lima-vm/lima · error

instance %q not found

Error message

instance %q not found

What it means

autostartEnableAction calls store.Inspect(ctx, args[0]) to load the instance; when the returned error matches os.ErrNotExist it is rewritten to this message. It means no instance with the given name exists under ${LIMA_HOME} (no <name>.yaml in the instances directory).

Source

Thrown at cmd/limactl/autostart_others.go:33

	"github.com/lima-vm/lima/v2/pkg/autostart"
	"github.com/lima-vm/lima/v2/pkg/store"
)

func autostartEnableAction(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
	condition, err := cmd.Flags().GetString("condition")
	if err != nil {
		return err
	}
	if condition == "boot" {
		return errors.New("--condition=boot is only supported on macOS")
	}

	ctx := cmd.Context()
	inst, err := store.Inspect(ctx, args[0])
	if err != nil {
		if errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist) {
			return fmt.Errorf("instance %q not found", args[0])
		}
		return err
	}

	keepAlive, err := cmd.Flags().GetBool("keep-alive")
	if err != nil {
		return err
	}
	mgr := autostart.ManagerWith(keepAlive)
	if err := mgr.RegisterToStartAtLogin(ctx, inst); err != nil {
		return fmt.Errorf("failed to register instance %#q to start at login: %w", inst.Name, err)
	}
	logrus.Infof("Instance %#q registered to start at login", inst.Name)
	return nil
}

func autostartDisableAction(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
	ctx := cmd.Context()

View on GitHub (pinned to dd909d0973)

Solutions

1. List instances with `limactl list` and use the exact name
2. Check LIMA_HOME points at the intended data directory (`echo $LIMA_HOME`)
3. Create the instance first with `limactl create <template> --name=<name>` if it never existed
4. Quote the name in shell scripts to avoid mangling

Example fix

// before: limactl autostart myinstence
// after:  limactl list && limactl autostart myinstance

if ! limactl list | awk '{print $1}' | grep -qx "$INSTANCE"; then
  echo "instance '$INSTANCE' does not exist"; exit 1
fi

try:
  subprocess.run(["limactl", "autostart", name], check=True)
except subprocess.CalledProcessError as e:
  if 'not found' in e.stderr.decode():
    print(f"Instance '{name}' missing - run 'limactl list' or create it first")
  else:
    raise

When it happens

Trigger: `limactl autostart <name>` (or with --condition) where <name> does not match an existing instance: typo in the name, instance deleted, or LIMA_HOME pointing to a different Lima data directory than the one holding the instance.

Common situations: Typo'd instance name; running limactl with a custom LIMA_HOME that lacks the instance; instance removed by `limactl delete` but autostart still configured in scripts; new machine without `limactl create` having been run.

Related errors

• instance %#q does not exist, run `limactl create %s` to crea
• instance %#q not found
• failed to inspect instance %#q: %w
• instance %#q does not exist, run `limactl create %s` to crea
• failed to delete instance %#q: %w

AI-assisted analysis of lima-vm/lima@dd909d0973 (2026-09-01). Data as JSON: /api/errors/d4bb53b5e04263ed. Report an issue: GitHub.