# ES 6.8.0 on Ubuntu 16.04 starts properly but Systemd times out

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/es-6-8-0-on-ubuntu-16-04-starts-properly-but-systemd-times-out/262155>\
**Category:** Elasticsearch\
**Created:** [January 25, 2021, 6:19pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/es-6-8-0-on-ubuntu-16-04-starts-properly-but-systemd-times-out/262155 "2021-01-25T18:19:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![jtbis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/da6949/32.png) [@jtbis](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/jtbis)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2021, 6:19pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/es-6-8-0-on-ubuntu-16-04-starts-properly-but-systemd-times-out/262155/1 "2021-01-25T18:19:53Z")

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Hello,

I have a server where ES is starting properly, but the service is always showing activating. With `TimeoutStartSec=infinity` in the service file, everything functions as normal except for the service always staying in "activating" status.

Elasticsearch unit file:

```
[Unit]
Description=Elasticsearch
Documentation=https://www.elastic.co
Wants=network-online.target
After=network-online.target

[Service]
Type=notify
RuntimeDirectory=elasticsearch
PrivateTmp=true
Environment=ES_HOME=/usr/share/elasticsearch
Environment=ES_PATH_CONF=/etc/elasticsearch
Environment=PID_DIR=/var/run/elasticsearch
Environment=ES_SD_NOTIFY=true
EnvironmentFile=-/etc/default/elasticsearch

WorkingDirectory=/usr/share/elasticsearch

User=elasticsearch
Group=elasticsearch

#ExecStart=/usr/share/elasticsearch/bin/elasticsearch -p ${PID_DIR}/elasticsearch.pid --quiet -Edefault.path.logs=${LOG_DIR} -Edefault.path.data=${DATA_DIR} -Edefault.path.conf=${CONF_DIR}
ExecStart=/usr/share/elasticsearch/bin/elasticsearch -p ${PID_DIR}/elasticsearch.pid --quiet

# StandardOutput is configured to redirect to journalctl since
# some error messages may be logged in standard output before
# elasticsearch logging system is initialized. Elasticsearch
# stores its logs in /var/log/elasticsearch and does not use
# journalctl by default. If you also want to enable journalctl
# logging, you can simply remove the "quiet" option from ExecStart.
StandardOutput=journal
StandardError=inherit

# Specifies the maximum file descriptor number that can be opened by this process
LimitNOFILE=65535

# Specifies the maximum number of processes
LimitNPROC=4096

# Specifies the maximum size of virtual memory
LimitAS=infinity

# Specifies the maximum file size
LimitFSIZE=infinity

# Disable timeout logic and wait until process is stopped
TimeoutStopSec=0

# SIGTERM signal is used to stop the Java process
KillSignal=SIGTERM

# Send the signal only to the JVM rather than its control group
KillMode=process

# Java process is never killed
SendSIGKILL=no

# When a JVM receives a SIGTERM signal it exits with code 143
SuccessExitStatus=143

# Allow a slow startup before the systemd notifier module kicks in to extend the timeout
TimeoutStartSec=infinity

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

# Built for packages-7.10.0 (packages)

#TimeoutStartUSec=900`
```

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![DavidTurner](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/davidturner/32/22453_2.png) [@DavidTurner](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/DavidTurner)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2021, 7:14pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/es-6-8-0-on-ubuntu-16-04-starts-properly-but-systemd-times-out/262155/2 "2021-01-25T19:14:41Z")

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I don't think 6.8 supports `Type=notify`, that was [added in 7.4](https://github.com/elastic/elasticsearch/pull/44673).

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jtbis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/da6949/32.png) [@jtbis](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/jtbis)\
**Post date:** [January 26, 2021, 12:15pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/es-6-8-0-on-ubuntu-16-04-starts-properly-but-systemd-times-out/262155/3 "2021-01-26T12:15:30Z")

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That was it, thank you. This server must have been upgraded and downgraded at some point. I commented out `Type=notify` and it is working now.

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\
**Post date:** [February 23, 2021, 12:15pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/es-6-8-0-on-ubuntu-16-04-starts-properly-but-systemd-times-out/262155/4 "2021-02-23T12:15:35Z")

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