When I try to create a backup in my network folder, I am getting this error
Error
RPC ERROR: Filesystem I/O Error mount error(22): Invalid argument Refer to the mount.cifs(8) manual page (e.g. man mount.cifs) and kernel log messages (dmesg)
Any advice?
Thanks
Error 22 is often caused by incorrect characters in one of the fields. Another common cause is when Windows users add \ instead of /
figured it out. for context i use windows. i trouble shooted everything i could possibly think of, what ended up working was different than the start9 instructions for windows network folder backup. the instructions tell you to use the entire name of the path for the path name (with // and everything else), what ended up working though was just the literal name of the folder (what your instructions are for mac and linux)
Could you show me a screenshot of your final settings?
He’s right. The guide is incorrect. The path should be the network path, not the local path on the Windows machine. I was planning on creating a pr for this, but was planning to suggest a complete re-write of the backup to Windows guide, as I feel the entire guide needs clarification. I had started to create a new one, but with 0.4.0 so “soon” wasn’t sure it was worth the trouble. Perhaps in the meantime it does make sense to just fix this.
here is my exact process for windows 11, if you would like to test it and use it for your guide. note my step 2 i also verified is different than your guide, the guide does not tell you to ever open the advanced sharing window, but for me i tried without doing that and all else equal and it wouldnt work, then i did what i did in step 2 with advanced sharing and it did work, so must be a necessary step.
go to settings - account - other users. then either change one of your current accounts to local or add new. if adding new, say you dont have the users email address and you dont want to link it to Microsoft. dont add your email anywhere. remember your username and password you create.
ADDED necessary step not in the guide - now right click and go to properties -sharing again, this time click “Advanced Sharing”, click the Share This Folder Icon, then click Permissions and allow Full control for the three check boxes. Apply and close.
Hostname/IP - open cmd in your windows and enter “ipconfig”, use the IPv4 address it gives you
Path - enter just the name of your backup folder, in our example that is “backup”
Username - what your local account’s is
Password - what your local account’s is
That should do it.
Thanks for that.
You’re right that the guide doesn’t specifically mention a MS account over a local account, just a the more common problem with a PIN password.
Wait… it does. If even I miss that, then it’s definitely not clear. Near the bottom of the guide, where people will be as soon as stuff is not working, it says…
Caution
If you use a “PIN” to log in to Windows, keep in mind that your password needs to be the user’s full password, NOT the PIN! Office365 accounts also may not work, try a regular user in this case.
The reason why you had to go to advanced sharing and mess around in there with permission is because your using Account A and you created an Account B that doesn’t have access to anything in Account A. So you just gave that user rights to your files. If you were using the account you were sharing with, this step would not be needed.
But you’ve given me the user testing needed to make some improvements! Thank you!
okay, yeah i am sure some of the things were just specific to my situation. and sure thing, thank you too for start9 
I made significant upgrades to the guides (not yet published), so thank you!