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Forticlient EMS Web Access Doesn't Work After Upgrade

Forum|Forum|7 months ago
December 22, 2025
17 replies
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Hi,

I upgraded my Forticlient EMS to the 7.4.5 version and now i can't access to the web portal. When i try to run the command "service restart --all" in the linux console i have the next error:

get services status: start apache2 service: exit status 1
exit error: [exit status 1], exitStatus: 1

Can someone help me with this issue please?

FortiClient EMS

AEK

SuperUser

Hi Alvaro

What was the version of your EMS before the upgrade?

I hope you took a backup before the upgrade, just in case you can't fix it.

AEK

alvarotoralesAuthor

New Member

Hi AEK, mi version before upgrade was VM 7.4.3.1926.

I have the database backup, but I need to know if anyone has had a similar error and was able to resolve it, otherwise I'll have to revert to the previous version / snapshot.

antonsp

New Member

Same issue on my side.
Upgraded from 7.4.4 → 7.4.5, took a full DB backup beforehand.
After the upgrade, EMS stopped responding on HTTPS.
Tried console access in TTY2, super-admin creds just wouldn’t authenticate.
Kept getting a login error, completely locked out.

funkylicious

SuperUser

hi, what do these commands show ?

systemctl status apache2

netstat -tulpn | grep apache

emscli service get apache2

emscli service log apache2 --follow

try maybe a systemctl restart apache2 and emscli service restart apache2

"jack of all trades, master of none"

alvarotoralesAuthor

New Member

Hi @funkylicious , i think that linux commands are unavailable on this new version of EMS 7.4.5.2111 (Mature)

ems@fcems-server $> systemctl status apache2
Error: unknown command "systemctl" for ""
Run ' --help' for usage.
unknown command "systemctl" for ""
exit error: [exit status 1], exitStatus: 1
ems@fcems-server $> netstat -tulp | grep apache
Error: unknown command "netstat" for ""
Run ' --help' for usage.
unknown command "netstat" for ""
exit error: [exit status 1], exitStatus: 1
ems@fcems-server $> emscli service get apache2
Error: unknown command "emscli" for ""
Run ' --help' for usage.
unknown command "emscli" for ""
exit error: [exit status 1], exitStatus: 1
ems@fcems-server $>
--help (help for this command)
cache (for querying the contents of the DAS cache)
config (for querying and updating EMS config files)
db (attempts to connect to the EMS DB using psql)
diag (for troubleshooting issues with particular endpoints)
execute (for executing commands on the host)
fds (for managing FDS (FortiGuard Distribution Servers) services)
ha (for checking and managing EMS High Availability parameters)
redirect (redirects an EMS instance to access a remote EMS DB instead of the local DB)
service (for querying and managing the statuses and log levels of EMS services)
system (for querying and updating system parameters on the machine where EMS is installed)
ws (Command used to run webservice operations (api.doc))

I try with this command that is available

ems@fcems-server $> service restart apache2
get services status: start apache2 service: exit status 1
exit error: [exit status 1], exitStatus: 1

AEK

SuperUser

Try the following command sequence.

service enable-debug apache2
service restart apache2
service get apache2
service log apache2
service disable-debug apache2

Ref: https://docs.fortinet.com/document/forticlient/7.4.5/ems-cli-reference/546442/service

It should provide you with the error logs.

AEK

alvarotoralesAuthor

New Member

Hi @AEK , i follow this steps and i attach here the error:

ems@fcems-server $> service enable-debug apache2
enable services debug: flip log level: exit status 2 -> output: psql: error: connection to server at "localhost" (127.0.0.1), port 5432 failed: FATAL: database "[DB_PREFIX]fcm" does not exist

