### Author:  [@ceekay](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/ceekay)
#### Post date: [December 24, 2015, 12:10am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/repackaging-beats-deb-files-service-wont-start/37898/1 "2015-12-24T00:10:18Z")
Hi all,
I've extracted and repackaged the official .deb files for filebeat, packetbeat, and topbeat, so I can include my own configs and certs and deploy via puppet. I've also added my own postinst and prerm files to update rc.d and start the service via the included init.d script.
All is well, except that the service won't start when the deb is installed via `apt-get`. If I install the same .deb files using `dpkg -i ` it starts up fine.
Using topbeat as an example, I've added some debug and the init.d script is getting as far as the start-stop-daemon attempting to run topbeat-god, but nothing appears to happen at that point.
I've used `start-stop-daemon -v`, but all I get is output telling me it's starting topbeat-god. Similarly, adding `-l /tmp/topbeat-god` to topbeat-god just creates an empty file, but the service isn't running when I check.
For completeness, my postinst script is:
> `#!/bin/bash`
> echo "Updating rc.d"
> /usr/sbin/update-rc.d topbeat defaults \> /dev/null
>
> if pgrep "topbeat" \> /dev/null
> then
> echo "Restarting topbeat"
> /etc/init.d/topbeat restart
> else
> echo "Starting topbeat"
> /etc/init.d/topbeat start
> fi
It's definitely hitting each step as it's echoing the output, and the rc.d updates are taking place.
Running the init.d script after installing with apt-get starts the service as expected. It just won't start on install.
I suspect there's some sort of environment issue running topbeat-god from apt-get, but I don't know where to look for clues. Can I get some more verbose output, or does someone know what the problem may be?
System is Ubuntu 14.04.3 64bit.
Beats are all v. 1.0.1
Thanks!
---
### Author:  [@ruflin](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/ruflin)
#### Post date: [December 27, 2015, 8:44am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/repackaging-beats-deb-files-service-wont-start/37898/2 "2015-12-27T08:44:32Z")
As far as I understand, if you go with our provided package, it works as expected? The best place to look for some more clues is in the beats-packer repo [https://github.com/elastic/beats-packer](https://github.com/elastic/beats-packer) as this is where we generate the packages.
---
### Author:  [@ceekay](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/ceekay)
#### Post date: [December 27, 2015, 8:50am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/repackaging-beats-deb-files-service-wont-start/37898/3 "2015-12-27T08:50:25Z")
@ruflin I don't believe the provided package attempts to start the service on install, although I could be wrong. There's no postinst script that I can see when it's unpacked, so it doesn't appear to be trying to start it.
Everything looks OK in my repacked version, aside from the service not starting automatically on install, even though I've added a postinst that should do that. I'm using the packaged init.d script so I cant think of a reason why it wouldn't be starting other than something being different in the environment when launched via apt-get.
---
### Author:  [@ceekay](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/ceekay)
#### Post date: [January 6, 2016, 7:05am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/repackaging-beats-deb-files-service-wont-start/37898/4 "2016-01-06T07:05:20Z")
Some more info: If I add an `strace -f` to the init.d script, package it back up (with my postinst script), and install via apt-get, the service starts up, however the package ends up in a half-installed state because strace never exits.
e.g.,
> ( ... )
> do\_start()
> {
> `strace -f ` start-stop-daemon --start
> --pidfile $PIDFILE
> --exec $WRAPPER -- $WRAPPER\_ARGS -- $DAEMON $DAEMON\_ARGS
> }
> ( ... )
Strace itself gives no clues because the process is actually running at this point.
Without the strace, but with `-d "*"` added to `$DAEMON_ARGS` in the init script, the only output I get is from geolite.go telling me GeoIP is disabled are no paths set (which I would expect). There is no other output and no sign of the process in `ps` after that.
Does that give any clues as to why dpkg starts the service but apt doesn't?
I'm really stuck here ... 😕
---
### Author:  [@ruflin](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/ruflin)
#### Post date: [January 6, 2016, 12:18pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/repackaging-beats-deb-files-service-wont-start/37898/5 "2016-01-06T12:18:31Z")
The GeoIP line should not be relevant. What do you have in your config under logging? Are you logging to a file and have the level on debug? If yes, you should have some more information inside.
---
### Author:  [@andrewkroh](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/andrewkroh)
#### Post date: [January 6, 2016, 3:01pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/repackaging-beats-deb-files-service-wont-start/37898/6 "2016-01-06T15:01:00Z")
I would add some additional debug to your postinstall script to dump out the environment to see what the differences are between `apt-get` and `dpkg` installation. I can't think of anything that would prevent topbeat-god from launching when installed via `apt-get`. For reference you can see the source for topbeat-god at [https://github.com/fiorix/go-daemon](https://github.com/fiorix/go-daemon).
