SYSTEMCTL COMMAND NOT FOUND

What is systemctl?

systemctl is a command line utility and system manager that is used to control the services and daemons on Linux operating systems, specifically those using Systemd.

It can be used to start, stop, restart, enable, and disable services and also provides other functionalities such as displaying status information and managing the system startup process.

What is systemctl used for

systemctl is used for controlling and managing system services and daemons in Linux operating systems using Systemd. It allows you to perform tasks such as:

• Start, stop, restart, reload or status of services
• Enable or disable services to start at boot time
• Manage system startup process
• List all units (services, sockets, devices, etc.) and their status
• Show detailed information about a service or unit
• Load or unload unit files

By using systemctl, system administrators can easily manage and maintain the services running on their Linux system, ensuring that they are running smoothly and with minimal downtime.

Examples of systemctl commands

Here are some examples of common systemctl commands:

• Start a service: systemctl start <service-name>
• Stop a service: systemctl stop <service-name>
• Restart a service: systemctl restart <service-name>
• Check the status of a service: systemctl status <service-name>
• Enable a service to start automatically at boot: systemctl enable <service-name>
• Disable a service from starting automatically at boot: systemctl disable <service-name>
• Show a list of all loaded units: systemctl list-units
• Show information about a specific unit: systemctl show <unit-name>
• Reload configuration files for a service: systemctl reload <service-name>
• List all running services: systemctl list-units –type=service –state=running
• Show all failed units: systemctl –failed

These are just a few examples, systemctl offers many more options and features for managing and controlling system services and daemons.

Root cause of systemctl error

There could be several reasons why the systemctl command is not working. Here are some common causes:

1. Systemd is not installed or not running: Make sure that Systemd is installed and running on your system, as systemctl is part of the Systemd suite.
2. Incorrect syntax: Make sure that you have entered the correct syntax for the systemctl command you are trying to use.
3. Permission issues: Make sure that you have the necessary permissions to execute the systemctl command, as it typically requires root privileges. You can run the command with sudo or switch to the root user with su to gain the necessary permissions.
4. Unit file missing or incorrect: Make sure that the unit file for the service you are trying to control exists and is configured correctly.
5. Unit is not loaded: Make sure that the unit you are trying to control has been loaded by Systemd. You can use the systemctl list-units command to see all loaded units.

How do I check for systemd

To check if Systemd is installed on your Linux system, you can use the following command:

• If Systemd is installed, this command will provide a list of options and usage information for the systemctl command. If Systemd is not installed, you will see an error message indicating that the command was not found.
• You can also check if Systemd is the active init system by using the following command:
• This will show the process with process ID (PID) 1, which is typically the init system. If the process name is systemd, then Systemd is the active init system. If the process name is something else, such as init, upstart, or sysvinit, then Systemd is not the active init system.

Fixing systemctl with service command

The systemctl command and the service command are two different tools for managing services and daemons in Linux operating systems. The service command is part of the SysVinit system and the systemctl command is part of the Systemd system.

If you are encountering issues with the systemctl command, the first step would be to try to determine the root cause of the problem, as mentioned in a previous answer. If you are unable to resolve the issue with systemctl, you can try using the service command as a workaround.

Here is how you can use the service command to control a service:

• Start a service: service <service-name> start
• Stop a service: service <service-name> stop
• Restart a service: service <service-name> restart
• Check the status of a service: service <service-name> status

Please note that the service command is not as flexible or feature-rich as the systemctl command, and its use is discouraged in modern Linux distributions that use Systemd. If possible, it is recommended to resolve any issues with systemctl and continue using it for managing services and daemons on your system.

The bottom line is that systemctl is a tool for managing services and daemons on Linux operating systems that use Systemd as their init system. systemctl provides a number of options and features for controlling and monitoring system services, and is the preferred method for managing services on modern Linux distributions.

If you encounter issues with the systemctl command, you can try to determine the root cause of the problem and resolve it, or use the service command as a workaround.