# Logstash problem accessing symbolic link config-file during start-up

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/logstash-problem-accessing-symbolic-link-config-file-during-start-up/94129>\
**Category:** Logstash\
**Created:** [July 21, 2017, 3:41pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/logstash-problem-accessing-symbolic-link-config-file-during-start-up/94129 "2017-07-21T15:41:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bterhorst](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c57346/32.png) [@bterhorst](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/bterhorst)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2017, 3:41pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/logstash-problem-accessing-symbolic-link-config-file-during-start-up/94129/1 "2017-07-21T15:41:20Z")

</div>

Hi,

I have a file : c:\elk\checkout\logstash\bin\logstash.conf  
I created a hard symbolic link so that this file is linked to the location where logstash is running.

`mklink /D C:\dev\elk\logstash-5.4.0\bin\logstash.conf c:\elk\checkout\logstash\bin\logstash.conf`

When I run:  
`logstash.bat -f logstash.conf --config.reload.automatic`

I get the following error:

`17:25:29.262 [LogStash::Runner] ERROR logstash.agent - failed to fetch pipeline configuration {:message=>"Permission denied - C:/dev/elk/logstash-5.4.0/bin/logstash.conf"}`

When I do the same in elasticsearch or kibana the apps start without any problem.

Any ideas why logstash is complaining about permissions?

regards benny

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [July 25, 2017, 8:43pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/logstash-problem-accessing-symbolic-link-config-file-during-start-up/94129/2 "2017-07-25T20:43:26Z")

</div>

What if you start Logstash with the path to the original file, i.e. is this problem specific to the file that was created as a link?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bterhorst](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c57346/32.png) [@bterhorst](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/bterhorst)\
**Post date:** [July 26, 2017, 7:44am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/logstash-problem-accessing-symbolic-link-config-file-during-start-up/94129/3 "2017-07-26T07:44:21Z")

</div>

Hi Magnus,

Thanks for the reply.

I found out the problem was the way the symlink was made.  
I put option `/D` (creates a directory symbolic link) which should have been `/F` (creates a hard link)

Regards benny

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\
**Post date:** [August 23, 2017, 7:44am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/logstash-problem-accessing-symbolic-link-config-file-during-start-up/94129/4 "2017-08-23T07:44:23Z")

</div>

This topic was automatically closed 28 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.