apache2 cannot start because /var/log/apache2/ doesn't exist

[Gregory Gleason]

New install of apache2 on ubuntu 11.10. Tried to start it, with apachectl or service command, and it fails.

$ sudo service apache2 start
 * Starting web server apache2 (2)No such file or directory: apache2: could not open error log file /var/log/apache2/error.log.
Unable to open logs
Action 'start' failed.
The Apache error log may have more information.
                                                                         [fail]

I created the directory and it starts fine now.

The apache2 package install should create this directory so the user doesn't have to.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.10
Package: apache2 2.2.20-1ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.0.0-12.20-generic 3.0.4
Uname: Linux 3.0.0-12-generic i686
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
ApportVersion: 1.23-0ubuntu3
Architecture: i386
Date: Sun Oct 16 11:59:23 2011
ProcEnviron:
 PATH=(custom, user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: apache2
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Gregory Gleason (gsgleason)]

Umm..Oops.

I had my logging going to a tmpfs to decrease SSD wear.

However, this is the only service that fails to start.

Would it be worth while having the init script for apache2 check to see if /var/log/httpd exists and create it otherwise? That should be a simple 'fix'

[Serge Hallyn (serge-hallyn)]

Indeed, that does sound worthwhile, and should be done. Thanks for the report!

[ripounet (rip0320)]

Same problem, same TMPFS explanation -> thank you Gregory

Fixing would be nice indeed -> thank you Serge