# ES won't start - where can I check logs?
**URL:** https://discuss.elastic.co/t/es-wont-start-where-can-i-check-logs/192720
**Category:** Elasticsearch
**Created:** [July 29, 2019, 2:15pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/es-wont-start-where-can-i-check-logs/192720 "2019-07-29T14:15:38Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@tryptych](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/tryptych)
#### Post date: [July 29, 2019, 2:15pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/es-wont-start-where-can-i-check-logs/192720/1 "2019-07-29T14:15:38Z")
I recently upgraded ES to 5.6 and it won't start now, and gives no clues as to why. Where are the log files for ES? I have a folder at /var/log/elasticsearch but it is empty. /var/log/messages only shows that it started and stopped, no detail.
```
Jul 29 10:10:16 locker2 systemd: Started Elasticsearch.
Jul 29 10:10:24 locker2 systemd: elasticsearch.service: main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
Jul 29 10:10:24 locker2 systemd: Unit elasticsearch.service entered failed state.
Jul 29 10:10:24 locker2 systemd: elasticsearch.service failed.
```
How can I get better logging to find out what is wrong? Does ES have a debug mode? Can anyone point me in the right direction?
Thanks!
---
### Author:  [@spinscale](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/spinscale)
#### Post date: [August 1, 2019, 1:44pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/es-wont-start-where-can-i-check-logs/192720/2 "2019-08-01T13:44:12Z")
try checking the output of `journalctl`.
--Alex
---
### Author:  [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)
#### Post date: [August 29, 2019, 1:44pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/es-wont-start-where-can-i-check-logs/192720/3 "2019-08-29T13:44:14Z")
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