Apache / httpd not starting automatically on boot

Question

I have apache2 installed on Amazon Linux AMI release 2012.03. I'm able to start it manually just fine, without any errors using /etc/init.d/httpd start. However, it doesn't start automatically when the machine is booted up.

It appears that everything is configured properly in my rc*.d directories. Here's the result of find /etc/rc.d -name "*httpd*" | xargs ls -l:

-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 3371 Feb 16  2012 /etc/rc.d/init.d/httpd
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root   15 Apr 14  2012 /etc/rc.d/rc0.d/K15httpd -> ../init.d/httpd
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root   15 Apr 14  2012 /etc/rc.d/rc1.d/K15httpd -> ../init.d/httpd
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root   15 Apr 14  2012 /etc/rc.d/rc2.d/K15httpd -> ../init.d/httpd
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root   15 Apr 14  2012 /etc/rc.d/rc3.d/K15httpd -> ../init.d/httpd
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root   15 Apr 14  2012 /etc/rc.d/rc4.d/K15httpd -> ../init.d/httpd
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root   15 Apr 14  2012 /etc/rc.d/rc5.d/K15httpd -> ../init.d/httpd
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root   15 Apr 14  2012 /etc/rc.d/rc6.d/K15httpd -> ../init.d/httpd

I understand that I can put the /etc/init.d/httpd start command into /etc/rc.local, but isn't that a workaround? Why isn't it starting automatically? Other stuff in the rc*.d directories starts just fine on bootup (mongod, postfix, etc). Thanks!

Mike, I think you can use chkconfig --list and chkconfig on with the Amazon AMI distro. — JasonAzze, Jan 24 '13 at 19:00
`chkconfig --list` shows `httpd 0:off 1:off 2:off 3:off 4:off 5:off 6:off` ... so how do I turn them on? Thanks! — Mike Cialowicz, Jan 24 '13 at 19:06

score 37 · Accepted Answer · answered Jan 24 '13 at 19:14

37

Use chkconfig to manage the runlevels under which you want this service to start.

Usually chkconfig httpd on does the job.

answered Jan 24 '13 at 19:14

JasonAzze

851
10
15

What if that doesn't work? – Paul Sheldrake Oct 20 '15 at 22:41
2

@PaulSheldrake are you running an OS that uses systemd by any chance? For example, Linuxes in the Red Hat 7 family now use systemd. In that case you want `systemctl enable httpd` – JasonAzze Oct 23 '15 at 22:22
@JasonAzze I'm using centos 6.5. – Paul Sheldrake Oct 24 '15 at 01:56
@JasonAzze If you're interested in taking a look https://github.com/paulsheldrake/vagrant/blob/master/scripts/provision.sh#L37 – Paul Sheldrake Oct 26 '15 at 17:44
@PaulSheldrake what is the failure mode? If you issue `chkconfig --list httpd` is it "on" for runlevels 2-5? I wonder if httpd is trying to start but immediately stopping because of a bad httpd config. Is there evidence in the logs? – JasonAzze Oct 26 '15 at 18:10
Yes, the run levels show correctly. There is nothing in the logs from what I can tell – Paul Sheldrake Oct 26 '15 at 18:11

score 7 · Answer 2 · answered Jan 24 '13 at 19:23

You do not have any "S" links. All the "K" are shutdown only. Add links with same name, just replace the K with S.

"In general, the system starts commands that begin with the letter "S" and stops commands that begin with the letter "K." Commands that begin with the letter "K" run only when the system is changing run levels from a higher to a lower level. Commands that begin with the letter "S" run in all cases."

If using chkconfig, see "man chkconfig". For your case:

chkconfig --level 2345 httpd on

should do.

Apache / httpd not starting automatically on boot

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