httpd: bad user name apache

on centos when I enter

service httpd start or restart

server gives

Starting httpd: httpd: bad user name apache [FAILED] 

I tried to add apache user and group, reinstalled httpd so many times but it did not worked either.

3 Answers

Run config test

[root@9001 conf_0.d]# /etc/init.d/httpd configtest Syntax OK 

Check what users and group set in httpd.conf

User apache Group apache 

Disable SELinux if its enabled.

you need to check your apache entire in below config file

/etc/passwd /etc/group 

in Redhat 7 entire should be below

/etc/passwd > apache:x:48:48:Apache:/usr/share/httpd:/sbin/nologin /etc/group > apache:x:48: 

I have this problem because the group didnt exist in /etc/group. I created and it worked