# Logstash could not be started because there is already another instance using the configured data directory - Windows7 **URL:** \ **Category:** Logstash\ **Created:** [June 26, 2018, 4:18am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/logstash-could-not-be-started-because-there-is-already-another-instance-using-the-configured-data-directory-windows7/137349 "2018-06-26T04:18:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![thoppaen](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/thoppaen/32/32640_2.png) [@thoppaen](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/thoppaen)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 4:18am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/logstash-could-not-be-started-because-there-is-already-another-instance-using-the-configured-data-directory-windows7/137349/1 "2018-06-26T04:18:02Z")
Hi, How do i kill multiple instances, i do not wish to run multiple instances of logstash, but however, it is getting created in the background! How do i kill it in windows 7. However, on changing the path.data in YML file, i get this below error: [2018-06-26T09:23:55,708][ERROR][org.logstash.Logstash] java.lang.IllegalStateException: Logstash stopped processing because of an error: (SystemExit) exit [2018-06-26T09:41:21,604][FATAL][logstash.runner] An unexpected error occurred! {:error=\>#\, :backtrace=\>["C:/ELK/logstash-6.3.0/logstash-core/lib/logstash/settings.rb:37:in `get_setting'", "C:/ELK/logstash-6.3.0/logstash-core/lib/logstash/settings.rb:70:in`set\_value'", "C:/ELK/logstash-6.3.0/logstash-core/lib/logstash/settings.rb:89:in `block in merge'", "org/jruby/RubyHash.java:1343:in`each'", "C:/ELK/logstash-6.3.0/logstash-core/lib/logstash/settings.rb:89:in `merge'", "C:/ELK/logstash-6.3.0/logstash-core/lib/logstash/settings.rb:138:in`validate\_all'", "C:/ELK/logstash-6.3.0/logstash-core/lib/logstash/runner.rb:279:in `execute'", "C:/ELK/logstash-6.3.0/vendor/bundle/jruby/2.3.0/gems/clamp-0.6.5/lib/clamp/command.rb:67:in`run'", "C:/ELK/logstash-6.3.0/logstash-core/lib/logstash/runner.rb:238:in `run'", "C:/ELK/logstash-6.3.0/vendor/bundle/jruby/2.3.0/gems/clamp-0.6.5/lib/clamp/command.rb:132:in`run'", "C:\ELK\logstash-6.3.0\lib\bootstrap\environment.rb:73:in `'"]} [2018-06-26T09:41:21,620][ERROR][org.logstash.Logstash] java.lang.IllegalStateException: Logstash stopped processing because of an error: (SystemExit) exit Config file : input { file { path =\> "D:\Temp\KT\TraceLog-2018-06-12T15-28-22.528.log" } } output { stdout { codec =\> rubydebug } } logstash YML path.data:"C: \ELK\logstash-6.3.0\data1" Rakesh TS ---
**Author:** ![magnusbaeck](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/magnusbaeck/32/44943_2.png) [@magnusbaeck](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/magnusbaeck)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 6:40am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/logstash-could-not-be-started-because-there-is-already-another-instance-using-the-configured-data-directory-windows7/137349/2 "2018-06-26T06:40:40Z")
> How do i kill multiple instances, i do not wish to run multiple instances of logstash, but however, it is getting created in the background! Logstash doesn't start by itself on Windows so this is something you need to dig into on your side. > path.data:"C: \ELK\logstash-6.3.0\data1" Not sure if it matters but there should be a space after "path.data:". If that doesn't help, post the non-comment lines of your logstash.yml **formatted as preformatted text using markdown notation or the `` toolbar button**. ---
**Author:** ![thoppaen](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/thoppaen/32/32640_2.png) [@thoppaen](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/thoppaen)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2018, 5:26am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/logstash-could-not-be-started-because-there-is-already-another-instance-using-the-configured-data-directory-windows7/137349/3 "2018-06-28T05:26:56Z")
i solved it by copying the folder to a different location and installing again ! plus running it using the below command , D:\logstash-6.3.0\bin\>logstash -f logS.config \< "D:\Temp\KT\TraceLog-2018-06-12T 15-47-31.830.log Config file : \*\*input { stdin{ } } filter { grok { match =\> {"message" =\> "\<%{WORD:loglevel}\>%{TIMESTAMP\_ISO8601:timestamp}%{GREEDYDATA:logmessage}'%{PATH:path}'%{WORD:category}%{WORD:user}%{NUMBER:threadid}%{BASE16NUM:errorcode}%{WORD:application}%{WORD:machine}"} } } output { file { path =\> "D:\logstash-6.3.0\data1\output8.csv" } } I don't know for some reason, it isnt working if i pass path in the input {} , the command line keeps executing and nothing happens. input { file{ path =\> "D:\Temp\KT\TraceLog-2018-06-12T15-28-22.528.log" } } the above input {} doesnt work. ---
**Author:** ![magnusbaeck](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/magnusbaeck/32/44943_2.png) [@magnusbaeck](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/magnusbaeck)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2018, 5:47am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/logstash-could-not-be-started-because-there-is-already-another-instance-using-the-configured-data-directory-windows7/137349/4 "2018-06-28T05:47:07Z")
What if you append a line to the file with ``` echo whatever >> D:\logstash-6.3.0\data1\output8.csv ``` ? ---
**Author:** ![thoppaen](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/thoppaen/32/32640_2.png) [@thoppaen](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/thoppaen)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2018, 6:46am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/logstash-could-not-be-started-because-there-is-already-another-instance-using-the-configured-data-directory-windows7/137349/5 "2018-06-28T06:46:31Z")
> [@magnusbaeck](#): > > echo whatever \>\> D:\logstash-6.3.0\data1\output8.csv I have no problem in getting the output but the input {} component is where im facing issue ! it doesnt work if i add path to the input{} ---
**Author:** ![magnusbaeck](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/magnusbaeck/32/44943_2.png) [@magnusbaeck](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/magnusbaeck)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2018, 6:58am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/logstash-could-not-be-started-because-there-is-already-another-instance-using-the-configured-data-directory-windows7/137349/6 "2018-06-28T06:58:34Z")
Sorry, that was the wrong path. This is what I meant: ``` echo whatever >> D:\Temp\KT\TraceLog-2018-06-12T15-28-22.528.log ``` ---
**Author:** ![thoppaen](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/thoppaen/32/32640_2.png) [@thoppaen](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/thoppaen)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2018, 11:06am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/logstash-could-not-be-started-because-there-is-already-another-instance-using-the-configured-data-directory-windows7/137349/7 "2018-06-28T11:06:16Z")
The compiler gets stuck there for good ! it doesnt respond. PFA of the ![ELK](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/9/6/968d14d6897fed8e89811a178c1335b7ac68d30a.PNG) screen shot ---
**Author:** ![magnusbaeck](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/magnusbaeck/32/44943_2.png) [@magnusbaeck](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/magnusbaeck)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2018, 11:08am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/logstash-could-not-be-started-because-there-is-already-another-instance-using-the-configured-data-directory-windows7/137349/8 "2018-06-28T11:08:16Z")
That's expected with your configuration, but does the "whatever" line end up in output8.csv? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2018, 11:13am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/logstash-could-not-be-started-because-there-is-already-another-instance-using-the-configured-data-directory-windows7/137349/9 "2018-07-26T11:13:57Z")
This topic was automatically closed 28 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.