AH00016: Configuration Failed

Question

I have a dedicated root server runs Debian and the Administration Panel I use directadmin. Since this afternoon I have the following problem: My website is no longer accessible, since the service httpd is stopped and can not be launched. It always following error message when I try to start the service: httpd (no pid file) not running<\/code> .

Unfortunately, the strace tool can not be started with the following command: strace -f apache2ctl start<\/code>

[Wed Sep 20 17:44:07.757294 2017] [core:notice] [pid 14483] AH00094: Command 
line: '/usr/sbin/httpd -D SSL'
[Wed Sep 20 17:45:01.465358 2017] [core:error] [pid 14483] (2)No such file 
or directory: AH00095: failed to remove PID file /var/run/httpd.pid
[Wed Sep 20 17:45:01.465471 2017] [mpm_prefork:notice] [pid 14483] AH00169: 
caught SIGTERM, shutting down
[Wed Sep 20 17:45:05.763192 2017] [ssl:warn] [pid 16564] AH01909: 
localhost:443:0 server certificate does NOT include an ID which matches the 
server name
[Wed Sep 20 17:45:05.764719 2017] [ssl:warn] [pid 16564] AH01909: 
www.example.com:443:0 server certificate does NOT include an ID which matches 
the server name
[Wed Sep 20 17:45:05.765357 2017] [suexec:notice] [pid 16564] AH01232: suEXEC 
mechanism enabled (wrapper: /usr/sbin/suexec)
[Wed Sep 20 17:45:06.609175 2017] [auth_digest:notice] [pid 16679] AH01757: 
generating secret for digest authentication ...
[Wed Sep 20 17:45:07.723436 2017] [ssl:warn] [pid 16679] AH01909: 
localhost:443:0 server certificate does NOT include an ID which matches the 
server name
[Wed Sep 20 17:45:07.724945 2017] [ssl:warn] [pid 16679] AH01909: 
www.example.com:443:0 server certificate does NOT include an ID which matches 
the server name
[Wed Sep 20 17:45:07.725568 2017] [lbmethod_heartbeat:notice] [pid 16679] 
AH02282: No slotmem from mod_heartmonitor
[Wed Sep 20 17:45:07.726220 2017] [:notice] [pid 16679] mod_ruid2/0.9.8 
enabled
[Wed Sep 20 17:45:07.756478 2017] [mpm_prefork:notice] [pid 16679] AH00163: 
Apache/2.4.18 (Unix) OpenSSL/1.0.1t PHP/5.5.31 configured -- resuming normal 
operations
[Wed Sep 20 17:45:07.756599 2017] [core:notice] [pid 16679] AH00094: Command 
line: '/usr/sbin/httpd -D SSL'
[Wed Sep 20 17:46:01.520770 2017] [core:error] [pid 16679] (2)No such file or 
directory: AH00095: failed to remove PID file /var/run/httpd.pid
[Wed Sep 20 17:46:01.521067 2017] [mpm_prefork:notice] [pid 16679] AH00169: 
caught SIGTERM, shutting down
AH00016: Configuration Failed
AH00016: Configuration Failed
AH00016: Configuration Failed

Answer 1

The message in the log:

server certificate does NOT include an ID which matches the server name

indicates the problem. Check the certificate with:

openssl x509 -in certificate.crt -text -noout

Then in your apache configuration file define the same server name with the ServerName directive.

Answer 2

In my case it was due to SSL certificate. The certificate was in binary format and converting it to base64 resolved the error.

Answer 3

In my case it was SSL certificate sharing.

I have switched from wildcard certificate to per-subdomain letsencrypt ones, and it was breaking due to certificate sharing...

Once I have fixed each SSL for each subdomain it started working properly.

The problem is ambiguous error message without details on where exactly it failed.

Answer 4

In case you're using MAMP or MAMP Pro. Filter your hostlist by SSL hosts and remove all SSL certs. MAMP should now start again.

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