Hey there, I’ve dealt with this exact device error on older macOS versions before—let’s break down how to fix it step by step.

Your Scenario #

You’re running macOS High Sierra 10.13.2, and executing brew list throws this error:

$ brew list /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.3/usr/lib/ruby/2.3.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:55:in `require': Device error @ io_fillbuf - fd:7 /usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/build_environment.rb (Errno::EDEVERR)
from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.3/usr/lib/ruby/2.3.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:55:in `require'
from /usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/formula.rb:7:in `<top (required)>'
from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.3/usr/lib/ruby/2.3.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:55:in `require'
from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.3/usr/lib/ruby/2.3.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:55:in `require'
from /usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/readall.rb:1:in `<top (required)>'
from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.3/usr/lib/ruby/2.3.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:55:in `require'
from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.3/usr/lib/ruby/2.3.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:55:in `require'
from /usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/tap.rb:3:in `<top (required)>'
from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.3/usr/lib/ruby/2.3.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:55:in `require'
from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.3/usr/lib/ruby/2.3.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:55:in `require'
from /usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/compat/tap.rb:1:in `<top (required)>'
from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.3/usr/lib/ruby/2.3.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:55:in `require'
from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.3/usr/lib/ruby/2.3.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:55:in `require'
from /usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/compat.rb:2:in `<top (required)>'
from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.3/usr/lib/ruby/2.3.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:55:in `require'
from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.3/usr/lib/ruby/2.3.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:55:in `require'
from /usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/global.rb:63:in `<top (required)>'
from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.3/usr/lib/ruby/2.3.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:55:in `require'
from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.3/usr/lib/ruby/2.3.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:55:in `require'
from /usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/brew.rb:21:in `<main>'

This error typically stems from disk permission issues, corrupted Homebrew files, or system Ruby access problems. Let’s tackle each possible fix:

Step 1: Reset Homebrew Directory Permissions #

macOS High Sierra enforces strict system permissions, so your user account might not have full access to Homebrew files. Run these commands to fix that:

sudo chown -R $(whoami) /usr/local/Homebrew
sudo chmod -R u+rwx /usr/local/Homebrew

Step 2: Run Homebrew Diagnostics #

Homebrew has a built-in tool to detect and repair installation issues. Execute:

brew doctor

Follow all the recommendations it provides—this will often resolve missing files or broken symlinks causing the error.

If that doesn’t work, force an update and upgrade to refresh core files:

brew update --force
brew upgrade --force-bottle

Step 3: Check for Disk Corruption #

Since this is a device error, rule out filesystem issues with Disk Utility:

1. Open Disk Utility (found in /Applications/Utilities)
2. Select your system drive from the left sidebar
3. Click First Aid and run a full scan
4. Apply any repairs suggested

Step 4: Install a User-Level Ruby (If All Else Fails) #

The system Ruby on High Sierra can sometimes have permission conflicts. Install a Ruby version managed by Homebrew to bypass this:

brew install ruby
echo 'export PATH="/usr/local/opt/ruby/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bash_profile
source ~/.bash_profile

Step 5: Reinstall Homebrew (Last Resort) #

If none of the above work, completely reinstall Homebrew:

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/uninstall.sh)"
/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

After trying these steps, run brew list again—it should work without the device error.

内容的提问来源于stack exchange，提问作者wei zhao