If you are using Puppet, why not install the package using the Puppet `package` type and then install and start the service using the Puppet [`service`](https://docs.puppetlabs.com/references/latest/type.html#service) type.
---
### Author:  [@ceekay](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/ceekay)
#### Post date: [January 6, 2016, 10:04pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/repackaging-beats-deb-files-service-wont-start/37898/7 "2016-01-06T22:04:16Z")
Thanks for getting back to me.
@ruflin Yep, I just included the GeoIP bit as it's the only logging I get on startup.
I had debug logging set to go to syslog. Here's what I get:
apt:
> Jan 7 10:57:14 civet /usr/bin/topbeat[4981]: geolite.go:24: GeoIP disabled: No paths were set under output.geoip.paths
dpkg:
> Jan 7 10:57:36 civet /usr/bin/topbeat[5066]: geolite.go:24: GeoIP disabled: No paths were set under output.geoip.paths
> Jan 7 10:57:36 civet /usr/bin/topbeat[5066]: outputs.go:111: Activated logstash as output plugin.
> Jan 7 10:57:36 civet /usr/bin/topbeat[5066]: publish.go:249: Publisher name: civet
> Jan 7 10:57:36 civet /usr/bin/topbeat[5066]: beat.go:107: Init Beat: topbeat; Version: 1.0.1
> Jan 7 10:57:36 civet /usr/bin/topbeat[5066]: beat.go:133: topbeat sucessfully setup. Start running.
@andrewkroh I added `env` just before `start-stop-daemon` and diffed the output. The only change is that apt has set `DPKG_NO_TSTP=yes` which doesn't look relevant from what I can tell.
Regarding puppet, most, but not all hosts here use puppet, so relying on that to start the service doesn't completely solve the problem. We have just under 2000 hosts in our host DB, and multiple puppet masters. In some cases I would be getting others to install the package for me and would really prefer that it Just Works for them.
---
### Author:  [@andrewkroh](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/andrewkroh)
#### Post date: [January 6, 2016, 11:37pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/repackaging-beats-deb-files-service-wont-start/37898/8 "2016-01-06T23:37:39Z")
Maybe something is being logged by the topbeat but it is being swallowed by topbeat-god. Topbeat-god is a black hole for stdout and stderr from the program unless you add `-l FILE` to it's arguments.
Try adding `-l /var/log/topbeat-god` to the `WRAPPER_ARGS` to see if anything is being logged when it shuts down. While you are at it, I would add `-e -v -d "*"` to `DAEMON_ARGS` so that all debug is logged to `/var/log/topbeat-god`.
```auto
$ topbeat-god -h
Use: god [options] [--] program [arguments]
Options:
-h --help show this help and exit
-v --version show version and exit
-f --foreground run in foreground
-n --nohup make the program immune to SIGHUP
-l --logfile FILE write the program's stdout and stderr to FILE
-p --pidfile FILE write pid to FILE
-r --rundir DIR switch to DIR before executing the program
-u --user USER switch to USER before executing the program
-g --group GROUP switch to GROUP before executing the program
The program's output go to a blackhole if no logfile is set.
Log files are recycled on SIGHUP.
```
---
### Author:  [@ceekay](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/ceekay)
#### Post date: [January 7, 2016, 12:00am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/repackaging-beats-deb-files-service-wont-start/37898/9 "2016-01-07T00:00:19Z")
@andrewkroh Same again I'm afraid - just the same GeoIP output in the topbeat-god log.
> 2016/01/06 23:57:36.192785 geolite.go:24: INFO GeoIP disabled: No paths were set under output.geoip.paths
Are you able to reproduce this at all? Just adding my postinst at the top of this page to the package should do it.
---
### Author:  [@andrewkroh](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/andrewkroh)
#### Post date: [January 8, 2016, 12:12am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/repackaging-beats-deb-files-service-wont-start/37898/10 "2016-01-08T00:12:37Z")
I can reproduce the issue, but I am not sure what is causing it. My log contained a bit more than yours; topbeat got to the point where it said `topbeat successfully setup. Start running.`. But that is probably just due to timing (the time between the first log line and last was only 3ms).
---
### Author:  [@ceekay](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/ceekay)
#### Post date: [January 8, 2016, 12:33am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/repackaging-beats-deb-files-service-wont-start/37898/11 "2016-01-08T00:33:47Z")
Okay, good to know it's not just me.
