> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://platform9.com/kb/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://platform9.com/kb/pmo/how-to/unable-to-obtain-pidfile-error-while-starting-libvirtd-service.md).

# "Unable to obtain pidfile" Error While Starting Libvirtd Service

## Problem

* ***libvirtd*** service failed to start with below error reported in */var/log/messages.*

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="None" %}

```none
kdt-dpckvm01 libvirtd[404581]: libvirt version: 1.3.1, package: 1ubuntu10.24 (Marc Deslauriers [marc.deslauriers@ubuntu.com] Wed, 23 May 2018 13:29:29 -0400)kdt-dpckvm01 libvirtd[404581]: hostname: kdt-dpckvm01kdt-dpckvm01 libvirtd[404578]: /usr/sbin/libvirtd: error: Unable to obtain pidfile. Check /var/log/messages or run without --daemon for more info.kdt-dpckvm01 libvirtd[404581]: Failed to acquire pid file '/var/run/libvirtd.pid': Resource temporarily unavailablekdt-dpckvm01 systemd[1]: libvirt-bin.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILUREkdt-dpckvm01 systemd[1]: libvirt-bin.service: Unit entered failed state.kdt-dpckvm01 systemd[1]: libvirt-bin.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.kdt-dpckvm01 systemd[1]: libvirt-bin.service: Service hold-off time over, scheduling restart.
```

{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

## Environment

* Platform9 Managed OpenStack - v3.6.0 and Higher

## Cause

The ***libvirtd*** service fails to start as the */var/run/libvirtd.pid* file is not accessible.

## Resolution

1. Remove PID file on the affected KVM host.

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="None" %}

```none
$ rm -rf /var/run/libvirtd.pid
```

{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

2. Restart the ***libvirtd*** service on the KVM host.

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="None" %}

```none
$ systemctl restart libvirt
```

{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}


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