudo nano /etc/fstab

    If the drive is ext4, add a line like this, replacing <UUID> with the real UUID:

    UUID=<UUID> /mnt/usb-Seagate_Portable_NT3FC3M0-0:0-part1 ext4 defaults,nofail,x-systemd.automount 0 2

    If the drive is ntfs3, first check user and group IDs:

    id ben

    For a typical single-user system, ben is usually UID 1000 and GID 1000. If the numbers are different, use the real numbers.

    Add a line like this for ntfs3:

    UUID=<UUID> /mnt/usb-Seagate_Portable_NT3FC3M0-0:0-part1 ntfs3 rw,uid=1000,gid=1000,nofail,x-systemd.automount 0 0

    Save and exit Nano:

    Ctrl+O → Enter → Ctrl+X

    Reload and test:

    sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo mount -a
findmnt "$DRIVE"

    Do not continue until findmnt confirms that the drive is mounted at the exact path.

    3. Create a dedicated Nextcloud sync folder on the external drive

    Do not use the raw drive root as the sync folder unless you intentionally want everything at the top of the drive synced.

    Recommended folder:

    /mnt/usb-Seagate_Portable_NT3FC3M0-0:0-part1/Nextcloud_Sync

    Create it:

    SYNC_ROOT="/mnt/usb-Seagate_Portable_NT3FC3M0-0:0-part1/Nextcloud_Sync"
mkdir -p "$SYNC_ROOT"
sudo chown -R ben:ben "$SYNC_ROOT"
find "$SYNC_ROOT" -type d -exec chmod 755 {} \;
find "$SYNC_ROOT" -type f -exec chmod 644 {} \;

    Confirm:

    ls -ld "$SYNC_ROOT"

    It should show ben ben as owner and group.

    If you already have files on the Seagate drive that you want in Nextcloud, the safest novice method is:

    1. Keep them where they are for now.

    2. Finish the server and client setup.

    3. After the sync client works, move or copy the desired folders into Nextcloud_Sync.

    Avoid syncing Linux system folders such as lost+found.

    4. Install system requirements

    Update the system:

    sudo apt update
sudo apt full-upgrade -y

    Install basic tools:

    sudo apt install -y snapd curl wget jq ufw gnome-keyring libsecret-tools libnotify-bin desktop-file-utils
sudo apt install -y libfuse2t64 || sudo apt install -y libfuse2

    Enable Snap support:

    sudo systemctl enable --now snapd.socket
sudo snap install core

    Reboot once:

    sudo reboot

    After reboot, log back in as ben and open COSMIC Terminal.

    Confirm Snap works:

    snap version

    5. Install the Nextcloud server

    Install the Nextcloud server Snap:

    sudo snap install nextcloud

    Confirm it installed:

    snap list nextcloud
snap services nextcloud

    Enable and start all Nextcloud services:

    sudo snap start --enable nextcloud

    6. Create the first Nextcloud admin account

    Use ben as the first Nextcloud admin username:

    read -s -p "Create a strong Nextcloud admin password for ben: " NC_ADMIN_PASS
echo
sudo nextcloud.manual-install ben "$NC_ADMIN_PASS"
unset NC_ADMIN_PASS

    Store this password in a password manager.

    This creates the first admin account for the web interface.

    7. Configure trusted local access

    Test the local server:

    xdg-open http://localhost

    If the page opens, log in as:

    Username: ben
Password: the password created in Phase 6

    Find the local IP address:

    LOCAL_IP="$(hostname -I | awk '{print $1}')"
echo "$LOCAL_IP"

    Add local trusted domains:

    sudo nextcloud.occ config:system:set trusted_domains 1 --value="localhost"
sudo nextcloud.occ config:system:set trusted_domains 2 --value="$LOCAL_IP"
sudo nextcloud.occ config:system:get trusted_domains

    Test local IP access:

    xdg-open "http://$LOCAL_IP"

    8. Turn on the firewall safely

    Allow web traffic:

    sudo ufw allow 80/tcp
sudo ufw allow 443/tcp

    If you use SSH to manage this computer remotely:

    sudo ufw allow OpenSSH

    Enable the firewall:

    sudo ufw enable
sudo ufw status verbose

    9. Optional: configure public domain and HTTPS

    Skip this section if you only need local network access for now.

    Use this section if you want Android, tablet, or laptop access from outside the local network.

