# Can't run elasticsearch due to java(?) problem

**URL:** <https://community.siren.io/t/cant-run-elasticsearch-due-to-java-problem/457>\
**Category:** Siren Platform/Investigate Tech Support Community\
**Created:** [March 3, 2022, 3:00pm UTC](https://community.siren.io/t/cant-run-elasticsearch-due-to-java-problem/457 "2022-03-03T15:00:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![rus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/51bf81/32.png) [@rus](https://community.siren.io/u/rus)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2022, 3:00pm UTC](https://community.siren.io/t/cant-run-elasticsearch-due-to-java-problem/457/1 "2022-03-03T15:00:39Z")

</div>

hi guys, sorry for dumb question, but I have issues with starting an elasticsearch instance. The same problem was resolved here - [Java probleme running elastic](https://community.siren.io/t/java-probleme-running-elastic/285) - but it doesn’t work for me

I try to install Siren Platform from this tutorial - [https://siren.io/wp-content/uploads/Easy-Start-Tutorial-v12.0.pdf](https://siren.io/wp-content/uploads/Easy-Start-Tutorial-v12.0.pdf). Unfortunately I can’t start elasticsearch with bin/elasticsearch because I can’t run it as a root… so I changed the permissions, but it doesn’t even work with non-root user, weird

please look at the logs:

```auto
[2022-03-03T14:50:08,271][ERROR][o.e.b.ElasticsearchUncaughtExceptionHandler] [siren-node] uncaught exception in thread [main]
org.elasticsearch.bootstrap.StartupException: java.lang.RuntimeException: can not run elasticsearch as root
        at org.elasticsearch.bootstrap.Elasticsearch.init(Elasticsearch.java:170) ~[elasticsearch-7.16.3.jar:7.16.3]
        at org.elasticsearch.bootstrap.Elasticsearch.execute(Elasticsearch.java:157) ~[elasticsearch-7.16.3.jar:7.16.3]
        at org.elasticsearch.cli.EnvironmentAwareCommand.execute(EnvironmentAwareCommand.java:77) ~[elasticsearch-7.16.3.jar:7.16.3]
        at org.elasticsearch.cli.Command.mainWithoutErrorHandling(Command.java:112) ~[elasticsearch-cli-7.16.3.jar:7.16.3]
        at org.elasticsearch.cli.Command.main(Command.java:77) ~[elasticsearch-cli-7.16.3.jar:7.16.3]
        at org.elasticsearch.bootstrap.Elasticsearch.main(Elasticsearch.java:122) ~[elasticsearch-7.16.3.jar:7.16.3]
        at org.elasticsearch.bootstrap.Elasticsearch.main(Elasticsearch.java:80) ~[elasticsearch-7.16.3.jar:7.16.3]
Caused by: java.lang.RuntimeException: can not run elasticsearch as root
        at org.elasticsearch.bootstrap.Bootstrap.initializeNatives(Bootstrap.java:107) ~[elasticsearch-7.16.3.jar:7.16.3]
        at org.elasticsearch.bootstrap.Bootstrap.setup(Bootstrap.java:183) ~[elasticsearch-7.16.3.jar:7.16.3]
        at org.elasticsearch.bootstrap.Bootstrap.init(Bootstrap.java:434) ~[elasticsearch-7.16.3.jar:7.16.3]
        at org.elasticsearch.bootstrap.Elasticsearch.init(Elasticsearch.java:166) ~[elasticsearch-7.16.3.jar:7.16.3]
        ... 6 more
[2022-03-03T14:52:06,112][ERROR][o.e.b.Bootstrap] [siren-node] Exception
java.lang.RuntimeException: can not run elasticsearch as root
        at org.elasticsearch.bootstrap.Bootstrap.initializeNatives(Bootstrap.java:107) ~[elasticsearch-7.16.3.jar:7.16.3]
        at org.elasticsearch.bootstrap.Bootstrap.setup(Bootstrap.java:183) ~[elasticsearch-7.16.3.jar:7.16.3]
        at org.elasticsearch.bootstrap.Bootstrap.init(Bootstrap.java:434) [elasticsearch-7.16.3.jar:7.16.3]
