# Grok Bot update\_state memory writes fail fleet-wide: brain docs snapshot was cut short before completing **URL:** \ **Category:** Bug Reports\ **Tags:** grok-bot\ **Created:** [September 16, 2026, 3:07pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/grok-bot-update-state-memory-writes-fail-fleet-wide-brain-docs-snapshot-was-cut-short-before-completing/171895 "2026-09-16T15:07:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![doughy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c77e96/32.png) [@doughy](https://forum.cursor.com/u/doughy)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2026, 3:07pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/grok-bot-update-state-memory-writes-fail-fleet-wide-brain-docs-snapshot-was-cut-short-before-completing/171895/1 "2026-09-16T15:07:36Z")
### Where does the bug appear (feature/product)? Grok Bot ### Describe the Bug Summary update\_state with target: memory fails on every bot I tested with the exact error: brain docs snapshot was cut short before completing Settings updates via update\_state still work. Direct file writes to memory/profile.md and memory/log/\*.md still work. Failed memory writes do not reliably land the fact. Where it happens Recreated / reimported bots (e.g. after sidebar Delete + reimport): CreateAgent often leaves incomplete agent-data — missing memory/ folder, no conversation-blobs.db, empty latestRootBlobId. Scaffolding memory/ alone does not fix update\_state. Long-lived bots too same error. So this is not recreate-only and not explained by one oversized chat. Repro Open any bot (fresh or old). Ask it to run update\_state → target: memory, action: write, short log/note fact. Observe tool error: brain docs snapshot was cut short before completing. Confirm the fact is absent from memory/\*.md (unless the bot file-appended as a workaround). Optionally: update\_state → target: settings still succeeds on the same bot. Expected Memory write succeeds; fact appears in agent memory / prompt snapshots. Actual Tool errors; brain-docs snapshot aborts; store prompt snapshots can lag disk; bots fall back to editing memory/\*.md by hand. Notes from local investigation SQLite stores integrity-check OK; disk not full; agent-data → sand-data symlink fine. Host shows related brain-docs diagnostics (brain\_docs\_compensation\_failed / brain\_docs\_channel\_config\_corrupt). Box host stamp observed: 332d021b. Example agent ids: CoS f283b3c0-75c5-41ac-a60b-455ef252740e; also reproduced on Economist and a brand-new Engineer. Already filed in-app feedback (privacy mode blocked SendFeedback from the bot; filed via Help → Send Feedback). Workaround File-append durable facts to memory/profile.md / memory/log/YYYY-MM.md until fixed. Do not recommend Update/Reset Computer as the first fix for this (looks harness/brain-docs side). ### Steps to Reproduce Open any bot (fresh or old). Ask it to run update\_state → target: memory, action: write, short log/note fact. Observe tool error: brain docs snapshot was cut short before completing. Confirm the fact is absent from memory/\*.md (unless the bot file-appended as a workaround). Optionally: update\_state → target: settings still succeeds on the same bot. ### Expected Behavior Memory write succeeds; fact appears in agent memory / prompt snapshots. ### Operating System MacOS ### Version Information Version: 0.53.0 Release Track: stable OS: darwin ### Does this stop you from using Cursor No - Cursor works, but with this issue ---
**Author:** ![deanrie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/deanrie/32/1263_2.png) [@deanrie](https://forum.cursor.com/u/deanrie)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2026, 4:04pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/grok-bot-update-state-memory-writes-fail-fleet-wide-brain-docs-snapshot-was-cut-short-before-completing/171895/5 "2026-09-16T16:04:25Z")
Hey, thanks for the detailed report. It really helps that you included the exact error, steps, and what you observed right away. This is a known issue we’re already tracking. It shows up exactly the way you described: memory writes via `update_state` (target: memory) fail with `brain docs snapshot was cut short before completing`, while `update_state` with target: settings and direct file edits work fine. The fact that it happens on both new and old bots is expected for this issue, so it’s not caused by a single overloaded chat or anything in your setup. Your workaround is spot on. Have the bot write important facts directly into `memory/profile.md` or `memory/log/YYYY-MM.md` until this is fixed. You don’t need to run Update / Reset Computer for this, it won’t change anything. I can’t share a timeline yet, but I’ll post in this thread as soon as there’s an update. ---