    Example domain:

    hub.benjaminlstewart.net

    Requirements before enabling Let’s Encrypt:

    • the domain points to your public IP address

    • router port forwarding sends TCP 80 to this COSMIC computer

    • router port forwarding sends TCP 443 to this COSMIC computer

    • the firewall allows ports 80 and 443

    • your ISP does not block inbound 80 or 443

    Add the domain as trusted:

    DOMAIN="hub.benjaminlstewart.net"
sudo nextcloud.occ config:system:set trusted_domains 3 --value="$DOMAIN"
sudo nextcloud.occ config:system:get trusted_domains

    Enable Let’s Encrypt HTTPS:

    sudo nextcloud.enable-https lets-encrypt

    Follow the prompts.

    Test:

    xdg-open "https://hub.benjaminlstewart.net"

    For local testing only, self-signed HTTPS is also possible:

    sudo nextcloud.enable-https self-signed

    Self-signed certificates will cause browser and Android trust warnings.

    10. Verify that the server starts automatically after reboot

    Reboot:

    sudo reboot

    After logging back in as ben, check the server:

    snap services nextcloud
sudo nextcloud.occ status
xdg-open http://localhost

    If using a domain:

    xdg-open https://hub.benjaminlstewart.net

    At this point, the server should start automatically after every reboot.

    11. Install the Nextcloud Desktop Client AppImage

    Create local application folders:

    mkdir -p /home/ben/Applications /home/ben/.local/bin /home/ben/.local/share/applications /home/ben/.config/autostart

    Download the latest official Linux x86_64 AppImage from the Nextcloud desktop release repository:

    APPIMAGE_URL="$(
  curl -fsSL https://api.github.com/repos/nextcloud-releases/desktop/releases/latest \
    | jq -r '.assets[] | select(.name | test("x86_64.AppImage$")) | .browser_download_url' \
    | head -n 1
)"
echo "$APPIMAGE_URL"
wget -O /home/ben/Applications/Nextcloud.AppImage "$APPIMAGE_URL"
chmod +x /home/ben/Applications/Nextcloud.AppImage

    Confirm:

    ls -lh /home/ben/Applications/Nextcloud.AppImage

    If the command-line download fails, download the Linux AppImage manually from:

    https://nextcloud.com/install/

    Then move it to:

    /home/ben/Applications/Nextcloud.AppImage

    and run:

    chmod +x /home/ben/Applications/Nextcloud.AppImage

    12. Create a COSMIC launcher for the desktop client

    Run:

    cat > /home/ben/.local/share/applications/nextcloud-appimage.desktop <<EOF
[Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Name=Nextcloud
Comment=Nextcloud Desktop Sync Client
Exec=/home/ben/Applications/Nextcloud.AppImage
Icon=nextcloud
Terminal=false
Categories=Network;FileTransfer;
EOF
update-desktop-database /home/ben/.local/share/applications 2>/dev/null || true

    If the app does not appear in the COSMIC launcher immediately, log out and log back in.

    13. Launch the desktop client for the first time

    Start the client manually:

    /home/ben/Applications/Nextcloud.AppImage

    In the setup wizard:

    1. Click Log in to your Nextcloud.

    2. For a local server on the same COSMIC computer, enter:

    http://localhost
    1. If you configured public HTTPS, you may instead enter:
    https://hub.benjaminlstewart.net

    1. The browser opens.

    2. Log in as ben.

    3. Click Grant access.

    4. Return to the desktop-client wizard.

    14. Select the Seagate external drive sync folder

    In the desktop-client wizard, change the local sync folder from the default:

    /home/ben/Nextcloud

    to this exact folder:

    /mnt/usb-Seagate_Portable_NT3FC3M0-0:0-part1/Nextcloud_Sync

    Recommended novice choice:

    Choose what to sync

    Start with a small set of folders first. After confirming everything works, add more folders.

    If the server is new and empty, the sync folder may also be empty at first. That is normal.

    Click Connect.

    After connection, the Nextcloud tray icon should appear. It may show sync activity while it indexes.

    15. Move existing Seagate files into Nextcloud sync safely

    If your Seagate drive already contains folders you want synced, move or copy them into:

    /mnt/usb-Seagate_Portable_NT3FC3M0-0:0-part1/Nextcloud_Sync

    Example:

    mv "/mnt/usb-Seagate_Portable_NT3FC3M0-0:0-part1/My Course Files" "/mnt/usb-Seagate_Portable_NT3FC3M0-0:0-part1/Nextcloud_Sync/"

    Or copy first, if you want a safer test:

    cp -a "/mnt/usb-Seagate_Portable_NT3FC3M0-0:0-part1/My Course Files" "/mnt/usb-Seagate_Portable_NT3FC3M0-0:0-part1/Nextcloud_Sync/"

    Do not move everything at once if the drive contains hundreds of GB or more. Start with one small folder and verify the web interface sees it.

