Options error: In [CMD-LINE]:1: Error opening configuration file: server.conf

[deleted]

Hi,

I have upgraded openvpn 2.4.9 (openvpn-2.4.9-1.el7.x86_64) to openvpn-2.5.0-1.el7.x86_64 on CentOS Linux release 7.8.2003 (Core) by referring to https://copr.fedorainfracloud.org/coprs/dsommers/openvpn-release/

OpenVPN 2.5.0 x86_64-redhat-linux-gnu [SSL (OpenSSL)] [LZO] [LZ4] [EPOLL] [PKCS11] [MH/PKTINFO] [AEAD] built on Oct 28 2020
library versions: OpenSSL 1.0.2k-fips 26 Jan 2017, LZO 2.06
Originally developed by James Yonan
Copyright (C) 2002-2018 OpenVPN Inc <sales@openvpn.net>
Compile time defines: enable_async_push=yes enable_comp_stub=no enable_crypto_ofb_cfb=yes enable_debug=yes enable_def_auth=yes enable_dependency_tracking=no enable_dlopen=unknown enable_dlopen_self=unknown enable_dlopen_self_static=unknown enable_fast_install=yes enable_fragment=yes enable_iproute2=no enable_libtool_lock=yes enable_lz4=yes enable_lzo=yes enable_management=yes enable_multihome=yes enable_pam_dlopen=no enable_pedantic=no enable_pf=yes enable_pkcs11=yes enable_plugin_auth_pam=yes enable_plugin_down_root=yes enable_plugins=yes enable_port_share=yes enable_selinux=yes enable_shared=yes enable_shared_with_static_runtimes=no enable_silent_rules=yes enable_small=no enable_static=yes enable_strict=no enable_strict_options=no enable_systemd=yes enable_werror=no enable_win32_dll=yes enable_x509_alt_username=yes with_aix_soname=aix with_crypto_library=openssl with_gnu_ld=yes with_mem_check=no with_sysroot=no

I am mentioning the /etc/openvpn/server.conf configuration file which is as below :-

#
server 10.8.0.0 255.255.255.0
verb 3
key /etc/openvpn/server.key
ca /etc/openvpn/ca.crt
cert /etc/openvpn/server.crt
dh /etc/openvpn/dh.pem
keepalive 10 120
persist-key
persist-tun
push "redirect-gateway def1"
push "dhcp-option DNS 8.8.8.8"
push "dhcp-option DNS 8.8.4.4"
push "route 192.168.0.0 255.255.255.0"
duplicate-cn
user nobody
group nobody

proto tcp
port 1195
dev tun
status /var/log/openvpn-status.log 60
status-version 2
log-append openvpn.log

While restarting OpenVPN server using systemctl restart openvpn-server@server.service command on CentOS Linux release 7.8.2003 (Core), I am encountering the below issue as shown in /var/log/messages file.

Nov 1 10:54:46 openvpn systemd: Stopped OpenVPN service for server.
Nov 1 10:54:46 openvpn systemd: Starting OpenVPN service for server...
Nov 1 10:54:46 openvpn openvpn: Note: Treating option '--ncp-ciphers' as '--data-ciphers' (renamed in OpenVPN 2.5).
Nov 1 10:54:46 openvpn openvpn: Options error: In [CMD-LINE]:1: Error opening configuration file: server.conf
Nov 1 10:54:46 openvpn openvpn: Use --help for more information.
Nov 1 10:54:46 openvpn systemd: openvpn-server@server.service: main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
Nov 1 10:54:46 openvpn systemd: Failed to start OpenVPN service for server.
Nov 1 10:54:46 openvpn systemd: Unit openvpn-server@server.service entered failed state.
Nov 1 10:54:46 openvpn systemd: openvpn-server@server.service failed.
Nov 1 10:54:51 openvpn systemd: openvpn-server@server.service holdoff time over, scheduling restart.
Nov 1 10:54:51 openvpn systemd: Stopped OpenVPN service for server.
Nov 1 10:54:51 openvpn systemd: Starting OpenVPN service for server...
Nov 1 10:54:51 openvpn openvpn: Note: Treating option '--ncp-ciphers' as '--data-ciphers' (renamed in OpenVPN 2.5).
Nov 1 10:54:51 openvpn openvpn: Options error: In [CMD-LINE]:1: Error opening configuration file: server.conf
Nov 1 10:54:51 openvpn openvpn: Use --help for more information.
Nov 1 10:54:51 openvpn systemd: openvpn-server@server.service: main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
Nov 1 10:54:51 openvpn systemd: Failed to start OpenVPN service for server.
Nov 1 10:54:51 openvpn systemd: Unit openvpn-server@server.service entered failed state.
Nov 1 10:54:51 openvpn systemd: openvpn-server@server.service failed.

