apache2: bad user name www-data

Question

• Starting web server apache2 apache2: bad user name www-data

I just tried restarting my webserver because of an update I did to my php.ini and originally I was getting something about the PID file being overwritten.

Now I just get this: * Starting web server apache2 apache2: bad user name www-data

this has NEVER happened before, and I haven't changed and permissions or apache2 configuration files.

What gives?

Answer 1

1. You may deleted user www-data. Check id www-data, output should be like this:

# id www-data
uid=33(www-data) gid=33(www-data) groups=33(www-data),2522(psaserv),2523(psacln)

If no such user exists, add it: adduser www-data

2. You may overwritten your Apache config with config from other computer, where exists user www-data. If so, restore old config, or check config and replace user with existent one (for example, www).

Answer 2

close all apache connection from the Task Manager first may b this will work and then restart the services

Answer 3

Look at your /etc/passwd file and retrieve what the name of the apache user is on your system.

Then adjust your config accordingly

If no user in /etc/passwd is available then you should recreate it, as somethings was gone wrong in the update process.