Is this likely to be something you guys keep investigating? I'm all out of ideas here.
---
### Author:  [@andrewkroh](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/andrewkroh)
#### Post date: [January 8, 2016, 1:41am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/repackaging-beats-deb-files-service-wont-start/37898/12 "2016-01-08T01:41:46Z")
What if you modify the start-stop-daemon command to not rely on topbeat-god, like this:
```auto
start-stop-daemon -vvv --start \
--pidfile $PIDFILE \
--background --exec $DAEMON -- $DAEMON_ARGS \
|| return 2
```
---
### Author:  [@ceekay](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/ceekay)
#### Post date: [January 8, 2016, 2:38am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/repackaging-beats-deb-files-service-wont-start/37898/13 "2016-01-08T02:38:27Z")
Hi @andrewkroh
I'm getting more output, but still no running process at the end.
> 2016/01/08 02:35:24.898609 geolite.go:24: INFO GeoIP disabled: No paths were set under output.geoip.paths
> 2016/01/08 02:35:25.007755 outputs.go:111: INFO Activated logstash as output plugin.
> 2016/01/08 02:35:25.007903 publish.go:249: INFO Publisher name: civet
> 2016/01/08 02:35:25.008318 beat.go:107: INFO Init Beat: topbeat; Version: 1.0.1
> Starting /usr/bin/topbeat...
> Detaching to start /usr/bin/topbeat...done.
---
### Author:  [@andrewkroh](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/andrewkroh)
#### Post date: [January 8, 2016, 2:38pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/repackaging-beats-deb-files-service-wont-start/37898/14 "2016-01-08T14:38:10Z")
Using the changes I suggested I do end up with a running process after performing an `apt-get install topbeat`.
---
### Author:  [@ceekay](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/ceekay)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2016, 12:29am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/repackaging-beats-deb-files-service-wont-start/37898/15 "2016-01-11T00:29:12Z")
@andrewkroh I've gone back and built a clean package with your suggested change, and can now get the service to start via apt.
The only issue is now that it takes 30 seconds to stop or restart the service with the init script, when previously it was instant. Do you have any ideas about that?
> `# time /etc/init.d/topbeat stop`
> real 0m30.029s
> user 0m0.401s
> sys 0m1.334s
Thanks for all your help so far.
---
### Author:  [@andrewkroh](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/andrewkroh)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2016, 2:32pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/repackaging-beats-deb-files-service-wont-start/37898/16 "2016-01-11T14:32:58Z")
Since you are modifying the start command, the stop and status commands will need updated.
- Add `-m` to the start-stop-daemon command in do\_start so that the PID file gets created since topbeat won't do this. Previously topbeat-god did that.
- Change WRAPPER to DAEMON in the stop and status commands.
---
### Author:  [@ceekay](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/ceekay)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2016, 10:20pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/repackaging-beats-deb-files-service-wont-start/37898/17 "2016-01-11T22:20:34Z")
@andrewkroh that's it - all working.
Thank you so much for sticking with this and getting me a solution.
I'm just wondering if the issue with no startup when using tobeat-god will be something you guys follow up for a future release? I'd really prefer not to deviate from upstream, as my original intent was to just add a couple of config and startup files, and repackage.
FWIW, if anyone else is following along, also change WRAPPER to DAEMON in the init.d status command.
Thanks again.
---
### Author:  [@andrewkroh](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/andrewkroh)
#### Post date: [January 13, 2016, 1:45am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/repackaging-beats-deb-files-service-wont-start/37898/18 "2016-01-13T01:45:16Z")
I don't think we will be change init scripts due to this issue. But we did prove that we can daemonize a go process without go-daemon by using standard debian tools... so it is an option.
With most distros moving toward the usage of systemd we won't need to use go-daemon at all on those operating systems. We are going to start including a unit file for systemd in our packages.
---
### Author:  [@steffens](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/steffens)
#### Post date: [January 13, 2016, 10:34am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/repackaging-beats-deb-files-service-wont-start/37898/19 "2016-01-13T10:34:29Z")
I don't think start-stop-daemon exists on e.g. CentOS (pre systemd).
---
### Author:  [@blbradley](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/blbradley)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2016, 1:33am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/repackaging-beats-deb-files-service-wont-start/37898/20 "2016-11-23T01:33:40Z")
I'm filing an issue on GitHub because this is clearly a bug in the init scripts for Debian.
It would be wiser to fix this issue upstream (in your repos). Currently, many SaltStack community formulas can't work out of the box without these changes to the init script.
[Next page](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/repackaging-beats-deb-files-service-wont-start/37898.md?page=2)