📖 中文文档

Expand your Mac storage effortlessly — Auto-mount SMB shares and cloud storage at boot, with zero manual intervention.

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├── 📜 README.md — English Documentation
├── 📜 README_CN.md — Chinese Documentation
├── 📜 LICENSE — MIT License
├── 🛠️ mount_manager.sh — Core script: Auto-mounts SMB/Rclone
├── ⚙️ com.example.mountmanager.plist — LaunchAgent for mount script
└── 🧠 com.ollama.startup.plist — LaunchAgent for Ollama Service (AI)

• ✨ Why LazyMount?
• 📦 Installation
  • Prerequisites
  • Install FUSE Interface
• ⚙️ Configuration
• 🌍 Remote Access (Tailscale)
• 🎮 Use Case Examples
• 📚 Detailed Beginner's Guide
• ❓ FAQ / Troubleshooting

Mac storage is expensive — a 1TB upgrade can cost $200+. LazyMount solves this by seamlessly extending your Mac with external storage:

• 🎮 Game Libraries — Store Steam/Epic games on a NAS, play them like local installs
• 💾 Time Machine Backups — Back up to a remote server automatically
• 🎬 Media Libraries — Access your movie/music collection stored on a home server
• 📁 Project Archives — Keep large files on cheaper storage, access them on-demand
• ☁️ Cloud Storage — Mount Google Drive, Dropbox, or any rclone-supported service as a local folder
• 🧠 AI Model Storage — Run large LLMs (Ollama) from network storage to save 100GB+ SSD space

Key Features:

• 🔄 Auto-mount at login — No manual clicking required
• 🛡️ Self-healing — Reconnects automatically after network failures
• 🌐 Works anywhere — Access home storage remotely via Tailscale
• ⚡ Dual-mode — Supports both SMB (local) and Rclone (cloud/remote)

1. Rclone (for cloud storage mounting):

   brew install rclone
   # Then configure your remote:
   rclone config

2. Install FUSE Interface (Connection Layer):

   You need ONE of the following. FUSE-T is recommended for modern Macs (M1/M2/M3) as it doesn't require lowering system security.

   Feature	Option A: FUSE-T (Recommended)	Option B: macFUSE (Legacy)
   Type	User-space (NFS Bridging)	Kernel Extension (Kext)
   Security	✅ Safe (No SIP changes)	⚠️ Low (Must reduce security in Recovery Mode)
   Stability	✅ High (Uses native macOS NFS)	⚠️ Risk of kernel panics
   Best for	macOS 12+ / Apple Silicon (M-Series)	Intel Macs / Legacy software

   To install FUSE-T (Recommended):

   brew tap macos-fuse-t/homebrew-cask
   brew install fuse-t

   To install macFUSE (If you prefer Kexts):

   brew install --cask macfuse

   ⚠️ How to enable macFUSE on Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3/M4...)

   Method 1: The Official Way (Recommended, keeps System Integrity Protection ON)

   1. Shutdown your Mac.
   2. Press and hold the Power Button until "Loading startup options" appears.
   3. Click Options -> Continue.
   4. Menu bar: Utilities -> Startup Security Utility.
   5. Select your disk -> Security Policy...
   6. Choose Reduced Security and check "Allow user management of kernel extensions...".
   7. Restart -> System Settings -> Privacy & Security -> Allow "Benjamin Fleischer".
   8. Restart again.

   Method 2: The Terminal Way (NOT Recommended, disables SIP) You might see tutorials suggesting csrutil disable in Recovery Terminal. While this works, it completely disables macOS security protections. Method 1 is safer.

   
   

3. (Recommended) Tailscale — For remote access to home network:

   brew install --cask tailscale

# 1. Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/yuanweize/LazyMount-Mac.git
cd LazyMount-Mac

# 2. Copy script to your Scripts folder
mkdir -p ~/Scripts
cp mount_manager.sh ~/Scripts/
chmod +x ~/Scripts/mount_manager.sh

# 3. Edit the script with YOUR settings
nano ~/Scripts/mount_manager.sh  # or use any editor

# 4. Install LaunchAgent for auto-start
cp com.example.mountmanager.plist ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.lazymount.plist
# Edit the plist to use your username:
sed -i '' "s/YOUR_USERNAME/$(whoami)/g" ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.lazymount.plist

# 5. Load the LaunchAgent service
launchctl load ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.lazymount.plist

Configuration is managed by editing variables at the top of the mount_manager.sh script.

nano ~/Scripts/mount_manager.sh

Locate the USER CONFIGURATION section to adjust settings.

