kubernetes/kops · error

error setting 'cloud-init' in user-data for instance %s of g

Error message

error setting 'cloud-init' in user-data for instance %s of group %q: %w

What it means

In RenderScw, SetServerUserData('cloud-init') failed on a freshly created and readied server. The instance exists but has no bootstrap user-data, so it will never boot into the cluster; the server ID and group name identify the half-configured machine.

Source

Thrown at upup/pkg/fi/cloudup/scalewaytasks/instance.go:264

			return fmt.Errorf("error creating instance of group %q: %w", fi.ValueOf(expected.Name), err)
		}
		_, err = instanceService.WaitForServer(&instance.WaitForServerRequest{
			ServerID: srv.Server.ID,
			Zone:     zone,
		})
		if err != nil {
			return fmt.Errorf("error waiting for instance %s of group %q: %w", srv.Server.ID, fi.ValueOf(expected.Name), err)
		}

		// We load the cloud-init script in the instance user data
		err = instanceService.SetServerUserData(&instance.SetServerUserDataRequest{
			ServerID: srv.Server.ID,
			Zone:     srv.Server.Zone,
			Key:      "cloud-init",
			Content:  bytes.NewBuffer(userData),
		})
		if err != nil {
			return fmt.Errorf("error setting 'cloud-init' in user-data for instance %s of group %q: %w", srv.Server.ID, fi.ValueOf(expected.Name), err)
		}

		// We start the instance
		_, err = instanceService.ServerAction(&instance.ServerActionRequest{
			Zone:     zone,
			ServerID: srv.Server.ID,
			Action:   instance.ServerActionPoweron,
		})
		if err != nil {
			return fmt.Errorf("error powering on instance %s of group %q: %w", srv.Server.ID, fi.ValueOf(expected.Name), err)
		}

		// We wait for the instance to be ready
		_, err = instanceService.WaitForServer(&instance.WaitForServerRequest{
			ServerID: srv.Server.ID,
			Zone:     zone,
		})
		if err != nil {

View on GitHub (pinned to 4c8573c808)

Solutions

1. Check the wrapped error for the API failure
2. Inspect the server in the console and delete it if orphaned
3. Re-run the apply to reconcile the instance group

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at upup/pkg/fi/cloudup/scalewaytasks/instance.go:264 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of kubernetes/kops@4c8573c808 (2026-09-05). Data as JSON: /api/errors/3df34173ff21850b. Report an issue: GitHub.