    16. Create the startup script that waits for the Seagate drive

    This script prevents the desktop client from starting before the external drive is mounted.

    Create the script:

    cat > /home/ben/.local/bin/start-nextcloud-client-after-seagate.sh <<'EOF'
#!/usr/bin/env bash
APP="/home/ben/Applications/Nextcloud.AppImage"
DRIVE="/mnt/usb-Seagate_Portable_NT3FC3M0-0:0-part1"
SYNC_ROOT="/mnt/usb-Seagate_Portable_NT3FC3M0-0:0-part1/Nextcloud_Sync"
LOCAL_STATUS_URL="http://localhost/status.php"
DOMAIN_HOST="hub.benjaminlstewart.net"
# Avoid duplicate desktop-client processes.
if pgrep -f "Nextcloud.AppImage" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
  exit 0
fi
# Wait up to 5 minutes for the external drive, sync folder, and server/network.
for i in {1..60}; do
  if mountpoint -q "$DRIVE" && [ -d "$SYNC_ROOT" ] && [ -x "$APP" ]; then
    if curl -fsS "$LOCAL_STATUS_URL" >/dev/null 2>&1 || ping -c 1 -W 1 "$DOMAIN_HOST" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
      exec "$APP" --background
    fi
  fi
  sleep 5
done
notify-send "Nextcloud client not started" "The Seagate drive, sync folder, server, or AppImage was not ready after 5 minutes. Check /mnt/usb-Seagate_Portable_NT3FC3M0-0:0-part1."
exit 1
EOF
chmod +x /home/ben/.local/bin/start-nextcloud-client-after-seagate.sh

    Test it manually:

    /home/ben/.local/bin/start-nextcloud-client-after-seagate.sh

    Confirm the client is running:

    pgrep -a -i nextcloud

    17. Add the desktop client to COSMIC autostart

    Create the autostart file:

    cat > /home/ben/.config/autostart/nextcloud-client-seagate-cosmic.desktop <<EOF
[Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Name=Nextcloud Desktop Client - Seagate Sync
Comment=Start Nextcloud after the Seagate external drive is mounted
Exec=/home/ben/.local/bin/start-nextcloud-client-after-seagate.sh
Terminal=false
X-GNOME-Autostart-enabled=true
EOF

    Check it:

    cat /home/ben/.config/autostart/nextcloud-client-seagate-cosmic.desktop

    Important: use one desktop-client autostart method only.

    In the Nextcloud desktop client, open:

    Settings → General

    If Launch on System Startup is enabled, turn it off because this guide uses the safer Seagate-wait script instead.

    Check for duplicates:

    grep -ril "nextcloud" /home/ben/.config/autostart 2>/dev/null

    The preferred autostart file is:

    /home/ben/.config/autostart/nextcloud-client-seagate-cosmic.desktop

    18. Final reboot test

    Reboot:

    sudo reboot

    Log back in as ben.

    Wait 30–60 seconds.

    Check the Seagate drive:

    DRIVE="/mnt/usb-Seagate_Portable_NT3FC3M0-0:0-part1"
SYNC_ROOT="/mnt/usb-Seagate_Portable_NT3FC3M0-0:0-part1/Nextcloud_Sync"
findmnt "$DRIVE"
ls -ld "$SYNC_ROOT"

    Check the server:

    snap services nextcloud
sudo nextcloud.occ status

    Check the desktop client:

    pgrep -a -i nextcloud

    Open the server:

    xdg-open http://localhost

    If using a domain:

    xdg-open https://hub.benjaminlstewart.net

    19. Test sync from the Seagate drive to Nextcloud

    Create a test file inside the Seagate sync folder:

    echo "Nextcloud Seagate sync test created on $(date)" > "/mnt/usb-Seagate_Portable_NT3FC3M0-0:0-part1/Nextcloud_Sync/test-from-seagate.txt"

    Wait for the Nextcloud tray icon to finish syncing.

    Then open the web interface:

    xdg-open http://localhost

    Look for:

    test-from-seagate.txt

    Now test the other direction:

    1. In the Nextcloud web interface, upload or create a small file.

    2. Wait for sync.

    3. Check the Seagate sync folder:

    ls -la "/mnt/usb-Seagate_Portable_NT3FC3M0-0:0-part1/Nextcloud_Sync"

    If files move both ways, the core setup works.

    20. Optional: allow the Snap server to see removable media

    This is only needed if you later use the Nextcloud server’s External Storage app to expose folders from /mnt directly through the web interface.

