org.apache.httpd: Already loaded [closed]

Question

I have this weird issue with apache:

$ apachectl configtest

Syntax OK

Configs are ok, and it was actually working a minute ago, before I shut it down.

$ sudo apachectl start
org.apache.httpd: Already loaded

No it's not:

$ ps ax | grep httpd
58204 s000  R+     0:00.00 grep httpd

Let's try to stop it:

$ sudo apachectl stop

Looks like it is stopped, right? Let's try to start it again:

$ sudo apachectl start
$ sudo apachectl start
org.apache.httpd: Already loaded

So it must be running but it's not in ps ax and it simply doesn't work.

$ sudo apachectl stop
$ sudo apachectl stop
launchctl: Error unloading: org.apache.httpd

Tried to remove it from autostart:

$ sudo launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/org.apache.httpd.plist
$ sudo launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/org.apache.httpd.plist
launchctl: Error unloading: org.apache.httpd

But it's the same when I try to launch it, it pretends that it starts but it doesn't. Nothing in error log either. Help!

OS X 10.8.2 Mountain Lion

Update:

After reboot:

$ sudo apachectl start
Password:
org.apache.httpd: Already loaded

$ sudo launchctl load -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/org.apache.httpd.plist
org.apache.httpd: Already loaded

$ ps ax | grep httpd
7300 s000  R+     0:00.00 grep httpd

So I am effectively left without a web-server now.

Solution:

After a study of org.apache.httpd.plist I figured out that apache is controlled by a ruby script /usr/sbin/http-wrapper which had some issues running because I had replaced the system ruby interpreter. This fixed it for me:

ln -s /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/Current/usr/bin/ruby /usr/bin/ruby

Answer 1

run the server manually and fix the error reported:

root#> /usr/sbin/httpd -k start