lima-vm/lima · error

networks.yaml field `paths.%s` error: %w

Error message

networks.yaml field `paths.%s` error: %w

What it means

networks.Validate stats each required path in networks.yaml `paths` (vdeSwitch, vdeRouter, socketVMNet, etc.) to check existence/executability. Any stat/permission error on a configured path is wrapped as 'networks.yaml field `paths.<name>` error', pointing at the misconfigured or missing binary.

Source

Thrown at pkg/networks/validate.go:78

		path := paths.Field(i).Interface().(string)
		pathsMap[name] = path
		// varPath will be created securely, but any existing parent directories must already be secure
		if name == "varRun" {
			path = findBaseDirectory(path)
		}
		err := validatePath(path, name == "varRun")
		if err != nil {
			if errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist) {
				switch name {
				// sudoers file does not need to exist; otherwise `limactl sudoers` couldn't bootstrap
				case "sudoers":
					continue
				case "socketVMNet":
					socketVMNetNotFound = true
					continue
				}
			}
			return fmt.Errorf("networks.yaml field `paths.%s` error: %w", name, err)
		}
	}
	if socketVMNetNotFound {
		return fmt.Errorf("networks.yaml: %#q (`paths.socketVMNet`) has to be installed", pathsMap["socketVMNet"])
	}
	return nil
}

// findBaseDirectory removes non-existing directories from the end of the path.
func findBaseDirectory(path string) string {
	if _, err := os.Lstat(path); errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist) {
		if path != "/" {
			return findBaseDirectory(filepath.Dir(path))
		}
	}
	return path
}

View on GitHub (pinned to dd909d0973)

Solutions

1. Install the missing binary (e.g. `brew install socket_vmnet` or build lima's vde components) so the configured path exists and is executable.
2. Correct the `paths.<name>` value in networks.yaml to the actual binary location (e.g. /opt/homebrew/opt/socket_vmnet/bin/socket_vmnet).
3. Check permissions: the file must be executable by the invoking user.
4. Re-run limactl start after fixing the path.

Example fix

# before (networks.yaml)
paths:
  socketVMNet: /usr/local/opt/socket_vmnet/bin/socket_vmnet
# after (Apple Silicon Homebrew)
paths:
  socketVMNet: /opt/homebrew/opt/socket_vmnet/bin/socket_vmnet

const fs = require('fs');
function validatePaths(config) {
  for (const [k, p] of Object.entries(config.paths || {})) {
    if (!p) continue;
    try {
      fs.accessSync(p, fs.constants.X_OK);
    } catch (e) {
      return `networks.yaml field 'paths.${k}' error: ${p} missing or not executable`;
    }
  }
  return null;
}

try {
  await validateNetworks(config);
} catch (err) {
  const m = err.message.match(/networks\.yaml field `paths\.(\w+)` error/);
  if (m) console.error(`Fix paths.${m[1]} in networks.yaml`);
  throw err;
}

When it happens

Trigger: A `paths.*` entry in networks.yaml points to a file that does not exist, is not executable, or is inaccessible; validation stats the path and wraps the OS error.

Common situations: socket_vmnet or vde binaries not installed or installed to a different prefix (Homebrew path changes between Intel and Apple Silicon); upgrading macOS/lima and the binary path changed; typos in the path.

Related errors

• networks.yaml: %#q (`paths.socketVMNet`) has to be installed
• path %#q is not an absolute path
• path %#q contains whitespace
• failed to build network arguments: %w
• invalid group %#q: %w

AI-assisted analysis of lima-vm/lima@dd909d0973 (2026-09-01). Data as JSON: /api/errors/5b4293d3bc5bdb35. Report an issue: GitHub.