Rclone mount flags are defined in the RCLONE_MOUNT_ARGS array. You can add, remove, or modify flags in this array to customize the mount behavior.

# In mount_manager.sh:

RCLONE_MOUNT_ARGS=(
    "--volname" "CloudStorage"
    "--vfs-cache-mode" "full"
    "--vfs-cache-max-size" "20G"
    "--no-modtime"
    # Add custom flags here
)

SMB_ENABLED="true"
SMB_IP="192.168.1.100"           # Your NAS/Server IP
SMB_USER="your_username"         # SMB username
SMB_SHARE="SharedFolder"         # Share name

RCLONE_ENABLED="true"
RCLONE_REMOTE="myremote:/path"   # Your rclone remote
RCLONE_MOUNT_POINT="$HOME/Mounts/Cloud"
RCLONE_IP="100.x.x.x"            # IP to ping (use Tailscale IP for remote)

For mounting disk images stored on the SMB share:

BUNDLE_PATH="$SMB_MOUNT_POINT/Storage.sparsebundle"
BUNDLE_VOLUME_NAME="ExternalStorage"

LazyMount works beautifully with Tailscale for accessing your home storage from anywhere.

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                     YOUR HOME NETWORK                       │
│                                                             │
│    ┌───────────────┐        ┌───────────┐   ┌───────────┐   │
│    │   Tailscale   │───────▶│    NAS    │   │  Server   │   │
│    │ Subnet Router │        │ (SMB/AFP) │   │ (SSH/Web) │   │
│    └───────────────┘        └───────────┘   └───────────┘   │
│           │                                       ▲         │
│           └───────────────────────────────────────┘         │
└──────────────────────────────▲──────────────────────────────┘
                               │
                      Tailscale VPN Tunnel
                               │
┌──────────────────────────────┴──────────────────────────────┐
│                    ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD                    │
│                 ┌─────────────────────────┐                 │
│                 │       Your MacBook      │                 │
│                 │   (LazyMount Client)    │                 │
│                 └─────────────────────────┘                 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

The magic feature you're looking for is called "Subnet Router" or "Exit Node" in Tailscale:

1. On your home server (Linux example):

   # Enable IP forwarding
   echo 'net.ipv4.ip_forward = 1' | sudo tee -a /etc/sysctl.conf
   sudo sysctl -p
   
   # Advertise your home subnet
   sudo tailscale up --advertise-routes=192.168.1.0/24

2. In Tailscale Admin Console (https://login.tailscale.com/admin):

   • Go to Machines → Your server → Enable "Subnet routes"
   • Approve the 192.168.1.0/24 route

3. On your Mac (the client):

   # Accept the advertised routes
   sudo tailscale up --accept-routes

Now your Mac can access 192.168.1.x addresses even when you're at a coffee shop! 🎉

Store games on a NAS to save SSD space:

# In mount_manager.sh:
SMB_IP="192.168.1.50"        # NAS IP
SMB_USER="steam"             
SMB_SHARE="Games"            # Share containing Steam library

# Optional: Use sparse bundle for better performance
BUNDLE_PATH="/Volumes/Games/SteamLibrary.sparsebundle"
BUNDLE_VOLUME_NAME="SteamLibrary"

⚠️ Gaming Note:

• Steam/Epic games require an APFS Sparse Bundle to work correctly.
• League of Legends (LOL) does not support running from network drives (even inside APFS).

Then in Steam: Settings → Storage → Add Library Folder → /Volumes/SteamLibrary

Back up your Mac to a server over the network:

SMB_IP="192.168.1.10"
SMB_USER="timemachine"
SMB_SHARE="Backups"

BUNDLE_PATH="/Volumes/Backups/MyMac.sparsebundle"
BUNDLE_VOLUME_NAME="TimeMachine"

Then: System Settings → Time Machine → Select Disk → Choose "TimeMachine"

Access your movie library stored on a home server:

RCLONE_ENABLED="true"
RCLONE_REMOTE="homeserver:/media"
RCLONE_MOUNT_POINT="$HOME/Movies/Server"
RCLONE_IP="100.64.0.1"       # Tailscale IP of your server

Mount cloud storage as if it were a local drive:

