crowdsecurity/crowdsec · error · UpdateFail

machine '%s': %w

Error message

machine '%s': %w

What it means

When a machine already exists and `force` is set, CreateMachine updates its password; this error wraps an UpdateFail tag if that password update fails. The original driver error is only logged as a warning, not embedded.

Source

Thrown at pkg/database/machines.go:87

	if err != nil {
		c.Log.Warningf("CreateMachine: %s", err)
		return nil, HashError
	}

	machineExist, err := c.Ent.Machine.
		Query().
		Where(machine.MachineIdEQ(*machineID)).
		Select(machine.FieldMachineId).Strings(ctx)
	if err != nil {
		return nil, fmt.Errorf("machine '%s': %w: %w", *machineID, err, QueryFail)
	}

	if len(machineExist) > 0 {
		if force {
			_, err := c.Ent.Machine.Update().Where(machine.MachineIdEQ(*machineID)).SetPassword(string(hashPassword)).Save(ctx)
			if err != nil {
				c.Log.Warningf("CreateMachine : %s", err)
				return nil, fmt.Errorf("machine '%s': %w", *machineID, UpdateFail)
			}

			machine, err := c.QueryMachineByID(ctx, *machineID)
			if err != nil {
				return nil, fmt.Errorf("machine '%s': %w: %w", *machineID, err, QueryFail)
			}

			return machine, nil
		}

		return nil, fmt.Errorf("user '%s': %w", *machineID, UserExists)
	}

	machine, err := c.Ent.Machine.
		Create().
		SetMachineId(*machineID).
		SetPassword(string(hashPassword)).
		SetIpAddress(ipAddress).

View on GitHub (pinned to 909b515798)

Solutions

1. Re-run `cscli machines add --force` after confirming DB is writable
2. Check that you are pointing at the primary DB, not a read-only replica
3. Delete and recreate the machine: `cscli machines delete <id>` then add again
4. Look for the preceding `CreateMachine : %s` warning log for the real driver error

Example fix

// before (fails opaquely)
cscli machines add mymachine --force
// after
sqlite3 crowdsec.db "SELECT machine_id FROM machines WHERE machine_id='mymachine';"  # verify row exists
cscli machines add mymachine --force --password <newpass>

exists, _ := client.Ent.Machine.Query().Where(machine.MachineIdEQ(id)).Exist(ctx) // row must exist for force update

if _, err := client.CreateMachine(ctx, &id, pass, ip, true, true, auth); err != nil {
    if errors.Is(err, database.UpdateFail) {
        // retry or delete-then-add
        client.DeleteMachine(ctx, id)
        client.CreateMachine(ctx, &id, pass, ip, true, false, auth)
    }
}

When it happens

Trigger: `cscli machines add --force` (or equivalent TLS re-registration) on an existing machineID whose password update `Machine.Update().SetPassword(...).Save(ctx)` fails — DB outage, machine row deleted concurrently, or a write constraint.

Common situations: Force re-registering a machine whose row was just deleted by another admin; read replica used for writes; SQLite file locked.

Related errors

• machine %s attempted to auth with password but it is configu
• machine '%s': %w: %w
• no database configuration provided
• unable to update
• unable to delete

AI-assisted analysis of crowdsecurity/crowdsec@909b515798 (2026-09-06). Data as JSON: /api/errors/216b523703d413f0. Report an issue: GitHub.