Service is Masked in a Linux system

Submitted by sysop on Sat, 08/12/2023 - 02:16

When a Service is Masked in a Linux system, it means that the service's systemd unit file has been disabled and prevented from starting. Systemd is a system and service manager used in many modern Linux distributions. Masking a service is typically done to prevent accidental or unwanted activation of that service.

Here's how you can check if a service is masked and how to unmask it:

Check if a Service is Masked:

To check if a service is masked, you can use the following command:
```
systemctl is-enabled service-name
```
Replace service-name with the actual name of the service you want to check. If the service is masked, the command will return masked.
Unmask a Service:

If you want to unmask a masked service and enable it to start again, you can use the following commands:
```
sudo systemctl unmask service-name
sudo systemctl enable service-name
```
Replace service-name with the name of the service you want to unmask and enable. The first command will unmask the service, and the second command will enable it to start on boot.
Restart or Reload:

After unmasking and enabling the service, you might need to restart or reload it for the changes to take effect:
```
sudo systemctl restart service-name
```
Please note that masking and unmasking services should be done with caution. Some services might be masked intentionally for security or stability reasons. Make sure you understand the implications of unmasking a service before proceeding.