exit error: [exit status 1], exitStatus: 1
ems@fcems-server $> service restart apache2
get services status: start apache2 service: exit status 1
exit error: [exit status 1], exitStatus: 1
ems@fcems-server $> service get apache2
[apache2] -> [PID: 1351074][failed] [Result: exit-code] [CPU: 0.0%, RAM: 0.0%] -> Tue 2025-12-23 11:25:29 UTC; 4s ago
ems@fcems-server $> service log apache2
==> /var/log/apache2/error.log <==
[Mon Dec 22 00:00:09.885366 2025] [ssl:warn] [pid 99982:tid 99982] AH01909: localhost:443:0 server certificate does NOT include an ID which matches the server name
[Mon Dec 22 00:00:09.885800 2025] [ssl:warn] [pid 99982:tid 99982] AH01909: localhost:443:0 server certificate does NOT include an ID which matches the server name
[Mon Dec 22 00:00:09.886040 2025] [remoteip:notice] [pid 99982:tid 99982] AH03492: RemoteIPProxyProtocol: enabled on 0.0.0.0:9443
[Mon Dec 22 00:00:09.886359 2025] [mpm_worker:notice] [pid 99982:tid 99982] AH00292: Apache/2.4.63 (Ubuntu) OpenSSL/3.1.7 mod_wsgi/4.9.4 Python/3.10 configured -- resuming normal operations
[Mon Dec 22 00:00:09.886368 2025] [core:notice] [pid 99982:tid 99982] AH00094: Command line: '/usr/sbin/apache2'
[Mon Dec 22 00:00:09.886385 2025] [mpm_worker:warn] [pid 99982:tid 99982] AH00291: long lost child came home! (pid 1026071)
[Mon Dec 22 00:00:09.886399 2025] [mpm_worker:warn] [pid 99982:tid 99982] AH00291: long lost child came home! (pid 1026072)
[Mon Dec 22 00:00:09.886412 2025] [mpm_worker:warn] [pid 99982:tid 99982] AH00291: long lost child came home! (pid 1026073)
[Mon Dec 22 00:00:09.886425 2025] [mpm_worker:warn] [pid 99982:tid 99982] AH00291: long lost child came home! (pid 1026074)
[Mon Dec 22 14:02:37.106873 2025] [wsgi:error] [pid 1048762:tid 1048766] INFO:_mod_wsgi_db83a6fdc62df21203c3601f8d239f0c:Checking database connection...
[Mon Dec 22 14:02:37.135635 2025] [wsgi:error] [pid 1048762:tid 1048766] INFO:_mod_wsgi_db83a6fdc62df21203c3601f8d239f0c:Database connection successful.
[Mon Dec 22 14:48:30.140660 2025] [mpm_worker:notice] [pid 99982:tid 99982] AH00296: caught SIGWINCH, shutting down gracefully
[Mon Dec 22 14:48:33.499818 2025] [core:warn] [pid 99982:tid 99982] AH00045: child process 1048763 still did not exit, sending a SIGTERM
[Mon Dec 22 14:48:35.501927 2025] [core:warn] [pid 99982:tid 99982] AH00045: child process 1048763 still did not exit, sending a SIGTERM
[Mon Dec 22 14:48:39.602523 2025] [ssl:warn] [pid 1068942:tid 1068942] AH01909: localhost:443:0 server certificate does NOT include an ID which matches the server name
[Mon Dec 22 14:48:39.602961 2025] [ssl:warn] [pid 1068942:tid 1068942] AH01909: localhost:443:0 server certificate does NOT include an ID which matches the server name
[Mon Dec 22 14:48:39.603218 2025] [remoteip:notice] [pid 1068942:tid 1068942] AH03492: RemoteIPProxyProtocol: enabled on 0.0.0.0:9443
[Mon Dec 22 14:48:39.609987 2025] [ssl:warn] [pid 1068948:tid 1068948] AH01909: localhost:443:0 server certificate does NOT include an ID which matches the server name
[Mon Dec 22 14:48:39.610454 2025] [ssl:warn] [pid 1068948:tid 1068948] AH01909: localhost:443:0 server certificate does NOT include an ID which matches the server name
[Mon Dec 22 14:48:39.610688 2025] [remoteip:notice] [pid 1068948:tid 1068948] AH03492: RemoteIPProxyProtocol: enabled on 0.0.0.0:9443
[Mon Dec 22 14:48:39.611477 2025] [mpm_worker:notice] [pid 1068948:tid 1068948] AH00292: Apache/2.4.63 (Ubuntu) OpenSSL/3.1.7 mod_wsgi/4.9.4 Python/3.10 configured -- resuming normal operations
[Mon Dec 22 14:48:39.611485 2025] [core:notice] [pid 1068948:tid 1068948] AH00094: Command line: '/usr/sbin/apache2'
[Mon Dec 22 14:48:39.943802 2025] [wsgi:error] [pid 1068955:tid 1068959] INFO:_mod_wsgi_db83a6fdc62df21203c3601f8d239f0c:Checking database connection...
[Mon Dec 22 14:48:39.965420 2025] [wsgi:error] [pid 1068955:tid 1068959] INFO:_mod_wsgi_db83a6fdc62df21203c3601f8d239f0c:Database connection successful.
[Mon Dec 22 14:49:14.821491 2025] [mpm_worker:notice] [pid 1068948:tid 1068948] AH00296: caught SIGWINCH, shutting down gracefully
ems@fcems-server $> service disable-debug apache2
disable services debug: flip log level: exit status 2 -> output: psql: error: connection to server at "localhost" (127.0.0.1), port 5432 failed: FATAL: database "[DB_PREFIX]fcm" does not exist

exit error: [exit status 1], exitStatus: 1

AEK

SuperUser

Here I note this error message.

exit status 2 -> output: psql: error: connection to server at "localhost" (127.0.0.1), port 5432 failed: FATAL: database "[DB_PREFIX]fcm" does not exist

It looks like the error is not in Apache itself but seems there is an error while connecting to the EMS DB. Sorry I have no idea on how to fix this. Hope other experienced member can help.

