# Vaultwarden service can't access data folder **URL:** \ **Category:** Help\ **Created:** [August 6, 2022, 10:15am UTC](https://vaultwarden.discourse.group/t/vaultwarden-service-cant-access-data-folder/1797 "2022-08-06T10:15:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![xNiux](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/vaultwarden.discourse.group/xniux/32/736_2.png) [@xNiux](https://vaultwarden.discourse.group/u/xNiux)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2022, 10:15am UTC](https://vaultwarden.discourse.group/t/vaultwarden-service-cant-access-data-folder/1797/1 "2022-08-06T10:15:55Z")
Hi, I’m trying to install Vaultwarden on my server, but after creation of service, when I start it, it couldn’t access to the data folder. Environement : - User and Group : bitwarden - Installation folder : /opt/vaultwarden - Data folder : /home/bitwarden/vaultdata The installation and data folder are set to bitwarden user and group, with drwxr-xr-x mode … But when I start the service, the service return the status failed, with this error : ```auto Aug 06 11:59:23 smtp.magicseeserver vaultwarden[9351]: [INFO] No .env file found. Aug 06 11:59:23 smtp.magicseeserver vaultwarden[9351]: [2022-08-06 11:59:23.192][vaultwarden][ERROR] Data folder '/home/bitwarden/v> Aug 06 11:59:23 smtp.magicseeserver vaultwarden[9351]: [2022-08-06 11:59:23.192][vaultwarden][ERROR] Create the data folder and try> Aug 06 11:59:23 smtp.magicseeserver systemd[1]: vaultwarden.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE Aug 06 11:59:23 smtp.magicseeserver systemd[1]: vaultwarden.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'. ``` Service has this 3 options set : User=bitwarden Group=bitwarden EnvironmentFile=/etc/vaultwarden.env Could you help me please ? ---
**Author:** ![BlackDex](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/vaultwarden.discourse.group/blackdex/32/8_2.png) [@BlackDex](https://vaultwarden.discourse.group/u/BlackDex)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2022, 12:54pm UTC](https://vaultwarden.discourse.group/t/vaultwarden-service-cant-access-data-folder/1797/2 "2022-08-06T12:54:26Z")
Make sure the data folder has the correct rights. 775 or something. ---
**Author:** ![xNiux](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/vaultwarden.discourse.group/xniux/32/736_2.png) [@xNiux](https://vaultwarden.discourse.group/u/xNiux)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2022, 2:30pm UTC](https://vaultwarden.discourse.group/t/vaultwarden-service-cant-access-data-folder/1797/3 "2022-08-06T14:30:34Z")
Yes, the data folder was at 755, I tried with 775, but same result ---
**Author:** ![BlackDex](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/vaultwarden.discourse.group/blackdex/32/8_2.png) [@BlackDex](https://vaultwarden.discourse.group/u/BlackDex)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2022, 2:50pm UTC](https://vaultwarden.discourse.group/t/vaultwarden-service-cant-access-data-folder/1797/4 "2022-08-06T14:50:20Z")
Then i’m not sure what or why. Try `777`. If that helps then there is something wrong with the user/group ---
**Author:** ![xNiux](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/vaultwarden.discourse.group/xniux/32/736_2.png) [@xNiux](https://vaultwarden.discourse.group/u/xNiux)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2022, 2:54pm UTC](https://vaultwarden.discourse.group/t/vaultwarden-service-cant-access-data-folder/1797/5 "2022-08-06T14:54:44Z")
It’s strange … same issue with 777 … Is it possible to start vaultwarden directly without service ? I tried, but it doesn’t found the .env file ---
**Author:** ![BlackDex](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/vaultwarden.discourse.group/blackdex/32/8_2.png) [@BlackDex](https://vaultwarden.discourse.group/u/BlackDex)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2022, 3:12pm UTC](https://vaultwarden.discourse.group/t/vaultwarden-service-cant-access-data-folder/1797/6 "2022-08-06T15:12:01Z")
It can start with a service file. Just point either run the Vaultwarden binary from the location where the .env file is located, or place the .env file at the same location as the binary, and run it from there. ---
**Author:** ![xNiux](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/vaultwarden.discourse.group/xniux/32/736_2.png) [@xNiux](https://vaultwarden.discourse.group/u/xNiux)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2022, 7:57pm UTC](https://vaultwarden.discourse.group/t/vaultwarden-service-cant-access-data-folder/1797/7 "2022-08-06T19:57:32Z")
It’s strange I made a link of .env file into binary file … And running can’t find .env … ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/free1/uploads/vaultwarden/original/1X/cdf980f516c3eb8f54617d14a7a933bce916faf2.png) I also try to copy file instead of link … Same issue ---
**Author:** ![BlackDex](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/vaultwarden.discourse.group/blackdex/32/8_2.png) [@BlackDex](https://vaultwarden.discourse.group/u/BlackDex)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2022, 8:56pm UTC](https://vaultwarden.discourse.group/t/vaultwarden-service-cant-access-data-folder/1797/8 "2022-08-06T20:56:56Z")
The file needs to be named `.env` as the message indicates, not `vaultwarden.env`. ---
**Author:** ![xNiux](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/vaultwarden.discourse.group/xniux/32/736_2.png) [@xNiux](https://vaultwarden.discourse.group/u/xNiux)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2022, 7:30am UTC](https://vaultwarden.discourse.group/t/vaultwarden-service-cant-access-data-folder/1797/9 "2022-08-07T07:30:10Z")
mmmh no, same issue with .env file : ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/free1/uploads/vaultwarden/original/1X/b06f17f6033b1b80b9a717144839a9fdd96060a0.png) ---
**Author:** ![xNiux](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/vaultwarden.discourse.group/xniux/32/736_2.png) [@xNiux](https://vaultwarden.discourse.group/u/xNiux)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2022, 7:34am UTC](https://vaultwarden.discourse.group/t/vaultwarden-service-cant-access-data-folder/1797/10 "2022-08-07T07:34:30Z")
Hum, it seems to be definitively a service problem … If I start the execution file, it’s ok, it start and create all files in data folder … But If I start service, it says : [ERROR] Data folder ‘/home/bitwarden/vaultdata’ doesn’t exist. ---
**Author:** ![xNiux](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/vaultwarden.discourse.group/xniux/32/736_2.png) [@xNiux](https://vaultwarden.discourse.group/u/xNiux)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2022, 9:24am UTC](https://vaultwarden.discourse.group/t/vaultwarden-service-cant-access-data-folder/1797/11 "2022-08-07T09:24:43Z")
OK, solved, I have to duplicate .env in vaultwarden folder and in EnvironementFile for the service. If it is only in EnvironementFile, but not in vaultwarden folder, service say “no .env file”, but use also the EnvironementFile. ---
**Author:** ![BlackDex](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/vaultwarden.discourse.group/blackdex/32/8_2.png) [@BlackDex](https://vaultwarden.discourse.group/u/BlackDex)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2022, 10:02am UTC](https://vaultwarden.discourse.group/t/vaultwarden-service-cant-access-data-folder/1797/12 "2022-08-07T10:02:30Z")
The .env file **INFO** message is because Vaultwarden it self couldn’t find that file it self. If you load that file via systemd or any other option it’s normal that Vaultwarden doesn’t see that file it self. And it doesn’t need to. Vaultwarden needs the environment populated with all the config options. Systemd does this for you. Or Vaultwarden tries to read a .env file when available. So tldr, when using systemd, you will get that message. And it is no issue.