    Connect the Snap removable-media interface:

    sudo snap connect nextcloud:removable-media

    Enable the External Storage app:

    sudo nextcloud.occ app:enable files_external

    Then in the Nextcloud web interface:

    Profile icon → Administration settings → External storage

    Use this only if you understand the difference between:

    • desktop-client sync folder, and

    • server-side external storage.

    Do not configure the exact same folder as both a desktop sync folder and a server-side external storage location.

    If you want server-side external storage later, create a separate folder such as:

    /mnt/usb-Seagate_Portable_NT3FC3M0-0:0-part1/Nextcloud_Server_External

    Keep this separate from:

    /mnt/usb-Seagate_Portable_NT3FC3M0-0:0-part1/Nextcloud_Sync

    21. Troubleshooting

    The Seagate drive is not mounted after reboot

    Check:

    findmnt /mnt/usb-Seagate_Portable_NT3FC3M0-0:0-part1
lsblk -f
systemctl status mnt-usb\x2dSeagate_Portable_NT3FC3M0\x2d0:0\x2dpart1.automount 2>/dev/null || true

    Recheck the /etc/fstab line.

    The desktop client starts but shows a missing-folder warning

    This means the client started before the drive or sync folder was ready, or the folder path changed.

    Run:

    mountpoint -q /mnt/usb-Seagate_Portable_NT3FC3M0-0:0-part1 && echo "Drive mounted"
ls -ld /mnt/usb-Seagate_Portable_NT3FC3M0-0:0-part1/Nextcloud_Sync

    Then restart the client:

    pkill -f Nextcloud.AppImage
/home/ben/.local/bin/start-nextcloud-client-after-seagate.sh

    The desktop client does not start after login

    Check the autostart file:

    cat /home/ben/.config/autostart/nextcloud-client-seagate-cosmic.desktop

    Test the script manually:

    /home/ben/.local/bin/start-nextcloud-client-after-seagate.sh

    Check processes:

    pgrep -a -i nextcloud

    AppImage does not open

    Install FUSE support:

    sudo apt install -y libfuse2t64 || sudo apt install -y libfuse2
/home/ben/Applications/Nextcloud.AppImage

    Nextcloud asks for login again after reboot

    Check keyring support:

    dpkg -l | grep -E "gnome-keyring|libsecret"

    If COSMIC asks to unlock the keyring, unlock it. The desktop client needs a Linux password manager/keyring to remember login securely.

    Duplicate Nextcloud clients are running

    Check:

    pgrep -a -i nextcloud
grep -ril "nextcloud" /home/ben/.config/autostart 2>/dev/null

    Keep only one autostart method.

    Android cannot delete files

    If Android cannot delete files that are stored in the server’s normal file area, check Nextcloud web permissions first.

    If Android cannot delete files from a server-side External Storage mount, the issue is usually server-side filesystem or external-storage permission configuration, not an Android app setting.

    For this guide’s main setup, files inside Nextcloud_Sync are synced by the desktop client as user ben, so local write permission should belong to ben.

    22. Maintenance commands

    Check server status:

    snap services nextcloud
sudo nextcloud.occ status

    Restart server:

    sudo snap restart nextcloud

    Check desktop client:

    pgrep -a -i nextcloud

    Restart desktop client:

    pkill -f Nextcloud.AppImage
/home/ben/.local/bin/start-nextcloud-client-after-seagate.sh

    Check sync folder:

    ls -la /mnt/usb-Seagate_Portable_NT3FC3M0-0:0-part1/Nextcloud_Sync

    Check available space:

    df -h /mnt/usb-Seagate_Portable_NT3FC3M0-0:0-part1

    23. One-page command summary

    Use this only after reading the full guide.

