Httpd troubleshoot

Troubleshooting httpd startup issues in Linux can be a process of elimination. Here are some common steps to diagnose and resolve problems:

Run:

systemctl status httpd

Or, if using an older system:

service httpd status

This will show whether the service is running, stopped, or if there’s an error.

Check the logs for errors:

journalctl -u httpd --no-pager | tail -20

Or look at Apache's error log:

cat /var/log/httpd/error_log | tail -20

This will help pinpoint configuration issues.

Run:

apachectl configtest

Or:

httpd -t

If there are syntax errors in httpd.conf or any included files, this will highlight them.

Ensure no other process is using port 80 or 443:

netstat -tulnp | grep httpd

Or:

ss -tulnp | grep httpd

If another process is interfering, you'll need to resolve the conflict.

Make sure the firewall allows HTTP traffic:

firewall-cmd --list-services

To allow HTTP:

firewall-cmd --add-service=http --permanent
firewall-cmd --reload

If SELinux is enabled, check its status:

sestatus

You may need to adjust its policies.

After fixing issues, restart:

systemctl restart httpd

Then confirm it's active:

systemctl status httpd

Does any error message stand out in your logs?