On the other hand you can try this command to see which services are down.

service status --all

AEK

SubjectName

New Member

I ran into a similar issue, upgrading from 7.4.3. Initiated the upgrade, the gui sat at 50% done for about 2 hours. Refreshed the page to find that the server was refusing connections. I was able to ssh in, but nothing worked even when starting all EMS services (which were down). Eventually had to revert the snapshot to restore any functionality.

AEK

SuperUser

Before upgrading did you make sure all required flows to internet are open?

Check the EMS Installation section here:

https://docs.fortinet.com/document/forticlient/7.4.5/ems-administration-guide/439480/required-services-and-ports

Note that one repo is missing in the doc, I think it was grafana.com (you can check in your FW traffic log).

AEK

SubjectName

New Member

Yes. We verified it was able to go out to the internet. no blocks.

Marioo

New Member

Hi,

I'm facing the same issue.

Did you find a solution for this?

alvarotoralesAuthor

New Member

Hi, unfortunately I couldn't fix the error. I had to download the latest version of Proxmox and restore the database from my backup.

BobDubbya

New Member

Hello,

I've identified the issue and successfully installed the update after experiencing the same issue as you.

Our Environment background:

We've been using Forticlient EMS for a VERY long time and migrated from 7.2 running on a windows system to a linux system on 7.4.0. Back then there was no appliance and you had to spin up your own server, we used the current version of Ubuntu at the time, 22.04. We have since upgraded our EMS to the current versions and kept our server updated, including upgrading to Ubuntu 24.04.

There were two problems with our install:

The python environment leveraged was not installed and linked correctly. Which caused Apache not to launch.
The Grafana service did not respond before the installer timed out waiting for it.

I had to modify the installer to get the update to successfully install, here's the rundown.

Extract the installer files

Extract compressed tarball from .bin installer
Extract installer package from tarball
Extract contents of .deb

Modify deb install script and file content

Extract the contents of env24_amd64.tar.gz in opt/forticlientems/fcm to opt/forticlientems/fcm/env24_amd64
-Our server is running 24.04, there's also a 22.04 version
-This probably wasn't necessary, but I'm not going to go back and test, this was already too much work.
Modify DEBIAN/postinst script to fix the link needed. I just commented out lines 1078-1083, 1090-1093, and 1096-1099
-I know our Ubuntu server is running 24.04, so I commented out all of the evaluations to determine what version of linux we were running
Modify DEBIAN/postinst to increase the timeout for Grafana, set max_attempts to 60 on line 581, modify sleep to 5 on line 590.
Rebuild .deb installer

Run the installer forticlientems_7.4.5.2111.M.sh

-the installer environment was extracted from the tarball, no need to reconstruct .bin file

Note:

- I've been using linux for over 20 years, these operations are not simple and I don't expect most EMS users to be able to do them, nor is it reasonable one should have to.
-This needs to be done with a working instance of 7.4.4, I don't suspect it would fix an already broken 7.4.5 upgrade.

-I opened a ticket with Fortinet for this, they looked at the installer logs and a backup of my database. While waiting on them, I continued my troubleshooting and provided them the solution that I had to complete above to get the upgrade to work. They responded that they were able to restore my database and upgrade from 7.4.4 to 7.4.5 in their lab without modifying the installer. I suspect their lab environment has not been upgraded from 7.4.0 to now and from Ubuntu 22.04 to 24.04. I asked for a gift card to burger king for my efforts and have not received it (I think this was a reasonable request).

Useful commands:

tail -n +683 *7.4.5*bin > ./bin/fems.tgz

deb-dpkg -r *deb deb

deb-dpkg -b deb forticlientems_7.4.5.2111.M_amd64.deb

ARTLion

New Member

Hello,

We're running Ubuntu 22.04. We tried upgrading the EMS client from 7.4.3 to 7.4.5.
During the upgrade, we encountered an error stating that Grafana couldn't fully launch the service and start listening on port 3000 during installation. We couldn't change the number of attempts and the time it took, as the installer binary itself needed to be modified. So, we found a different solution:
1. We installed the Grafana service in advance.
2. We configured it "Grafana" not to restart.

After that, the upgrade completed successfully. Our problem is most likely related to a weak virtualization system, and simply moving to a more powerful system will help. We didn't have that option.

Thanks,
Alexander

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