    # Variables
DRIVE="/mnt/usb-Seagate_Portable_NT3FC3M0-0:0-part1"
SYNC_ROOT="$DRIVE/Nextcloud_Sync"
# Verify drive
ls -ld "$DRIVE"
df -T "$DRIVE"
findmnt "$DRIVE"
touch "$DRIVE/.nextcloud-write-test" && rm "$DRIVE/.nextcloud-write-test"
# Create sync folder
mkdir -p "$SYNC_ROOT"
sudo chown -R ben:ben "$SYNC_ROOT"
find "$SYNC_ROOT" -type d -exec chmod 755 {} \;
find "$SYNC_ROOT" -type f -exec chmod 644 {} \;
# System prep
sudo apt update
sudo apt full-upgrade -y
sudo apt install -y snapd curl wget jq ufw gnome-keyring libsecret-tools libnotify-bin desktop-file-utils
sudo apt install -y libfuse2t64 || sudo apt install -y libfuse2
sudo systemctl enable --now snapd.socket
sudo snap install core
# Install server
sudo snap install nextcloud
sudo snap start --enable nextcloud
# Create admin account
read -s -p "Create a strong Nextcloud admin password for ben: " NC_ADMIN_PASS
echo
sudo nextcloud.manual-install ben "$NC_ADMIN_PASS"
unset NC_ADMIN_PASS
# Trust localhost and local IP
LOCAL_IP="$(hostname -I | awk '{print $1}')"
sudo nextcloud.occ config:system:set trusted_domains 1 --value="localhost"
sudo nextcloud.occ config:system:set trusted_domains 2 --value="$LOCAL_IP"
# Firewall
sudo ufw allow 80/tcp
sudo ufw allow 443/tcp
sudo ufw enable
# Check server
snap services nextcloud
sudo nextcloud.occ status
xdg-open http://localhost
# Install desktop client AppImage
mkdir -p /home/ben/Applications /home/ben/.local/bin /home/ben/.local/share/applications /home/ben/.config/autostart
APPIMAGE_URL="$(
  curl -fsSL https://api.github.com/repos/nextcloud-releases/desktop/releases/latest \
    | jq -r '.assets[] | select(.name | test("x86_64.AppImage$")) | .browser_download_url' \
    | head -n 1
)"
wget -O /home/ben/Applications/Nextcloud.AppImage "$APPIMAGE_URL"
chmod +x /home/ben/Applications/Nextcloud.AppImage
# Launcher
cat > /home/ben/.local/share/applications/nextcloud-appimage.desktop <<EOF
[Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Name=Nextcloud
Comment=Nextcloud Desktop Sync Client
Exec=/home/ben/Applications/Nextcloud.AppImage
Icon=nextcloud
Terminal=false
Categories=Network;FileTransfer;
EOF
# Startup script
cat > /home/ben/.local/bin/start-nextcloud-client-after-seagate.sh <<'EOF'
#!/usr/bin/env bash
APP="/home/ben/Applications/Nextcloud.AppImage"
DRIVE="/mnt/usb-Seagate_Portable_NT3FC3M0-0:0-part1"
SYNC_ROOT="/mnt/usb-Seagate_Portable_NT3FC3M0-0:0-part1/Nextcloud_Sync"
LOCAL_STATUS_URL="http://localhost/status.php"
DOMAIN_HOST="hub.benjaminlstewart.net"
if pgrep -f "Nextcloud.AppImage" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
  exit 0
fi
for i in {1..60}; do
  if mountpoint -q "$DRIVE" && [ -d "$SYNC_ROOT" ] && [ -x "$APP" ]; then
    if curl -fsS "$LOCAL_STATUS_URL" >/dev/null 2>&1 || ping -c 1 -W 1 "$DOMAIN_HOST" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
      exec "$APP" --background
    fi
  fi
  sleep 5
done
notify-send "Nextcloud client not started" "The Seagate drive, sync folder, server, or AppImage was not ready after 5 minutes."
exit 1
EOF
chmod +x /home/ben/.local/bin/start-nextcloud-client-after-seagate.sh
# COSMIC autostart
cat > /home/ben/.config/autostart/nextcloud-client-seagate-cosmic.desktop <<EOF
[Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Name=Nextcloud Desktop Client - Seagate Sync
Comment=Start Nextcloud after the Seagate external drive is mounted
Exec=/home/ben/.local/bin/start-nextcloud-client-after-seagate.sh
Terminal=false
X-GNOME-Autostart-enabled=true
EOF
# Launch setup wizard
/home/ben/Applications/Nextcloud.AppImage

    In the setup wizard, choose this local sync folder:

    /mnt/usb-Seagate_Portable_NT3FC3M0-0:0-part1/Nextcloud_Sync

Linux Mint

  • Recommendations for accessing NextCloud in Linux Mint Cinnamon 22.3

    Updated replacement for the “Recommendations for accessing NextCloud from Office” toggle

    Use this updated version because the office external drive is also connected to a Nextcloud server-side external storage workflow. The safest setup is not simply ben:ben ownership. The drive should allow both the Linux desktop user ben and the Nextcloud web-server user/group www-data to write, delete, and keep new files group-accessible.

    Phase 1: Prepare the external hard drive with shared permissions

    Linux Mint may dynamically mount external drives when you click them in Nemo, but for a large Nextcloud library and server-side external storage, use a stable mount path and shared group permissions.

