abiosoft/colima · error

failed to remove existing resolv.conf: %w

Error message

failed to remove existing resolv.conf: %w

What it means

Step in the guest DNS setup where the existing /etc/resolv.conf is removed (`sudo rm -f /etc/resolv.conf`) so Colima can replace it with a stub pointing at the in-guest dnsmasq. Failure means the rm command failed inside the guest: immutable/attrib-protected resolv.conf (common on hardened images), read-only /etc, or a failing sudo/SSH channel.

Source

Thrown at environment/vm/lima/dns.go:91

	// set dnsmasq listening interface and address
	fmt.Fprintln(&buf, "interface=eth0")
	fmt.Fprintln(&buf, "listen-address="+internalIP)
	fmt.Fprintln(&buf, "bind-interfaces")

	// ensure dnsmasq config directory exists
	if err := l.RunQuiet("sudo", "mkdir", "-p", "/etc/dnsmasq.d"); err != nil {
		return fmt.Errorf("failed to create dnsmasq config directory: %w", err)
	}

	// write config to dnsmasq directory
	if err := l.Write("/etc/dnsmasq.d/01-colima.conf", buf.Bytes()); err != nil {
		return fmt.Errorf("failed to write dnsmasq config: %w", err)
	}

	// remove existing resolv.conf file
	if err := l.RunQuiet("sudo", "rm", "-f", "/etc/resolv.conf"); err != nil {
		return fmt.Errorf("failed to remove existing resolv.conf: %w", err)
	}

	// replace resolv.conf with a custom one
	resolvConf := fmt.Sprintf("# Generated by Colima\n\nnameserver %s\n", internalIP)
	if err := l.Write("/etc/resolv.conf", []byte(resolvConf)); err != nil {
		return fmt.Errorf("failed to write resolv.conf: %w", err)
	}

	// restart dnsmasq service to apply changes
	if err := l.RunQuiet("sudo", "systemctl", "restart", "dnsmasq"); err != nil {
		return fmt.Errorf("failed to restart dnsmasq service: %w", err)
	}

	return nil
}

View on GitHub (pinned to c3a5f9184d)

Solutions

1. Retry after a full stop/start of the VM.
2. If using a custom image, ensure /etc/resolv.conf is a regular writable file (not immutable, not a bind mount).
3. Switch DNS configuration to a mode that does not rewrite guest resolv.conf (e.g. plain host resolvers via `--dns`), letting the step be skipped.
4. Recreate the profile (`colima delete && colima start`) when the guest is corrupted.

// with custom guest images, ensure resolv.conf is a plain writable file
// colima ssh -- lsattr /etc/resolv.conf  (no 'i' flag)
// colima ssh -- mount | grep resolv.conf (not ro bind mount)

When it happens

Trigger: Custom or hardened guest images where /etc/resolv.conf is chattr +i or bind-mounted read-only; NetworkManager/systemd-resolved holding the file; broken sudo in the guest. Only triggered in DNS modes that install dnsmasq in the guest.

Common situations: Users forcing modified disk images; container Linux variants managing resolv.conf; guest corrupted after abrupt host sleep/shutdown.

Related errors

• failed to write resolv.conf: %w
• failed to write dnsmasq config: %w
• failed to create dnsmasq config directory: %w
• failed to restart dnsmasq service: %w
• cannot read file '%s': %w

AI-assisted analysis of abiosoft/colima@c3a5f9184d (2026-08-15). Data as JSON: /api/errors/5c0da01e57ecde45. Report an issue: GitHub.