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Troubleshooting ​

Solve common MFTPlus issues and find answers to frequently asked questions.

Quick Diagnosis

Most issues can be identified by checking the agent logs and verifying basic connectivity. Start with the Diagnostic Steps below if you're unsure where to begin.

Diagnostic Steps ​

Before diving into specific issues, run these quick checks:

1. Check Agent Status ​

bash
# Linux/macOS
mftctl status

# Windows
mftctl.exe status

2. View Recent Logs ​

PlatformLog Location
Linux~/.config/mft-agent/logs/agent.log
macOS~/Library/Application Support/mft-agent/logs/agent.log
Windows%APPDATA%\mft-agent\logs\agent.log
bash
# View last 50 lines (Linux/macOS)
tail -n 50 ~/.config/mft-agent/logs/agent.log

# View last 50 lines (Windows PowerShell)
Get-Content "$env:APPDATA\mft-agent\logs\agent.log" -Tail 50

3. Test Dashboard Connectivity ​

bash
# Replace with your dashboard URL
curl -v https://dashboard.yourcompany.com/health

4. Verify Configuration ​

bash
# View current configuration
mftctl config show

# Validate configuration
mftctl config validate

Connection Issues ​

Agent Can't Reach Dashboard ​

Symptoms:

  • Agent appears offline in dashboard
  • "Connection refused" or "timeout" errors
  • Registration fails

Solutions:

  1. Verify Server URL

    bash
    mftctl config get server.url

    Ensure the URL is correct and includes the protocol (http:// or https://).

  2. Test Network Connectivity

    bash
    # Test basic connectivity
ping dashboard.yourcompany.com

# Test HTTPS (replace with your port if non-standard)
curl -v https://dashboard.yourcompany.com

  3. Check Firewall Rules

    Ensure outbound connections are allowed:

    PlatformCommand
    Linux (UFW)sudo ufw status
    Linux (firewalld)sudo firewall-cmd --list-all
    Windowsnetsh advfirewall show allprofiles
    macOSsudo pfctl -s rules

  4. Proxy Configuration

    If you're behind a proxy, configure it:

    bash
    # Set proxy environment variables
export HTTP_PROXY=http://proxy.example.com:8080
export HTTPS_PROXY=http://proxy.example.com:8080

# Or configure in mftctl
mftctl config set server.proxy http://proxy.example.com:8080

  5. DNS Resolution

    bash
    # Verify DNS resolves correctly
nslookup dashboard.yourcompany.com

# Try using IP address directly if DNS fails
mftctl config set server.url https://192.168.1.100

mTLS / Certificate Errors ​

Symptoms:

  • "certificate verify failed" errors
  • "unknown certificate authority" warnings
  • TLS handshake failures

Solutions:

  1. Verify Certificate Validity

    bash
    # Check certificate expiry
openssl s_client -connect dashboard.yourcompany.com:443 -showcerts

  2. Self-Signed Certificates

    For self-signed certificates in development, add the CA cert:

    bash
    mftctl config set server.ca-cert /path/to/ca-cert.pem

  3. Certificate Mismatch

    Ensure the certificate's Common Name (CN) or Subject Alternative Name (SAN) matches the server URL in your configuration.

Connection Drops During Transfer ​

Symptoms:

  • Transfers start but stop midway
  • "connection reset" errors
  • Inconsistent file delivery

Solutions:

  1. Increase Timeout

    yaml
    # config.yaml
server:
  timeout: 300s  # Increase from default 30s

  2. Enable Retry Logic

    yaml
    # config.yaml
transfer:
  retryAttempts: 3
  retryDelay: 5s

  3. Check Network Stability

    Monitor for packet loss or high latency:

    bash
    # Ping test with 100 packets
ping -c 100 dashboard.yourcompany.com

Authentication Problems ​

Token Expired / Invalid ​

Symptoms:

  • "401 Unauthorized" errors
  • "token expired" messages
  • Sudden authentication failures

Solutions:

  1. Re-register the Agent

    bash
    mftctl register --force

    You'll need your registration credentials. Contact your account owner if you don't have them.

  2. Check System Clock

    Token validation depends on accurate time:

    bash
    # Linux/macOS
date
timedatectl status  # Linux only

# Windows
w32tm /query /status

    If time is incorrect, sync with an NTP server.

  3. Clear Cached Credentials

    bash
    # Remove stored tokens
mftctl config clear auth.token

# Re-authenticate
mftctl auth login

API Key Issues ​

Symptoms:

  • API requests rejected with 403 Forbidden
  • "invalid API key" errors

Solutions:

  1. Verify API Key in Configuration

    bash
    mftctl config get server.apiKey

  2. Regenerate API Key

    Log into the dashboard and generate a new API key, then update:

    bash
    mftctl config set server.apiKey your-new-api-key

  3. Check API Key Permissions

    Ensure the API key has the necessary permissions for the operations you're performing.