    In this setup, the Seagate drive is mounted at:

    /mnt/usb-Seagate_Portable_NT3FC3M0-0:0-part1

    The drive is formatted as ext4, which is good because Linux ownership and permissions work normally.

    First, confirm the mount and filesystem type:

    ls -ld /mnt/usb-Seagate_Portable_NT3FC3M0-0:0-part1
df -T /mnt/usb-Seagate_Portable_NT3FC3M0-0:0-part1

    If the drive is being used by both your desktop user and Nextcloud, set ownership to user ben and group www-data:

    sudo chown -R ben:www-data /mnt/usb-Seagate_Portable_NT3FC3M0-0:0-part1

    Then give the owner and group write access:

    sudo find /mnt/usb-Seagate_Portable_NT3FC3M0-0:0-part1 -type d -exec chmod 2775 {} \;
sudo find /mnt/usb-Seagate_Portable_NT3FC3M0-0:0-part1 -type f -exec chmod 664 {} \;

    Add ben to the www-data group so the desktop user and Nextcloud can both manage the same files:

    sudo usermod -aG www-data ben

    Then log out and log back in, or reboot, so the new group membership takes effect.

    The 2 in 2775 sets the setgid bit on directories. This helps new folders inherit the www-data group, reducing future permission conflicts between Nemo, the Nextcloud desktop client, and the Nextcloud server process.

    Phase 2: Check the Nextcloud external storage mount

    In the Nextcloud web interface, go to:

    Profile icon → Administration settings → External storage

    Edit the mount:

    /Seagate Existing Files

    Confirm these settings:

    • External storage: Local

    • Location: /mnt/usb-Seagate_Portable_NT3FC3M0-0:0-part1

    • Read only: OFF

    • Check filesystem changes: Once every direct access

    • Enable previews: optional, currently OK

    • Enable sharing: optional; turn on only if this external storage needs to be shared through Nextcloud

    Click Edit to save.

    Phase 3: Test deletion in the correct order

    Test deletion from the Nextcloud web interface first. If deletion works in the web interface, the Android app should inherit the same permission behavior.

    Recommended test:

    1. Create a small temporary text file inside the Seagate external storage.

    2. Delete it from the Nextcloud web interface.

    3. Create another temporary file.

    4. Delete it from the Nextcloud Android app.

    If deletion works on the web but not Android, the issue is likely Android app cache/account state. If deletion fails on the web too, the problem is still server filesystem permissions.

    Phase 4: Rescan Nextcloud files after permission or direct filesystem changes

    After large file moves or permission fixes, rescan files so Nextcloud updates its file index:

    sudo nextcloud.occ files:scan --all

    Because this installation uses the Snap package, use sudo nextcloud.occ rather than the manual-install command sudo -u www-data php /var/www/nextcloud/occ.

    Practical rules for the office setup

    • Do not leave the drive owned only by www-data:www-data; that can make folders appear locked in Nemo for the desktop user.

    • Do not leave the drive owned only by ben:ben with 755 permissions; that lets Linux browse the files but can prevent Nextcloud from deleting or modifying them.

    • Preferred shared setup: ben:www-data ownership, directories 2775, files 664.

    • Avoid moving tens of thousands of files with Nemo while Nextcloud is actively scanning or syncing the same location.

    • After large file operations outside the web interface, run sudo nextcloud.occ files:scan --all.

    • The Android app does not have a separate delete-permission setting. It depends on the server-side storage permissions and share permissions.

  • Recommended Configuration

    A. If the Nextcloud sync folder is on an internal drive

    Use the built-in Nextcloud autostart option.

    1. Open the Nextcloud tray icon.

    2. Go to Settings → General.

    3. Enable Launch on System Startup.

    4. Confirm that a Linux keyring/password manager is available. On Linux Mint Cinnamon, this is usually GNOME Keyring.

    5. Reboot, log in, and verify that Nextcloud starts in the tray within 30–60 seconds.

    Verification commands:

    pgrep -a nextcloud
    grep -i launchOnSystemStartup ~/.config/Nextcloud/nextcloud.cfg

    A healthy setup should show the nextcloud process running and should show launchOnSystemStartup=true or an equivalent enabled state in the configuration file.

    B. If the Nextcloud sync folder is on an external drive

    Use a more reliable setup. The basic Launch on System Startup checkbox may start Nextcloud before the external drive is mounted. If that happens, Nextcloud may report sync-folder errors or treat the folder as missing.