**Author:** ![doughy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c77e96/32.png) [@doughy](https://forum.cursor.com/u/doughy)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2026, 5:21pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/grok-bot-update-state-memory-writes-fail-fleet-wide-brain-docs-snapshot-was-cut-short-before-completing/171895/7 "2026-09-17T17:21:14Z")
**Follow-up (2026-09-17 ~10:10 AM America/Los\_Angeles): `update_state` routine create/update also failing** Same Grok Bot / `update_state` surface as the memory/`brain docs` issue in this thread, but a **different error string**. ### Agent IDs (reproduced on both) - Chief of Staff: `f283b3c0-75c5-41ac-a60b-455ef252740e` - Daily News: `b703fc44-a58f-40fd-8fd6-5ecd482e9fd9` ### What’s failing now - **`update_state` · target `routine` · action `create`** Error: `Not saved — the routine could not be saved on the server this turn (create failed); try again in a moment.` Attempted new routine name: **News Briefing ship check** (schedule `15 9 * * *`). Disk staging only under `…/automations/news-briefing-ship-check/` — **not live on server** (`update` with that folder id → `no routine with folder "news-briefing-ship-check" exists`). - **`update_state` · target `routine` · action `update`** Same save error with `(update failed)`. Targeted existing routine: **Yesterday fleet brief** - Server folder id: `f46067a6-2734-57e3-a425-47b904b4f11e` - Disk path folder: `yesterday-fleet-brief` - Attempt: no-op schedule keep `40 8 * * *` (still failed) Daily News also failed **3×** the same morning syncing routine folder `daily-ai-tech-vc-briefing` (display name **News Briefing** , schedule `30 8 * * *`). ### Still failing (original memory bug) - **`update_state` · target `memory`** on CoS (`f283b3c0-…`) Error: `Error: brain docs snapshot was cut short before completing` Related standing check: folder id `memory-write-recovery-check` (last run 2026-09-16 10:53:25 AM PT — failed). ### Recent success (for bisect) - **2026-09-16:** CoS successfully **created** Magok NR compare starts — folder id `magok-nr-compare-starts`, cron `50 8 25 12 *`. - **2026-09-16:** CoS successfully **updated** Yesterday fleet brief (`f46067a6-2734-57e3-a425-47b904b4f11e`). - By **2026-09-17 ~10:10 AM PT** , create **and** update both fail with the generic server-save message (not the brain-docs string). ### Other live CoS routine folder ids (context) - Workspace hygiene: `c3c06169-af07-5f7c-a961-b03a458c554f` - Yesterday fleet brief: `f46067a6-2734-57e3-a425-47b904b4f11e` - Memory write recovery check: `memory-write-recovery-check` - Magok NR compare starts: `magok-nr-compare-starts` ### Impact Disk edits to `automations/*/automation.json` still work as workaround, but **live harness may not pick them up** until server sync succeeds. Blocks new standing routines and prompt updates via `update_state`. ### Ask Please treat routine create/update save failures as in-scope with the memory/`brain docs` incident (or confirm if separate). Happy to pull request/turn ids from client logs if you say which field you need. ---
**Author:** ![doughy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c77e96/32.png) [@doughy](https://forum.cursor.com/u/doughy)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2026, 5:34pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/grok-bot-update-state-memory-writes-fail-fleet-wide-brain-docs-snapshot-was-cut-short-before-completing/171895/8 "2026-09-17T17:34:53Z")
Quite flaky. ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/original/3X/7/9/79af267f522912bdbe097f74a6a3ec35e518e758.png) ---
**Author:** ![deanrie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/deanrie/32/1263_2.png) [@deanrie](https://forum.cursor.com/u/deanrie)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 6:52am UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/grok-bot-update-state-memory-writes-fail-fleet-wide-brain-docs-snapshot-was-cut-short-before-completing/171895/14 "2026-09-18T06:52:45Z")
Hey, thanks for the detailed follow-up. The create, update, delete routine failures you hit on September 17, the message “the routine could not be saved on the server this turn” and the “Deleting failed” dialog, were a separate temporary service outage on our side that morning, roughly from 6:30 to 10:40 Pacific. It affected routines for everyone during that window and was fixed the same day, so it’s not related to the memory issue. Create, update, delete routines should work normally now. If you try again and it fails, let me know and I’ll take another look. The memory issue itself, `update_state` with target: memory failing with `brain docs snapshot was cut short before completing`, is still open and we’re tracking it. There’s no fix yet, and I don’t have a timeline I can share. Your workaround, writing important facts directly to `memory/profile.md` or `memory/log/YYYY-MM.md`, is still the right approach for now. Update or Reset Computer isn’t needed and won’t change anything. I’ll reply in the thread once there’s an update. ---
