First Time Bird - Failing To Start

[Maria Matejka]

Hello!

If you're setting up BIRD 1.6.x, please consider running BIRD 2 as the 
version 1.6.x isn't getting any updates besides proven security bugs.

If you're setting up BIRD 2 from package, the SystemD unit file should 
be distributed with it as well. If not, it is probably a packaging bug. 
What package are you installing from?

If you're setting up BIRD 2 from source, then you have to create a unit 
file yourself.

In both BIRD 2 cases, your config file default name is /etc/bird.conf, 
not /etc/bird6.conf as BIRD 2 runs one daemon for both IPv6 and legacy IPv4.

And as Kevin suggested, the `systemctl status bird` and `journalctl -eu 
bird` command outputs are what we probably need to check to move on.

BTW if you were into some more targeted and individualized support, 
please let us know at bird-support at network.cz with your specific use 
case to get a quote.

Maria

On 3/18/23 03:04, Jesse Mac Dougall via Bird-users wrote:
> Hello, I am setting up bird daemon for the first time.  I have built a BGP
> Neighborship in /etc/bird6.conf and now attempting to start the bird
> daemon but unsuccessful and do not know why.
> 
> When I "systemctl start bird" I get failed start.  | I am uncertain if I
> am supposed to have a file in /usr/lib/systemd/system/ for bird.  The
> guidance I've been given so far says no file in /usr/lib/systemd/system/.
> 
> I have /etc/bird.conf6 file created