Transfer Failures ​

Permission Denied ​

Symptoms:

  • "permission denied" errors
  • "access is denied" on Windows
  • Transfers fail with EACCES

Solutions:

  1. Source Directory Permissions

    bash
    # Check read permissions
ls -la /path/to/source

# Fix if needed
chmod +r /path/to/source/file

  2. Destination Directory Permissions

    For SFTP/FTP destinations, ensure the user has write permissions:

    bash
    # Test SFTP write permissions
sftp user@server.com
sftp> put /tmp/test.txt /remote/path/

  3. SSH Key Permissions (SFTP)

    SSH keys must have restrictive permissions:

    bash
    chmod 600 ~/.ssh/id_rsa
chmod 644 ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub

  4. Windows Service Account

    If running as a Windows Service, verify the service account has access to network paths:

    powershell
    # Check service account
Get-WmiObject Win32_Service | Where-Object {$_.Name -like "*mft*"}

Storage Backend Errors ​

Symptoms:

  • "disk full" errors
  • "no space left on device"
  • Transfer log writes fail

Solutions:

  1. Check Disk Space

    bash
    # Linux/macOS
df -h

# Windows
Get-PSDrive

  2. Clean Transfer Logs

    Archive or prune old transfer records:

    bash
    mftctl transfers prune --older-than 90d

  3. Configure Log Rotation

    yaml
    # config.yaml
logging:
  maxSize: 100MB
  maxBackups: 5
  maxAge: 30d

File Not Found ​

Symptoms:

  • "no such file or directory"
  • Transfers skip files
  • Pattern matching fails

Solutions:

  1. Verify File Paths

    bash
    # Check if files exist at source
ls -la /path/to/source/*.log

# Use absolute paths in job configuration

  2. Check Pattern Syntax

    Ensure glob patterns are correct:

    yaml
    # Correct
source: /var/log/*.log

# Incorrect (missing extension)
source: /var/log/*.

  3. Case Sensitivity

    Remember that Linux is case-sensitive:

    bash
    # These are different on Linux
/var/log/app.log
/var/log/APP.LOG

Large File Transfer Failures ​

Symptoms:

  • Large files fail to transfer
  • Connection drops during big transfers
  • Partial file at destination

Solutions:

  1. Enable Resume Support

    yaml
    # config.yaml
transfer:
  resumeEnabled: true
  chunkSize: 10MB

  2. Increase Timeout

    yaml
    server:
  timeout: 600s  # 10 minutes for large files

  3. Verify Destination Space

    bash
    # For SFTP
sftp user@server.com
sftp> df -h

# For local transfers
df -h /destination/path

Installation Problems ​

Binary Won't Run ​

Symptoms:

  • "cannot execute binary file"
  • "exec format error"
  • "command not found"

Solutions:

  1. Verify Architecture Match

    bash
    # Check your system architecture
uname -m

# Expected outputs:
# x86_64    → Download amd64/x64 build
# aarch64   → Download arm64 build
# armv7l    → Download arm build

  2. Missing Dependencies on Linux

    bash
    # Check for missing libraries
ldd /usr/bin/mftplus

# Install common dependencies
sudo apt-get install libc6 libssl1.1  # Debian/Ubuntu
sudo yum install glibc openssl         # RHEL/CentOS

  3. Windows: Blocked by SmartScreen

    Click "More info" → "Run anyway" for the installer. To avoid this in production, code-sign the binary.

  4. macOS: App Can't Be Opened

    bash
    # Remove quarantine attribute
xattr -d com.apple.quarantine /Applications/MFTPlus.app

# Or allow in System Preferences → Security & Privacy

Permission Errors During Install ​

Symptoms:

  • "access denied" during installation
  • "permission denied" when writing to config directory

Solutions:

  1. Install with Elevated Privileges

    bash
    # Linux/macOS
sudo dpkg -i mftplus_amd64.deb
sudo rpm -i mftplus-x86_64.rpm

# Windows: Run Command Prompt as Administrator

  2. Manual Installation Directory

    Install to a user-writable location:

    bash
    # Extract to home directory
tar -xzf mftplus-linux-amd64.tar.gz -C $HOME/

# Add to PATH
export PATH=$HOME/mftplus/bin:$PATH

Service Won't Start (Windows) ​

Symptoms:

  • Service fails to start
  • "Error 1053: The service did not respond"
  • Event Log errors

Solutions:

  1. Check Event Viewer

    Look for MFTPlus entries in Windows Event Viewer → Windows Logs → Application.

