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RAK_V_LiNux'e

Banned

Registered: 2018-04-09

Posts: 36

[SOLVED] shadow.service failed to start, is it necessary?

On boot saw this service failed.

× shadow.service - Verify integrity of password and group files
     Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/shadow.service; static)
     Active: failed (Result: exit-code) since Sat 2023-08-12 13:32:29 EEST; 50min ago
   Duration: 1.878s
TriggeredBy: ● shadow.timer
   Main PID: 545 (code=exited, status=1/FAILURE)
        CPU: 106ms

Aug 12 13:32:27 Aperture systemd[1]: Started Verify integrity of password and group files.
Aug 12 13:32:29 Aperture sh[552]: user 'tomcat10': directory '/usr/share/tomcat10' does not exist
Aug 12 13:32:29 Aperture sh[552]: user 'tomcat9': directory '/usr/share/tomcat9' does not exist
Aug 12 13:32:29 Aperture sh[552]: pwck: no changes
Aug 12 13:32:29 Aperture systemd[1]: shadow.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
Aug 12 13:32:29 Aperture systemd[1]: shadow.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.

Found out it belongs to the «shadow» package, which is required by 3 other packages, all of which were installed explicitly (redis, git, util-linux). I don't recall enabling this service.

Primary question: If I were to disable it, would the packages that depend on it break? I checked and git works (even password related functionality, I pushed a commit which required a password, and it was fine).

Secondary question (not so relevant): Why does it need tomcat? Does shadow rely on tomcat to maintain its servlets? Why does a password utility need to be constantly running?

Last edited by RAK_V_LiNux'e (2023-08-12 11:51:57)

Scimmia

Fellow

Registered: 2012-09-01

Posts: 13,727

Re: [SOLVED] shadow.service failed to start, is it necessary?

Did you read the description? "Verify integrity of password and group files"

RAK_V_LiNux'e

Banned

Registered: 2018-04-09

Posts: 36

Re: [SOLVED] shadow.service failed to start, is it necessary?

Did you read the description? "Verify integrity of password and group files"

Yes, and? I logged in just fine. su works fine. Git passwords work fine. Sudo (which uses wheel group) works fine. If this service failed (verification failed, not a technical part), I would rather be locked out of the system by corrupt passwords instead of this service, so what's the point of it anyway? Moreover, git doesn't have any services running, nor does util-linux, afaik. Maybe redis would use this, but I didn't set up redis yet, so it would be weird that this service is automatically enabled.

Oh, nevermind. I have to remove tomcat9 and tomcat10 users. Thanks.

Last edited by RAK_V_LiNux'e (2023-08-12 11:49:32)

Scimmia

Fellow

Registered: 2012-09-01

Posts: 13,727

Re: [SOLVED] shadow.service failed to start, is it necessary?

What do you mean, "Yes, and?"? It invalidates all of your questions.

Of course nothing depends on the service, it's only verification! It doesn't provide anything to anything else.

It doesn't need tomcat, tomcat is what failed verification.

It isn't running constantly, it only does verification when the timer triggers it.