httpd dead but subsys locked, but pid exists

mlgunner · 04-14-2011, 11:41 AM

This is a weird one and its bending my brain somewhat. I am using CentOS 5.6 with Apache 2.2.17. The Apache was compiled from source using RPM build to comply with PCI requirements. Also Plesk 9.3 is used as a control panel, but other than the config files the Apache is pretty standard.
When the httpd is started, there are no errors reported in /var/log/messages or in the error_log, and the httpd starts, shows up in ps and the pid file exists in /var/run/httpd.pid.
However when you check the status 'service httpd status' you get 'httpd dead but subsys locked'. You can add websites normally, and the proper config files are generated so I am pretty sure this isn't a control panel issue as I have other servers running the same control panel and Apache 2.2.16 compiled and installed the same way as the 2.2.17 and there are no problems.
Any Ideas?

anomie · 04-14-2011, 01:55 PM

[ caveat: Your CentOS system may differ from my Fedora example ]

From /etc/rc.d/init.d/functions, status() function:

Code:

...
        # See if /var/lock/subsys/${lock_file} exists
        if [ -f /var/lock/subsys/${lock_file} ]; then
                echo $"${base} dead but subsys locked"
                return 2
        fi
...

An unusual series of conditions is causing you to see that message. Might be worthwhile to turn on bash "debugging" (set -x) and see what you can determine.

More info on that general topic here:
http://www.tldp.org/LDP/abs/html/debugging.html