# Although installing logstash, I get "logstash: unrecognized service"

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/although-installing-logstash-i-get-logstash-unrecognized-service/76282>\
**Category:** Logstash\
**Created:** [February 23, 2017, 6:10pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/although-installing-logstash-i-get-logstash-unrecognized-service/76282 "2017-02-23T18:10:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 2

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**Author:** ![theuntergeek](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/theuntergeek/32/44961_2.png) [@theuntergeek](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/theuntergeek)\
**Post date:** [February 23, 2017, 6:43pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/although-installing-logstash-i-get-logstash-unrecognized-service/76282/2 "2017-02-23T18:43:17Z")

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You've installed Logstash on a RHEL or CentOS box, I presume. Which version?

The bottom line is that for RHEL/CentOS 6.x, Logstash is installed as an upstart service, which you can start with `initctl start logstash` (or is it `initctl logstash start`? I never can remember the order).

If you installed on a RHEL/CentOS 7.x system, Logstash will be installed as a systemd service, which you can start with `systemctl start logstash`.

`service start logstash` does not work with either, though you _can_ force install a SysV init script by running: `/usr/share/logstash/bin/system-install /etc/logstash/startup.options sysv` as root (or with `sudo`). You may still need to go through some hoops to make your system recognize it as a "service" after this. I recommend sticking with upstart/systemd.

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_[View the full topic](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/although-installing-logstash-i-get-logstash-unrecognized-service/76282)._