    The better setup is:

    1. Mount the external drive at a stable path.

    2. Start Nextcloud only after that mount point is available.

    3. Avoid duplicate Nextcloud autostart entries.

    Step 1: Give the external drive a stable mount path

    Find the drive UUID and filesystem type:

    lsblk -f

    Create a stable mount point:

    sudo mkdir -p /mnt/Nextcloud_Library
sudo chown $USER:$USER /mnt/Nextcloud_Library

    Open /etc/fstab:

    sudo nano /etc/fstab

    Add one line for the external drive. Replace <UUID> and <filesystem> with the values from lsblk -f.

    For an ext4 drive:

    UUID=<UUID> /mnt/Nextcloud_Library ext4 defaults,nofail,x-systemd.automount 0 2

    For an NTFS drive, first check your user and group IDs:

    id -u
id -g

    Then use those values in the uid= and gid= fields:

    UUID=<UUID> /mnt/Nextcloud_Library ntfs3 rw,uid=1000,gid=1000,nofail,x-systemd.automount 0 0

    After editing /etc/fstab, reload and test:

    sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo mount -a
findmnt /mnt/Nextcloud_Library

    Do not continue until findmnt confirms that the drive is mounted at /mnt/Nextcloud_Library.

    Step 2: Make Nextcloud use the stable path

    In the Nextcloud desktop client, the local sync folder should be inside the stable mount path, for example:

    /mnt/Nextcloud_Library

    If the current sync folder is still under a dynamic path such as /media/ben/YourDriveName/Nextcloud_Library, change it carefully:

    1. Pause syncing in the Nextcloud tray menu.

    2. Open Settings.

    3. Remove the current folder sync connection, but do not delete local files.

    4. Add a new folder sync connection using /mnt/Nextcloud_Library.

    5. Resume syncing after confirming the correct folder path.

    Avoid syncing a large library from a path that may change after reboot.

    Step 3: Create a wrapper that waits for the drive before starting Nextcloud

    Create a local scripts folder:

    mkdir -p ~/.local/bin

    Create the startup script:

    nano ~/.local/bin/start-nextcloud-after-mount.sh

    Paste this script:

    #!/usr/bin/env bash
SYNC_ROOT="/mnt/Nextcloud_Library"
SERVER_HOST="hub.benjaminlstewart.net"
for i in {1..60}; do
  if mountpoint -q "$SYNC_ROOT" && ping -c 1 -W 1 "$SERVER_HOST" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
    exec nextcloud --background
  fi
  sleep 5
done
notify-send "Nextcloud not started" "The sync folder or network was unavailable after 5 minutes. Check /mnt/Nextcloud_Library and your network connection."

    Make it executable:

    chmod +x ~/.local/bin/start-nextcloud-after-mount.sh

    Test it manually:

    ~/.local/bin/start-nextcloud-after-mount.sh

    Then confirm that Nextcloud is running:

    pgrep -a nextcloud

    Step 4: Add the wrapper to Cinnamon Startup Applications

    To prevent duplicate Nextcloud instances, use one autostart method only.

    Recommended for an external-drive setup:

    1. Open the Nextcloud tray icon → Settings → General.

    2. Turn off the default Launch on System Startup option.

    3. Open the Linux Mint menu.

    4. Search for Startup Applications.

    5. Click Add.

    6. Use:

    Name: Nextcloud after external drive mount
Command: /home/ben/.local/bin/start-nextcloud-after-mount.sh
Comment: Starts Nextcloud only after /mnt/Nextcloud_Library is mounted
Startup delay: 15 seconds

    If the username is not ben, replace /home/ben/ with the correct home folder path.

    Alternative command that works regardless of username:

    sh -lc "$HOME/.local/bin/start-nextcloud-after-mount.sh"

    Step 5: Reboot test

    Reboot the computer:

    sudo reboot

    After logging back into Cinnamon, check:

    findmnt /mnt/Nextcloud_Library
pgrep -a nextcloud

    Then check the tray icon:

    • Green checkmark = synchronized and connected.

    • Blue sync icon = synchronization is running.

    • Gray disconnected icon = network/server connection problem.

    • Red X or warning = configuration or sync-folder problem.

    Optional log check:

    ls ~/.config/Nextcloud/logs
    tail -n 80 ~/.config/Nextcloud/logs/*.log

    Practical rules for this setup

    • The desktop client starts after user login, not before login. This is normal for the GUI Nextcloud Desktop Client.

    • For continuous sync, keep the GUI desktop client running in the tray.

    • Do not use nextcloudcmd as the continuous sync solution.

    • Do not create multiple autostart entries for Nextcloud.

    • If the sync folder lives on an external drive, prefer a stable mount path such as /mnt/Nextcloud_Library instead of a changing /media/... path.