  2. Verify Service Account

    Ensure the service account has necessary permissions:

    powershell
    # View service configuration
Get-WmiObject Win32_Service | Where-Object {$_.Name -eq "MFTPlus"}

  3. Reinstall Service

    powershell
    # Remove existing service
mftplus-service.exe uninstall

# Reinstall as administrator
mftplus-service.exe install

Configuration Mistakes ​

Invalid YAML Syntax ​

Symptoms:

  • "YAML parse error" on startup
  • Configuration not loading
  • Agent fails to start

Solutions:

  1. Validate Configuration

    bash
    mftctl config validate

  2. Common YAML Mistakes

    yaml
    # WRONG: Tabs instead of spaces
server:
 url: http://localhost:8080

# RIGHT: Use spaces for indentation
server:
  url: http://localhost:8080

# WRONG: Missing colon after key
server url http://localhost:8080

# RIGHT: Colon after key
server: http://localhost:8080

  3. Use Online YAML Validator

    Copy your config to yamllint.com to validate syntax.

Wrong Server URL ​

Symptoms:

  • Agent can't connect
  • 404 Not Found errors
  • "host not found"

Solutions:

  1. Verify URL Format

    yaml
    # Include protocol
server:
  url: https://dashboard.example.com  # RIGHT

# Missing protocol
server:
  url: dashboard.example.com  # WRONG

  2. Test URL in Browser

    Open the server URL in a web browser. It should load the dashboard.

  3. Check for Trailing Slashes

    yaml
    server:
  url: https://dashboard.example.com/api  # RIGHT
  url: https://dashboard.example.com/api/  # MAY CAUSE ISSUES

Incorrect File Paths ​

Symptoms:

  • "file not found" errors
  • Transfers fail to find source files
  • Patterns match nothing

Solutions:

  1. Use Absolute Paths

    yaml
    # More reliable
source: /var/log/app/*.log

# May fail depending on working directory
source: ./logs/*.log

  2. Windows Path Separators

    yaml
    # Use forward slashes (works on all platforms)
source: C:/Logs/*.log

# Or escape backslashes
source: C:\\Logs\\*.log

  3. Verify Path Exists

    bash
    # Test path before using in job
ls -la /path/to/source/

FAQ ​

General Questions ​

1. What protocols does MFTPlus support?

MFTPlus supports SFTP, FTP, FTPS, and local file transfers. SFTP is recommended for security.

2. Is MFTPlus free?

MFTPlus offers a free tier for small-scale use. For enterprise features and higher transfer limits, see mftplus.co.za/pricing.

3. Can I run multiple agents on the same machine?

Yes, but you must configure each agent with a unique configuration directory:

bash
mftctl --config-dir ~/.config/mft-agent-2 config init

4. How do I upgrade MFTPlus?

Download and run the latest installer. Your configuration and transfer history are preserved automatically.

5. Does MFTPlus work offline?

The agent requires connectivity to the dashboard for job management, but transfers can continue if connectivity is temporarily lost (configurable).

Security Questions ​

6. How are credentials stored?

Credentials are stored locally in encrypted format with restrictive file permissions (600). They are never transmitted unencrypted.

7. Can I use SSH keys instead of passwords?

Yes, for SFTP connections you can configure SSH key authentication in the job settings.

8. Is MFTPlus compliant with security standards?

MFTPlus uses AES-256-GCM encryption for data in transit. Contact sales@mftplus.co.za for compliance documentation (SOC 2, HIPAA, etc.).

Troubleshooting Questions ​

9. Why did my transfer fail with "permission denied"?

This usually means:

  • Source file isn't readable by the agent process
  • Destination directory isn't writable
  • SFTP user lacks necessary permissions

Check file permissions and verify the agent's user account has access.

10. How do I enable debug logging?

bash
# Temporarily enable verbose logging
mftctl config set logging.level debug

# View logs
tail -f ~/.config/mft-agent/logs/agent.log

11. The agent shows as offline in the dashboard. What do I do?

  1. Check that the agent process is running: mftctl status
  2. Verify server URL: mftctl config get server.url
  3. Test connectivity: curl -v https://dashboard.yourcompany.com/health
  4. Check firewall rules allow outbound HTTPS

12. Why are my scheduled jobs not running?

  1. Verify the schedule syntax is valid (cron format)
  2. Check the agent's timezone matches your expectation
  3. View job history in the dashboard for error messages
  4. Ensure the agent was running at the scheduled time

13. How do I reset my configuration?

bash
# Backup current config first
cp ~/.config/mft-agent/config.yaml ~/.config/mft-agent/config.yaml.backup

# Reinitialize
mftctl config init

14. Can I recover from a failed transfer?

If resume is enabled, MFTPlus will automatically resume incomplete transfers on the next retry. Check your configuration:

bash
mftctl config get transfer.resumeEnabled

15. Where can I get help?

Still Need Help? ​

If you've tried the solutions above and still can't resolve your issue:

  1. Collect Diagnostic Information

    bash
    # Export diagnostic bundle
mftctl diagnostics export --output debug-bundle.zip

  2. Contact Support

    Email support@mftplus.co.za with:

    • MFTPlus version (mftctl version)
    • Operating system and version
    • Description of the issue
    • Relevant log excerpts or diagnostic bundle
    • Steps to reproduce the problem

  3. Community Resources