Fix RPC_PMAP_FAILURE – RPC_TIMED_OUT in NFS with direct checks and proven fixes. Our Live Support Team is always here to help you.

RPC_PMAP_FAILURE – RPC_TIMED_OUT: Causes and Fixes

If you’ve been hit with the RPC_PMAP_FAILURE – RPC_TIMED_OUT error, it usually points to one thing: the NFS client can’t get through to the server’s Port Mapper. This happens when the NFS server is down, unreachable, at the wrong run level, or its rpcbind process is stuck. The good news is, there’s a direct way to track down the cause without guesswork.

Problems like this often boil down to three possible failure points:

1. The server itself
2. The client
3. The network in between

Without further ado, let’s go straight into how to isolate the problem and fix it.

Common Causes of RPC_PMAP_FAILURE – RPC_TIMED_OUT

• Server network connection issue
• Faulty or misconfigured network equipment
• Firewall blocking RPC or NFS traffic
• Hung or dead rpcbind on the server

First Actions to Try

• Wait for the server to reboot. If hung, manually reboot it.
• Confirm the server is reachable. If remote login (rlogin) fails but the server is up, test network connectivity by logging into another machine.
• Check if other NFS clients can access the same server.
• Inspect switches, routers, or firewalls between client and server.
• Restart the server processes for inetd, portmap, and ypbind.

NFS Service Verification

When tracing the failure, confirm key NFS daemons are running.

Check if mountd is active:

ps -ef | grep mountd

Check if nfsd is active:

ps -ef | grep nfsd

If they’re not running, enable them without rebooting:

/usr/lib/nfs/mountd

/usr/lib/nfs/nfsd -a 8

Clearing Server Problems

1. Ping the server to ensure it responds:

ping <servername>

2. Check if nfsd responds from the client:

/usr/sbin/rpcinfo -u <servername> nfs

If working, this will list program, version, protocol, and port numbers.

3. Check if mountd responds:

/usr/sbin/rpcinfo -u <servername> mountd

If the server appears fine but you still can’t connect, check every network link between client and server.

Remote Mounting Failure Example

If mounting returns:

mount:... server not responding: RPC_PMAP_FAILURE - RPC_TIMED_OUT

…it means the NFS server is down, at the wrong run level, or rpcbind is hung.

To fix:

1. On the server, check its run level:

who -r

2. If at run level 2, switch to another run level and back, or reboot to restart rpcbind.

3. Attempt to log in from the client using rlogin.

4. If that fails but another remote login works, check the server’s own network link.

[If needed, Our team is available 24/7 for additional assistance.]

Conclusion

Every RPC_PMAP_FAILURE – RPC_TIMED_OUT issue can be narrowed down by confirming NFS daemons, checking server response, and ruling out network blocks. Follow the above checks in order, and you’ll know exactly where the failure lies before making changes.