# First, configure rclone:
# rclone config → New remote → "google" → Google Drive

RCLONE_REMOTE="google:/MyDrive"
RCLONE_MOUNT_POINT="$HOME/GoogleDrive"
RCLONE_IP="8.8.8.8"          # Use Google DNS to check internet

Keep large project files on office NAS, access from home:

SMB_ENABLED="true"
SMB_IP="10.0.0.50"           # Office NAS (via VPN/Tailscale)
SMB_USER="employee"
SMB_SHARE="Projects"

Store large language models (LLaMA, Mistral, Qwen, etc.) on a server instead of your Mac's limited SSD:

RCLONE_ENABLED="true"
RCLONE_REMOTE="homeserver:/ai-models"
RCLONE_MOUNT_POINT="$HOME/.ollama/models"    # Ollama's model directory
RCLONE_IP="192.168.1.10"

⚠️ Important: Network Speed Matters!

LLM models need to be loaded into RAM before inference. If your model isn't in local cache, it must be transferred over the network. A 70B model can be 40GB+, so network speed is crucial:

Hardware Recommendations:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  💡 For Best LLM Experience, Upgrade Your Network!              │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                 │
│  Option 1: 2.5G USB Adapter (~$15-30)                          │
│  ┌─────────┐      ┌─────────────────┐      ┌─────────────┐     │
│  │   Mac   │─USB─▶│ 2.5G USB Adapter │─────▶│ 2.5G Switch │     │
│  └─────────┘      └─────────────────┘      └─────────────┘     │
│                                                                 │
│  Option 2: 10G Thunderbolt Adapter (~$100-200)                 │
│  ┌─────────┐      ┌───────────────────┐    ┌─────────────┐     │
│  │   Mac   │─TB4─▶│ 10G TB Adapter    │───▶│ 10G Switch  │     │
│  └─────────┘      └───────────────────┘    └─────────────┘     │
│                                                                 │
│  ⚠️ Both sides (Mac + Server) must support the speed!          │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Cache Settings for LLM (minimize re-downloads):

# In mount_manager.sh, adjust Rclone settings:
--vfs-cache-max-size 100G    # Large cache for model files
--vfs-cache-max-age 720h     # Keep cached for 30 days
--vfs-read-ahead 1G          # Pre-fetch for faster loads

Why this matters:

• LLM apps (Ollama, LM Studio) unload models after idle time (typically 5 minutes)
• Next query requires reloading the full model from network
• Fast network = quick model loading = better experience

If you want Ollama to start automatically at boot and serve models from your network drive (0.0.0.0), use the provided plist:

1. Edit the plist: Open com.ollama.startup.plist and change /Users/YOUR_USERNAME/.ollama/models to your actual mount path (e.g., /Users/yuanweize/Mounts/Server/ai-models).

2. Install:

   cp com.ollama.startup.plist ~/Library/LaunchAgents/
   launchctl load ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.ollama.startup.plist

3. Verify: Ollama will now start largely and listen on all interfaces. Access it from other devices via http://YOUR_MAC_IP:11434.

New to terminal/command line? This section walks you through everything step-by-step.

Homebrew is like an "App Store" for command-line tools. If you don't have it:

# Open Terminal (Spotlight → type "Terminal" → Enter)
# Paste this command and press Enter:
/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

# Follow the on-screen instructions
# When done, verify with:
brew --version

# Install Rclone (for cloud/remote mounting)
brew install rclone

# Install FUSE-T (Recommended for M-Series Macs)
# It's newer, faster, and safer (no reboot required!)
brew tap macos-fuse-t/homebrew-cask
brew install fuse-t

# --- OR ---

# Install macFUSE (Legacy, for Intel or specific needs)
# ⚠️ Apple Silicon users will need to enable Kernel Extensions in Recovery Mode
brew install --cask macfuse

If you installed FUSE-T: You are done! No restarts or security changes needed.

