Topic: Template modified, now FTP not connecting

[Michel]

Per one of the threads in this forum, I modified /etc/e-smith/templates/etc/proftpd.conf/template-begin to change a couple parameters. Before I did, I made a backup copy of the template file.

I changed the ServerName string, MaxClients from 10 to 5 for Anonymous access.

Then I saved it, and signalled a console-save event. I reboot, and FTP would not work.

So I copied back the original template file, console-saved... reboot... and STILL, "connection closed by remote host" by both the outside and inside IP addresses.

How can this be?

[Michel]

Ok, looking around a bit more...

PROFTPD service is not even running. I tried to start it:  "service proftpd start"  and I get this:

Starting proftpd:  - Fatal: DefaultServer: DefaultServer has already been set.
[FAILED]      

Where oh where can I look at where this service is configured? Don't tell me the proftpd.conf template directory... because I put that back and it still is borked!

Many thanks to you gurus that know this creature.  

[Michael Doerner]

Michel wrote:
>
> Ok, looking around a bit more...
>
> PROFTPD service is not even running. I tried to start it:
> "service proftpd start"  and I get this:
>
> Starting proftpd:  - Fatal: DefaultServer: DefaultServer has
> already been set.
> [FAILED]      
Michael,

PROFTPD starts 'on demand' only. You will see the first instance of proftpd after you connect from a client. The next ftp-session will create a second ftp service running. So don't try to start it with the service command, inetd starts it automatically.

Sorry, I can't help you much with your template question. It sounds Ok what you did although I am not sure whether you put your modified template in the proper directory (templates-custom) or you changed the original version in the templates directory itself?

Regards,
Michael Doerner

[Michel]

I did not use the templates-custom folder.

I discovered the "Customizing e-smith" page afterward.

However, good news (at least for now). I took a look at the /etc/proftpd.conf file and discovered that there were TWO copies of the file in one. So when PROFTPD was starting, it read the file... and when it hit the 2nd declaration of "Default Server = on" it bombed.

I simply removed the FIRST copy of it from the file, and it runs fine now. Note that I removed the SECOND copy at first, and it did not help.. so there must be some difference in there, but I'm too lazy to compare it all.

Thanks++ for the information!