#systemctl status openvpn-server@server.service
● openvpn-server@server.service - OpenVPN service for server
Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/openvpn-server@.service; enabled; vendor preset: disabled)
Active: activating (auto-restart) (Result: exit-code) since Sun 2020-11-01 10:58:11 IST; 1s ago
Docs: man:openvpn(8)
https://community.openvpn.net/openvpn/wiki/Openvpn24ManPage
https://community.openvpn.net/openvpn/wiki/HOWTO
Process: 3990 ExecStart=/usr/sbin/openvpn --status %t/openvpn-server/status-%i.log --status-version 2 --suppress-timestamps --cipher AES-256-GCM --ncp-ciphers AES-256-GCM:AES-128-GCM:AES-256-CBC:AES-128-CBC:BF-CBC --config %i.conf (code=exited, status=1/FAILURE)
Main PID: 3990 (code=exited, status=1/FAILURE)

Nov 01 10:58:11 openvpn.digitalapicraft.com systemd[1]: Failed to start OpenVPN service for server.
Nov 01 10:58:11 openvpn.digitalapicraft.com systemd[1]: Unit openvpn-server@server.service entered failed state.
Nov 01 10:58:11 openvpn.digitalapicraft.com systemd[1]: openvpn-server@server.service failed.

Any help will be highly appreciated. Thanks in Advance. Please let me know if you need any additional details.

Best Regards,

Kaushal

TinCanTech

Check your openvpn log file.

wpyung

I have a similar problem, although actually the VPN is working..

I'm pretty sure its this issue: https://github.com/Nyr/openvpn-install/issues/654
Does anyone know if this issue has been fixed ?

I am using openvpn candidate 2.4.4-2ubuntu1.3
This is being used by our small company so that people can work remotely from home.

We are getting repeated messages in log as shown below, approximately every 5 seconds.

These prevent me from debugging the connection, which drops for a few seconds occasionally.

Nov 11 16:11:28 vm8 systemd[1]: openvpn-server@server.service.service: Service hold-off time over, scheduling restart.
Nov 11 16:11:28 vm8 systemd[1]: openvpn-server@server.service.service: Scheduled restart job, restart counter is at 4034009.
Nov 11 16:11:28 vm8 systemd[1]: Stopped OpenVPN service for server.service.
Nov 11 16:11:28 vm8 systemd[1]: Starting OpenVPN service for server.service...
Nov 11 16:11:28 vm8 openvpn[11582]: Options error: In [CMD-LINE]:1: Error opening configuration file: server.service.conf
Nov 11 16:11:28 vm8 openvpn[11582]: Use --help for more information.
Nov 11 16:11:28 vm8 systemd[1]: openvpn-server@server.service.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
Nov 11 16:11:28 vm8 systemd[1]: openvpn-server@server.service.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
Nov 11 16:11:28 vm8 systemd[1]: Failed to start OpenVPN service for server.service.

TinCanTech

wpyung wrote Error opening configuration file: server.service.conf

Are you sure of that name ?

300000

there is no server.conf file so openvpn cant start it or file permission not set so openvpn cant read it. , check the file again maybe it have been delete on update to new one

wpyung

Yes that conf file doesn't exist, but another one does so the connection is up.
I am just trying to get rid of the error messages in the log.

If you look at the post referenced https://github.com/Nyr/openvpn-install/issues/654[/code
you will see that this is a complex issue due to there being multiple services.
I don't know how to get rid of the rogue service without breaking my existing connection - disabling the service does not help.

I have raised a bug

https://community.openvpn.net/openvpn/ticket/1353#ticket

TinCanTech

TinCanTech wrote Check your openvpn log file.