If you installed macFUSE:

1. Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security
2. Click "Allow" for the system extension
3. Restart your Mac

# Start the configuration wizard
rclone config

# Example: Setting up SFTP connection to your server
# n) New remote
# name> homeserver
# Storage> sftp
# host> 192.168.1.10
# user> your_username
# (follow prompts for SSH key or password)

Common remote types:

# List files on your remote (replace 'homeserver' with your remote name)
rclone ls homeserver:/

# If you see your files, it's working!

# Create Scripts folder
mkdir -p ~/Scripts

# Download the script
curl -o ~/Scripts/mount_manager.sh https://raw.githubusercontent.com/yuanweize/LazyMount-Mac/main/mount_manager.sh

# Make it executable
chmod +x ~/Scripts/mount_manager.sh

# Open in TextEdit
open -e ~/Scripts/mount_manager.sh

In the script, find and edit these lines:

# === RCLONE SETTINGS ===
RCLONE_ENABLED="true"                          # Enable Rclone? (true/false)
RCLONE_REMOTE="homeserver:/data"               # ← Your remote name and path
RCLONE_MOUNT_POINT="$HOME/Mounts/Server"       # ← Where to mount on your Mac
RCLONE_IP="192.168.1.10"                       # ← IP to ping for network check

# === SMB SETTINGS ===
SMB_ENABLED="true"                             # Enable SMB? (true/false)
SMB_IP="192.168.1.100"                         # ← Your NAS/Server IP
SMB_USER="your_username"                       # ← Your SMB username
SMB_SHARE="SharedFolder"                       # ← Share folder name

This is important! The script needs your password stored in Keychain:

1. Open Finder → Press ⌘ + K (Connect to Server)
2. Type: smb://[email protected]/SharedFolder
3. Enter your password
4. ✅ Check "Remember this password in my keychain"
5. Click Connect

The script will now connect using the stored credentials.

# Run the script to see if it works
~/Scripts/mount_manager.sh

# Watch the log in real-time (open a new terminal window)
tail -f /tmp/mount_manager.log

# You should see:
# === Mount Session Started: ... ===
# HH:MM:SS [SMB] Starting sequence...
# HH:MM:SS [SMB] Network OK.
# ...

# Download the LaunchAgent plist
curl -o ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.lazymount.plist https://raw.githubusercontent.com/yuanweize/LazyMount-Mac/main/com.example.mountmanager.plist

# Replace YOUR_USERNAME with your actual username
sed -i '' "s/YOUR_USERNAME/$(whoami)/g" ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.lazymount.plist

# Load it (starts immediately)
launchctl load ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.lazymount.plist

# Verify it's running
launchctl list | grep lazymount

# Check if your volumes are mounted:

# For SMB:
ls /Volumes/

# For Rclone:
ls ~/Mounts/

# View recent logs:
tail -20 /tmp/mount_manager.log

Setup Complete. Your storage will now auto-mount every time you log in.

# Check status
launchctl list | grep lazymount

# View logs
tail -f /tmp/mount_manager.log

# Restart the service
launchctl unload ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.lazymount.plist
launchctl load ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.lazymount.plist

# Stop the service
launchctl unload ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.lazymount.plist

# Manual mount (for testing)
~/Scripts/mount_manager.sh

A: Ensure your SMB credentials are saved in Keychain:

1. Open Finder → Go → Connect to Server (⌘K)
2. Enter your SMB URL: smb://username@server/share
3. Check "Remember this password in my keychain"

A: Adjust cache settings in the script:

--vfs-cache-max-size 50G    # Increase cache size
--dir-cache-time 5m         # Longer directory cache

A: This is normal for Rclone. Reduce --dir-cache-time to 10s for faster refresh.

# Rclone
diskutil unmount force ~/Mounts/CloudStorage

If your Mac is not shut down gracefully (e.g., power loss, forced reboot), the APFS sparse bundle used for Game Libraries might report data verification issues. This can cause the volume to become read-only or refuse to write data.

Workaround:

1. Open Disk Utility.
2. Select the mounted volume (e.g., SteamLibrary).
3. Click First Aid and let it run.
4. Once verified, it will work normally again.

Note: Standard SMB, Rclone, and SFTP mounts are not affected by this issue.

AppPorts — External drives save the world!

A perfect companion for LazyMount. While LazyMount handles the connection, AppPorts handles the applications.

• 📦 App Slimming: One-click migration of multi-gigabyte applications (Logic Pro, Xcode, Games) to your external drives.
• 🔗 Seamless Linking: Creates "App Portals" so macOS treats apps as if they are still local.
• 🛡️ Safety First: Optimized for macOS directory structure, with one-click restore anytime.

MIT License - See LICENSE for details.

Contributions welcome! Please feel free to submit pull requests.

Made with ❤️ for Mac users who refuse to pay Apple's storage tax.