[SOLVED] apache2.service: Reload operation timed out. Killing reload process.

dr-ing · 03-26-2020, 04:03 AM

Good day,

My Apache (Version 2.4.25 on Debian 9.11) works fine, but I need to change and reload the configuration regularly without breaking active connections, so I run /etc/init.d/apache2 reload, which, in most cases (approx 9/10), fails after 90 seconds.
The output I get is

Quote:

root@prod-serv:~# /etc/init.d/apache2 reload
[....] Reloading apache2 configuration (via systemctl): apache2.serviceJob for apache2.service failed because the control process exited with error code.
See "systemctl status apache2.service" and "journalctl -xe" for details.
failed!

systemctl status apache2.service gives me the following output:

Quote:

Mar 26 07:44:03 prod-serv systemd[1]: Reloading The Apache HTTP Server.
Mar 26 07:45:33 prod-serv systemd[1]: apache2.service: Reload operation timed out. Killing reload process.
Mar 26 07:45:33 prod-serv systemd[1]: Reload failed for The Apache HTTP Server.

And journalctl -xe:

Quote:

Mar 26 09:21:16 prod-serv systemd[1]: Reload failed for The Apache HTTP Server.
-- Subject: Unit apache2.service has finished reloading its configuration
-- Defined-By: systemd
-- Support: https://www.debian.org/support
--
-- Unit apache2.service has finished reloading its configuration
--
-- The result is failed.

I have not found any useful information in /var/log/apache2/error.log (and all other Apache logs).

Does anyone here know if there are any other files that can help me identify the problem more accurately?

My guess is that my config is too big (1200 sites-enabled) and the reload fails to go through them all in 90 seconds and thus fails? If so, can I increase the timeout value?

Thanks in advance
dr-ing.

bathory · 03-26-2020, 09:23 AM

Quote:

root@prod-serv:~# /etc/init.d/apache2 reload
[....] Reloading apache2 configuration (via systemctl): apache2.serviceJob for apache2.service failed because the control process exited with error code.
See "systemctl status apache2.service" and "journalctl -xe" for details.
failed!
<-snip->
Does anyone have an idea where I can find more information about this (more log-files etc.)?

I guess you need to follow the advice from systemctl and run either "journalctl -xe" or "systemctl status apache2.service" to find more info.

Quote:

My Apache works fine, but I need to change and reload the configuration regularly without breaking active connections, so I run /etc/init.d/apache2 reload,

If you want to keep active connections, you need to do a graceful restart
I'm not using debian, but I think you can use:

Code:

apache2ctl graceful

Regards

dr-ing · 03-26-2020, 09:37 AM

Hello bathory,

Quote:

I guess you need to follow the advice from systemctl and run either "journalctl -xe" or "systemctl status apache2.service" to find more info

Well, I did that, and you can find the output in my question?

Quote:

If you want to keep active connections, you need to do a graceful restart
I'm not using debian, but I think you can use:
Code:
apache2ctl graceful

As far as I know, /etc/init.d/apache2 reload does more or less the same, at least no active connection was cut off (e.g. downloads) when I executed the command.

Regards
dr-ing.

bathory · 03-26-2020, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Well, I did that, and you can find the output in my question?

You've changed part of your OP, so I didn't saw it.

Anyway you can try to start apache in debug mode and see what you get:

Code:

/usr/sbin/httpd -e debug -k graceful

ondoho · 03-27-2020, 05:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dr-ing

My guess is that my config is too big (1200 sites-enabled) and the reload fails to go through them all in 90 seconds and thus fails? If so, can I increase the timeout value?

Holy cow.
Good luck troubleshooting that.
If you really think it's "just" a systemd timeout issue.

dr-ing · 03-27-2020, 07:59 AM

So I increased the systemd service timeout value and the first tests were successful.
Looks like this solved it.