How can I fix?
I downloaded Syncthing for MacOS (image file Syncthing-1.22.2-1.dmg) and copied Syncthing.app in the Applications folder.
Then I launched it. The icon seats in the menubar and its menu can be opened (items: Running, Open, Folders, Pause All Devices, Rescan All,…).
Unfortunately the “Running”, in a split second, changes itself to “Unavailable”. Its submenu reads “Synthing Service (Stopped)”.
Is it happening because my iMac is too old? System version is MacOSX 10.11, and the hardware doesn’t allow further upgrade.
I’n not a tech guy, but I’m able at least to look at the Console. It shows:
07/01/2023 02:47:34.746 Syncthing[8321]: Launching Syncthing daemon
07/01/2023 02:47:34.894 Syncthing[8321]: Syncthing daemon terminated (exit code 2)
07/01/2023 02:47:34.896 Syncthing[8321]: Delaying daemon startup by 10.0 s
(this cycle repeats again and again every 10 seconds)
So the problem is at a very basic level: no daemon, no GUI, no page at localhost:8384.
Suggestions? Can I check, change, modify files, permissions, preferences in some place in order to fix?
Do you suggest to install an older version of Syncthing, hoping that it could work?
Thanks in advance.
Guido from Italy
Go 1.14 was the last release compatible with macOS 10.11 (El Capitan), so after checking a few of the Syncthing releases, v1.8.0 is the last stable release still compatible: https://github.com/syncthing/syncthing/releases/tag/v1.8.0
Syncthing for macOS doesn’t have a way to disable auto-upgrades, so if you want the tray icon indicator, you’ll have to find a way to block updates (e.g., change the Syncthing binary to read-only).
It’s probably a good idea to check the release notes to see what’s new between v1.9.0 and the latest v1.23.0. Perhaps not having the newer features is okay, but missing some of the bug fixes might less appealing.
I followed your suggestion to use v1.8.0. I had to install by hand. I did what’s in README.md, and in synthing.plist:
- copy sycthing (executable) in the directory ~/bin
- edit synthing.plist, changing the lines with /USERNAME/ to the real /~/
- copy (the edited) synthing.plist to ~/Library/LaunchAgents
I also set my syncthing binary to read-only, to prevent auto-update THANKS!
No config.xml exists on my Mac. Getting-Started.pdf says it’s created after first launch.
The page Syncthing Configuration — Syncthing documentation also warns of using its sample file “as it is”. So I followed the doc and launched from terminal (BTW I learnt I have to type ./syncthing - not simply syncthing - for it to go).
My browser opened the GUI http://127.0.0.1:8384. The config.xml was created together with other files. I edited the <autoUpgradeIntervalH> to 0, to disable update.
So the setup and running process is done. I have now just to read the docs and understand how it works.
Guido from Italy
