# Fail to start nodered.service on raspberry pi
**URL:** https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fail-to-start-nodered-service-on-raspberry-pi/47668
**Category:** General
**Created:** [25 June 2021 15:20 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fail-to-start-nodered-service-on-raspberry-pi/47668 "2021-06-25T15:20:19Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@2E3](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/2E3)
#### Post date: [25 June 2021 15:20 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fail-to-start-nodered-service-on-raspberry-pi/47668/1 "2021-06-25T15:20:19Z")
Hi, I am having some issues with the nodered.service
Node-RED version: v1.3.5
Node.js version: v14.17.0
Linux 5.4.51+ arm LE
raspberry pi Zero W
I can start node-red-pi as user (2E3) without problems.
However when I wan to setup node red as a service through :
systemctl start nodered.service
I get this failure:
Failed to start nodered.service: Unit nodered.service has a bad unit file setting.
See system logs and 'systemctl status nodered.service' for details.
status says:
nodered.service - Node-RED graphical event wiring tool
Loaded: bad-setting (Reason: Unit nodered.service has a bad unit file setting.)
Active: inactive (dead) since Fri 2021-06-25 16:47:52 CEST; 28min ago
Docs: [Redirecting…](http://nodered.org/docs/hardware/raspberrypi.html)
Main PID: 6020 (code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS)
/lib/systemd/system/nodered.service:8: Invalid user/group name or numeric ID: 2E3
My nodered.service files contains
# systemd service file to start Node-RED
#
#
[Unit]
Description=Node-RED graphical event wiring tool
#After=syslog.target network.target
Wants=network.target
Documentation=[Redirecting…](http://nodered.org/docs/hardware/raspberrypi.html)
[Service]
Type=simple
# Run as normal pi user - change to the user name you wish to run Node-RED as
User=2E3 ---\> ERROR ????
Group=2E3
WorkingDirectory=/home/2E3/.node-red
Environment="NODE\_OPTIONS=--max\_old\_space\_size=256"
# uncomment and edit next line if you need an http proxy
#Environment="HTTP\_PROXY=my.httpproxy.server.address"
# uncomment the next line for a more verbose log output
#Environment="NODE\_RED\_OPTIONS=-v"
# uncomment next line if you need to wait for time sync before starting
#ExecStartPre=/bin/bash -c '/bin/journalctl -b -u systemd-timesyncd | /bin/grep -q "systemd-timesyncd.\* Synchronized to time server"'
ExecStart=/usr/bin/env node-red-pi $NODE\_OPTIONS $NODE\_RED\_OPTIONS
#ExecStart=/usr/bin/env node $NODE\_OPTIONS red.js $NODE\_RED\_OPTIONS
# Use SIGINT to stop
KillSignal=SIGINT
# Auto restart on crash
Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=20
# Tag things in the log
SyslogIdentifier=Node-RED
#StandardOutput=syslog
[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target
I can not find a solution
Any ideas ?
Thx
2E3
---
### Author:  [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)
#### Post date: [25 June 2021 15:40 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fail-to-start-nodered-service-on-raspberry-pi/47668/2 "2021-06-25T15:40:01Z")
Welcome to the forum @2E3
It is generally considered a bad idea to start a username with a digit. A number of commands will not cope with that. I imagine that this is the cause of the problem you are having.
---
### Author:  [@2E3](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/2E3)
#### Post date: [25 June 2021 16:02 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fail-to-start-nodered-service-on-raspberry-pi/47668/3 "2021-06-25T16:02:14Z")
Thx Colin, I will create a new profile and try again.
---
### Author:  [@2E3](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/2E3)
#### Post date: [27 June 2021 16:57 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fail-to-start-nodered-service-on-raspberry-pi/47668/4 "2021-06-27T16:57:58Z")
Dear @Colin
Works perfect! Thank you for the advice
---
### Author:  [@alexander77](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/alexander77)
#### Post date: [27 June 2021 19:49 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fail-to-start-nodered-service-on-raspberry-pi/47668/5 "2021-06-27T19:49:08Z")
I don't want to hijack a thread, but 2E3 has closed his question (works perfect) and i want to add a question regarding the same topic.
I usually set up my raspis with the command sudo systemctl enable nodered.service.
2E3 used start instead of enable. Is there a difference between these commands?
---
### Author:  [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)
#### Post date: [27 June 2021 20:27 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fail-to-start-nodered-service-on-raspberry-pi/47668/6 "2021-06-27T20:27:03Z")
`start` starts the service running.
`enable` says start it running each time the device boots, it does not not start it immediately.
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### Author:  [@alexander77](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/alexander77)
#### Post date: [27 June 2021 20:29 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fail-to-start-nodered-service-on-raspberry-pi/47668/7 "2021-06-27T20:29:50Z")
Thank you!
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### Author:  [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)
#### Post date: [11 July 2021 20:30 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fail-to-start-nodered-service-on-raspberry-pi/47668/8 "2021-07-11T20:30:41Z")
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