    • If Nextcloud asks for login again after every reboot, check that GNOME Keyring is installed and unlocked when you log into Cinnamon.

    Quick recovery commands

    Check whether the drive mounted:

    findmnt /mnt/Nextcloud_Library

    Check whether Nextcloud is running:

    pgrep -a nextcloud

    Start Nextcloud manually in the background:

    nextcloud --background

    Stop duplicate Nextcloud processes:

    pkill nextcloud

    Then restart using the wrapper:

    ~/.local/bin/start-nextcloud-after-mount.sh

  • Recommendations for accessing NextCloud from Office.

    This is absolutely the safest and most resilient way to handle a massive library. By creating a true local mirror on your office machine, you guarantee that heavy multi-track audio for The Learning Weaver is sitting right on the disk ready for editing, while lightweight files like your UDL syllabi and textbook chapters sync seamlessly in the background.

    Since this completely replaces the need for third-party bridges like Insync, the Nextcloud Desktop Client will handle all the bidirectional mirroring natively.

    Here is the complete blueprint to build this robust local mirror on Linux Mint Cinnamon 22.3.

    Phase 1: Prepare the External Hard Drive

    Linux Mint dynamically mounts external drives when you click on them, but for a background sync client handling 1.5 TB of data, we need to ensure the target folder is completely prepped and owned by your user account before Nextcloud ever touches it.

    1. Plug in the 2TB drive and open your Nemo file manager to mount it.

    2. Note the mount path: It will typically be something like /media/ben/YourDriveName.

    3. Create the master sync directory: Open your terminal and create the dedicated folder:

    mkdir /media/ben/YourDriveName/Nextcloud_Library

    (Make sure to replace YourDriveName with the actual name of your drive).
    4. Take absolute ownership: Ensure your user account has full read/write permissions so the sync client doesn’t hit a wall:

    sudo chown -R $USER:$USER /media/ben/YourDriveName/Nextcloud_Library

    Phase 2: Install the Nextcloud Desktop Client

    While Linux Mint has a version of the client in its standard repositories, adding the official Nextcloud PPA ensures you get the latest performance updates and native file manager integrations for Cinnamon.

    Run these commands in your terminal:

    sudo add-apt-repository ppa:nextcloud-devs/client -y
sudo apt update
sudo apt install nextcloud-desktop nemo-nextcloud -y

    (The nemo-nextcloud package adds the green checkmarks and sync icons directly onto your files inside the file manager).

    Phase 3: The “Trapdoor” Configuration (Crucial Step)

    This is the most important part of the setup. If you speed through the setup wizard, Nextcloud will attempt to dump all 1.5 TB of data directly into your local ~/Nextcloud folder on your OS drive, immediately filling it up and crashing the system. We must reroute it to the external drive.

    1. Launch the Client: Open your Cinnamon menu and search for Nextcloud.

    2. Log In: Click Log in and enter your server address: https://hub.benjaminlstewart.net. This will open your Zen browser to authorize the connection.

    3. Grant Access: Once authorized, close the browser and return to the Nextcloud app window.

    4. Reroute the Sync:

    • You will see an option for Local Folder.

    • Click the folder path button (it usually defaults to /home/ben/Nextcloud).

    • Navigate to your external drive and select the /media/ben/YourDriveName/Nextcloud_Library folder you created in Phase 1.

    1. Select Sync Options: * Choose Sync everything from server if you want the entire 1.5 TB physically present on the external drive for offline access.
    • Alternatively, check Use virtual files if you only want to download files as you click on them, saving space on the external drive while still showing the full folder structure.
    1. Connect: Click Connect.

    The client will now begin pulling the data index and start quietly mirroring your library to the external drive.

    Phase 4: Autostart & Workflow Optimization

    To ensure your lesson plans and research formatting documents are always up-to-date when you arrive at the office, the client needs to run invisibly in the background.

    1. Enable Autostart:

    • Right-click the green Nextcloud icon in your Cinnamon system tray (bottom right of your screen) and select Settings.

    • Under the General tab, check the box for Launch on System Startup.

    1. Handling Media vs. Text:

    • For Text/Documents: Just open them directly from the Nextcloud_Library folder. When you hit save, the desktop client instantly detects the change and pushes it to the server.

    • For Podcasting/Video: You can edit these heavy files right on the external drive. The desktop client handles the upload asynchronously, meaning your editing software will never freeze or lock up waiting for a network transfer to complete.

    Since this background client relies on the external drive being present to function correctly, do you want to configure Linux Mint to automatically mount that specific drive at the exact same location every time the PC boots up via fstab, ensuring the Nextcloud client never gets confused?

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