Ansible troubleshooting - Destination does not exist rc 257

How to troubleshoot the error “Destination does not exist”, return code 257 enabling PasswordAuthentication for SSH using Ansible lineinfile module.

December 1, 2023

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#ansible #troubleshooting #rc257 #linux #passwordauthentication #ssh #257 #error #fatal

Introduction

Welcome to another episode of Ansible Pilot! I’m Luca Berton, and today we’ll delve into Ansible troubleshooting, focusing on the “Destination does not exist” error with return code 257. This error typically occurs when attempting to edit a file that doesn’t exist on the target file system. We’ll explore the root causes and demonstrate how to resolve this issue using the Ansible lineinfile module.

Understanding the Error

The fatal error message “Destination does not exist” with return code 257 arises when Ansible attempts to modify a file that is either misspelled or entirely absent on the target system. This error is commonly encountered while configuring SSH settings, particularly when enabling PasswordAuthentication.

I’m Luca Berton, and let’s dive into today’s Ansible troubleshooting session.

Demo

To illustrate the troubleshooting process, we’ll jump into a live demo. In this scenario, we’ll attempt to edit a configuration file, /etc/ssh/sshd_config2, which is misspelled on our target system.

Error Code

Let’s examine the Ansible playbook (destinationdoesnotexist_257_error.yml) triggering the error:

---
- name: PasswordAuthentication enabled
  hosts: all
  become: true
  gather_facts: false
  tasks:
    - name: ssh PasswordAuthentication
      ansible.builtin.lineinfile:
        dest: /etc/ssh/sshd_config2
        regexp: '^PasswordAuthentication'
        line: "PasswordAuthentication yes"
        state: present
      notify: ssh restart
  handlers:
    - name: ssh restart
      ansible.builtin.service:
        name: sshd
        state: restarted

Upon execution, the playbook results in a fatal error with return code 257:

$ ansible-playbook -i virtualmachines/demo/inventory troubleshooting/destinationdoesnotexist_257_error.yml

PLAY [PasswordAuthentication enabled] *************************************************************
TASK [ssh PasswordAuthentication] *****************************************************************
fatal: [demo.example.com]: FAILED! => {"ansible_facts": {"discovered_interpreter_python": "/usr/libexec/platform-python"}, "changed": false, "msg": "Destination /etc/ssh/sshad_config2 does not exist !", "rc": 257}
PLAY RECAP ****************************************************************************************
demo.example.com           : ok=0    changed=0    unreachable=0    failed=1    skipped=0    rescued=0    ignored=0

Fix Code

Let’s correct the playbook to reference the correct file (/etc/ssh/sshd_config) in the fixed version (destinationdoesnotexist_257_fix.yml):

---
- name: PasswordAuthentication enabled
  hosts: all
  become: true
  gather_facts: false
  tasks:
    - name: ssh PasswordAuthentication
      ansible.builtin.lineinfile:
        dest: /etc/ssh/sshd_config
        regexp: '^PasswordAuthentication'
        line: "PasswordAuthentication yes"
        state: present
      notify: ssh restart
  handlers:
    - name: ssh restart
      ansible.builtin.service:
        name: sshd
        state: restarted

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Fix Execution

Now, when we execute the corrected playbook, it should run successfully:

$ ansible-playbook -i virtualmachines/demo/inventory troubleshooting/destinationdoesnotexist_257_fix.yml
PLAY [PasswordAuthentication enabled] *************************************************************
TASK [ssh PasswordAuthentication] *****************************************************************
changed: [demo.example.com]
RUNNING HANDLER [ssh restart] *********************************************************************
changed: [demo.example.com]
PLAY RECAP ****************************************************************************************
demo.example.com           : ok=2    changed=2    unreachable=0    failed=0    skipped=0    rescued=0    ignored=0

Verification

To confirm the changes, log in to the target machine and check the configuration file:

$ ssh [email protected]
[devops@demo ~]$ sudo su
[root@demo devops]# grep 'PasswordAuthentication yes' /etc/ssh/sshd_config 
#PasswordAuthentication yes
PasswordAuthentication yes
[root@demo devops]# systemctl status sshd
# Output showing SSH service status

Recap

In this Ansible troubleshooting guide, we explored the “Destination does not exist” error with return code 257. By understanding the root causes and applying the correct playbook adjustments, you can overcome this issue in your Ansible automation.

If you found this tutorial helpful, consider subscribing for more Ansible tips and tricks. Happy automating!

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