        at org.elasticsearch.bootstrap.Elasticsearch.init(Elasticsearch.java:166) [elasticsearch-7.16.3.jar:7.16.3]
        at org.elasticsearch.bootstrap.Elasticsearch.execute(Elasticsearch.java:157) [elasticsearch-7.16.3.jar:7.16.3]
        at org.elasticsearch.cli.EnvironmentAwareCommand.execute(EnvironmentAwareCommand.java:77) [elasticsearch-7.16.3.jar:7.16.3]
        at org.elasticsearch.cli.Command.mainWithoutErrorHandling(Command.java:112) [elasticsearch-cli-7.16.3.jar:7.16.3]
        at org.elasticsearch.cli.Command.main(Command.java:77) [elasticsearch-cli-7.16.3.jar:7.16.3]
        at org.elasticsearch.bootstrap.Elasticsearch.main(Elasticsearch.java:122) [elasticsearch-7.16.3.jar:7.16.3]
        at org.elasticsearch.bootstrap.Elasticsearch.main(Elasticsearch.java:80) [elasticsearch-7.16.3.jar:7.16.3]
[2022-03-03T14:52:06,127][ERROR][o.e.b.ElasticsearchUncaughtExceptionHandler] [siren-node] uncaught exception in thread [main]
org.elasticsearch.bootstrap.StartupException: java.lang.RuntimeException: can not run elasticsearch as root
        at org.elasticsearch.bootstrap.Elasticsearch.init(Elasticsearch.java:170) ~[elasticsearch-7.16.3.jar:7.16.3]
        at org.elasticsearch.bootstrap.Elasticsearch.execute(Elasticsearch.java:157) ~[elasticsearch-7.16.3.jar:7.16.3]
        at org.elasticsearch.cli.EnvironmentAwareCommand.execute(EnvironmentAwareCommand.java:77) ~[elasticsearch-7.16.3.jar:7.16.3]
        at org.elasticsearch.cli.Command.mainWithoutErrorHandling(Command.java:112) ~[elasticsearch-cli-7.16.3.jar:7.16.3]
        at org.elasticsearch.cli.Command.main(Command.java:77) ~[elasticsearch-cli-7.16.3.jar:7.16.3]
        at org.elasticsearch.bootstrap.Elasticsearch.main(Elasticsearch.java:122) ~[elasticsearch-7.16.3.jar:7.16.3]
        at org.elasticsearch.bootstrap.Elasticsearch.main(Elasticsearch.java:80) ~[elasticsearch-7.16.3.jar:7.16.3]
Caused by: java.lang.RuntimeException: can not run elasticsearch as root
        at org.elasticsearch.bootstrap.Bootstrap.initializeNatives(Bootstrap.java:107) ~[elasticsearch-7.16.3.jar:7.16.3]
        at org.elasticsearch.bootstrap.Bootstrap.setup(Bootstrap.java:183) ~[elasticsearch-7.16.3.jar:7.16.3]
        at org.elasticsearch.bootstrap.Bootstrap.init(Bootstrap.java:434) ~[elasticsearch-7.16.3.jar:7.16.3]
        at org.elasticsearch.bootstrap.Elasticsearch.init(Elasticsearch.java:166) ~[elasticsearch-7.16.3.jar:7.16.3]
        ... 6 more

```

ok i see, i can’t run it as a root, but it doesn’t work with non-root user also…

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Manu\_Agarwal](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex032/user_avatar/community.siren.io/manu_agarwal/32/120_2.png) [@Manu\_Agarwal](https://community.siren.io/u/Manu_Agarwal)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2022, 3:12pm UTC](https://community.siren.io/t/cant-run-elasticsearch-due-to-java-problem/457/2 "2022-03-03T15:12:56Z")

</div>

Hi Rus,

You can’t run elasticsearch as a root user, please change the ownership of the folder with non-root user.

`> sudo chown <nonrootuser> <unzipped-es-folder> -R`

Thanks  
Manu Agarwal

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![rus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/51bf81/32.png) [@rus](https://community.siren.io/u/rus)\
**Post date:** [March 4, 2022, 8:28am UTC](https://community.siren.io/t/cant-run-elasticsearch-due-to-java-problem/457/3 "2022-03-04T08:28:12Z")

</div>

thanks, it was a lack of -R option… now it works