How to Fix 'Permission Denied' Error for filerd in Enhance Control Panel File Manager

If you encounter a Permission denied (os error 13) or see errors like Couldn't spawn file system task: Error { kind: PermissionDenied, ... } in your Enhance control panel logs, it means the file manager (filerd) cannot access certain directories or files due to incorrect permissions. This guide explains the cause and provides a step-by-step solution.

Example Error Log

2025-06-15T17:44:44.483767-05:00 s4501 filerd[3237578]: Permission denied (os error 13)
2025-06-15T17:44:44.498436-05:00 s4501 filerd[3237578]: Internal: Couldn't spawn file system task: Error { kind: PermissionDenied, entity: None, msg: Some("Permission denied (os error 13)") }
2025-06-15T17:44:44.499291-05:00 s4501 filerd[3237578]: Couldn't spawn file system task: Error { kind: PermissionDenied, entity: None, msg: Some("Permission denied (os error 13)") }

What Causes This Error?

• The directory or file permissions are too restrictive, preventing the filerd process (used by Enhance's file manager) from accessing or modifying files.
• Common after manual changes, migrations, or incorrect permission settings.

How to Fix the Issue

Follow these steps to resolve the permission denied error in Enhance control panel:

1. Login to Enhance Account

   • Access your Enhance control panel as an admin or impersonate the affected user.

2. Open File Manager

   • Navigate to the website or directory where the error occurs.

3. Adjust Directory Permissions

   • Click the three-dot icon (⋮) next to the problematic directory.
   • Select Set Permissions.
   • Change the permission to 750 (Owner: read/write/execute, Group: read/execute, Others: no access).
   • Click Save.

4. Test Access

   • Try accessing the directory or file again via the file manager or website.
   • The error should be resolved, and normal access restored.

Why Use Permission 750?

• 750 ensures the owner and group can access the directory, but others cannot, improving security while allowing the control panel to function.

Additional Tips

• If the issue persists, check parent directory permissions.
• Avoid setting permissions to 777 (full access for everyone) for security reasons.
• For advanced troubleshooting, review the full syslog or Enhance logs for related errors.

Conclusion

The 'Permission Denied (os error 13)' error in Enhance control panel is usually caused by restrictive directory permissions. Setting the correct permissions (750) via the file manager resolves the issue quickly and securely.