**Author:** ![doughy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c77e96/32.png) [@doughy](https://forum.cursor.com/u/doughy)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2026, 5:21pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/grok-bot-update-state-memory-writes-fail-fleet-wide-brain-docs-snapshot-was-cut-short-before-completing/171895/15 "2026-09-23T17:21:27Z")
Grok Bot itself just told me the issue is fixed. Awesome! ---
**Author:** ![Matt\_Devaney](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/fbc32d/32.png) [@Matt\_Devaney](https://forum.cursor.com/u/Matt_Devaney)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2026, 1:10pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/grok-bot-update-state-memory-writes-fail-fleet-wide-brain-docs-snapshot-was-cut-short-before-completing/171895/16 "2026-09-25T13:10:19Z")
Myself and a colleague both seem to be hitting this issue again as of Sept 25th Where as my colleague had a relatively complex workflow and routine, I went for something simple - a rule that calculates how many days until Christmas, and a routine that would trigger every morning and tell me how many days to go. **Error (every attempt):** `Not saved: the routine could not be saved on the server this turn (create failed); try again in a moment.` **What I’m trying to create:** - Name: Christmas countdown - Schedule: `10 9 * * *` (daily ~9:10 Europe/London) - Trigger type: cron via chat (`update_state` target `routine`, action `create`) - No confirm card appears — fails before save **Timeline:** - First failures: ~11:10 BST on 25 Sep 2026 - Still failing as of ~14:04 BST same day (many retries over ~3 hours) - [status.cursor.com](http://status.cursor.com) showed All Systems Operational during this window; today’s Grok Bot incident (computers create/reach/reset, ~05:17–06:51 UTC) was already Resolved before our first failure **Environment:** - Cursor Team plan - Grok Bot desktop 0.58 - Timezone: Auto Detect (Europe/London) - Bot: Grok Bot (server-managed / temporal harness; routines kept on server) - Exact create payload class matches the Sep 17 reports (morning daily cron) **What still works:** - Chat and box Shell work normally - Rules can be defined, saved, published and seen by other Team members (so persistence seems to work) - `update_state` memory write succeeds on this bot - So this is specific to routine create, not a total `update_state` outage on my side **Ruled out on my side:** - Not Start-plan gating (Team plan) - Not an old app build (0.58) - Not timezone misconfig - The Agent Comp was fully updated - no change. ---
**Author:** ![Amogh\_Tyagi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2bfe46/32.png) [@Amogh\_Tyagi](https://forum.cursor.com/u/Amogh_Tyagi)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2026, 12:36am UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/grok-bot-update-state-memory-writes-fail-fleet-wide-brain-docs-snapshot-was-cut-short-before-completing/171895/17 "2026-09-26T00:36:10Z")
Same create failure here, still happening as of 26 Sep ~05:40 IST. Exact error on every attempt: `Not saved: the routine could not be saved on the server this turn (create failed)` Tried: - Recreating three GitHub PR listeners (with userAllowlist) - A tiny weekday cron probe just to test the save path - Resume of the old local copies All fail. Local paused copies are still on disk from mid-Sep; the live Routines list is empty. Mac app updates didn’t change anything. Status currently shows Grok Bot Degraded / Automations Operational, which matches what others are seeing. Happy to share more detail if useful. ---
**Author:** ![deanrie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/deanrie/32/1263_2.png) [@deanrie](https://forum.cursor.com/u/deanrie)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2026, 9:52am UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/grok-bot-update-state-memory-writes-fail-fleet-wide-brain-docs-snapshot-was-cut-short-before-completing/171895/18 "2026-09-26T09:52:11Z")
Hey @Matt_Devaney, @Amogh_Tyagi, thanks for the details. There’s an important distinction here. The original issue in this thread (`brain docs snapshot was cut short` during memory-write) has been fixed, and the OP confirmed that above. What you’re describing, a crash of the `create` routine with `Not saved: the routine could not be saved on the server this turn (create failed)`, is a separate issue and not related to memory. I can see that memory-write, rules, chat, and shell work for both of you, and only routine creation fails. To speed up debugging, a couple questions: - The Request ID for a failed create attempt, if Privacy Mode isn’t enabled: in the bot chat, top-right menu \> Copy Request ID. - @Matt_Devaney, on the same bot, does create fail for any routine, or only for a specific payload? Do update, pause, delete for existing routines work? So this routine issue doesn’t get lost in a thread about an already-fixed memory bug, please continue in a separate topic. Please create a new thread for your issue.