naetive

Troubleshooting: something is not working

Last reviewed: 28 Oct 2026

Start on the Connect page. The card at the top says who is here now; under it is this computer's row: Console on, Files · , This browser paired. Red appears at the top only when something you set up has stopped, with the one line that fixes it. An extra you never turned on is grey, never red. A red count on Connect in the side navigation shows from any page when something on this computer has stopped, and Status shows a red line with Fix on Connect →. For what each piece is for, see Setting up this computer.

On the computer itself (macOS, Linux, WSL), naetive status says what runs there, and naetive fix restarts whatever stopped and checks the computer's key.

Something you set up stopped

  • The console stopped: naetive fix, or ~/.naetive/start-console.sh --keep-running. On macOS, and on Linux with a systemd user session, it then starts at login and comes back after a crash; after --stop it stays stopped. On WSL the installer sets Naetive to start when you log in to Windows; to start it now, ~/.naetive/start-all.sh. Windows without WSL: & "$env:USERPROFILE\.naetive\start-console.cmd" --keep-running.
  • The tunnel stopped (Files stopped): naetive fix, or ~/.naetive/start-tunnel.sh from any folder (Windows: & "$env:USERPROFILE\.naetive\start-tunnel.cmd").

An agent does not answer questions about the project

  • Ask it something that needs Naetive: "What's my current focus?" A connected agent answers with your project. If it does not, the connector is missing or its URL is stale.
  • You regenerated your key. Computers and agents with their own key (made with Make a key for … on Connect, or when you approved the computer during install) are not affected. Anything still on the account key stops until it has a new one. Claude Code on a computer still using it: run the install line again on that computer, then /mcp in each open window. An agent still using the account key needs a key of its own: on Connect, make one for it, then for ChatGPT create a new connector with that URL and remove the old one (connectors cannot be edited); for Claude on the web or Desktop, replace the URL; for Codex, replace the config block.
  • Claude Code: run /mcp and check naetive is listed and connected.

Claude Code is in the wrong project, or does not know which

A folder whose git repository matches a project is linked by itself; otherwise Claude asks once and remembers. naetive which prints the folder's project; naetive link <name> sets it by hand. A link is a label, not access.

A chat agent cannot see my files

Chat agents reach your computer only through the tunnel, and only for projects you shared. Share the project (naetive share --project <name> on that computer, from any folder), start the tunnel from any folder, and check the computer's row on Connect reads Files · . If the agent's reply says no tunnel is connected for your account, the tunnel is not running. If it says the project is not shared, share it. If it says running commands is off, that is on purpose: naetive commands on, then confirming in your browser, allows it. Cloud-sync folders (Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive, iCloud) cannot be shared as a whole; a project folder inside one can. See Sharing your projects and starting the tunnel.

Lines the tunnel or the naetive command may print

  • "Refusing to expose … your home directory": this computer has not been told which folders to share yet, so it serves the folder it is started in. Run the one line it names (naetive share --project <name>), then start the tunnel from any folder.
  • "several folders on this computer could be …": naetive share <folder> --project <name>.
  • "could not find the code for …": name the folder, clone it first, or add --create.
  • "This machine's key is no longer valid" or "This computer's Naetive key was revoked or replaced": run the install line again and approve the computer; the tunnel shares nothing until then.
  • "Running commands is off on this computer": naetive commands on, then confirm in your browser, if you want that.

Pairing this browser

  • "More than one tunnel is open": fixed on 12 Oct 2026. If you still see it, refresh Connect and pair again.
  • Pairing is with the computer, whichever project's page you are on. You type the code the browser shows into the Naetive box that opens on the computer (or into naetive pair there).

The installer said "Setup needs attention"

Read the lines marked ⚠ in its summary: each names the thing that did not land and the command that fixes it. Running the install line again is always safe; it repairs what is missing and changes nothing that works. On Windows the line about hooks is a limit of the platform, not a failure.

The Chats page says nothing is installed

On naetive.ai the page says what is missing: Your tunnel isn't running., The console isn't running on ., or that this project's folder is not shared yet, each with the line that fixes it. If nothing was ever installed, run the install line from Connect on this computer, then pair this browser. A chat runs on the computer that started it; another computer needs its own install to start chats there, though History shows chats from every computer.

A call failed a moment ago and works now

Naetive deploys several times a day. The tunnel reconnects within seconds and a window's connection comes back on its own; a call in that window can fail once. Nothing to do.

An agent is not recording anything

Ask it to call get_bootstrap again; the rules for how to work on Naetive are there. If a job stays a draft while the agent codes, ask it to move the job to building and post an update.

Still stuck?

The activity page has the deeper cases (Activity troubleshooting), and the line at the bottom of it gives you the full server-side picture to send with a report.