Ubuntu Server 14.04.1 LTS - PPTPD fails to start

Question

I need some help here setting up my VPN. Everything is configured properly, but pptpd server fails to start. Here's what happens:

# /etc/init.d/pptpd status
 * /usr/sbin/pptpd is not running
# /etc/init.d/pptpd start
# /etc/init.d/pptpd restart
 * Restarting PoPToP Point to Point Tunneling Server pptpd                 [ OK ]
# /etc/init.d/pptpd status
 * /usr/sbin/pptpd is not running

I see that pptpd is not running, then I start it, nothing happens. I restart it instead, it says OK. When I check the status again, it still isn't running! I have a VPS running Ubuntu Server 14.04.1 LTS. I ran sudo apt-get upgrade and sudo apt-get update just now. I connect from my Windows 8.1 PC. All the config files are filled out according to this guide: Create VPN server using the Ubuntu VPS

Please help, I hope I posted enough information

Joe

Answer 1

i know this already has correct answer but would like to point out how to solve this bug.

Just edit pptpd(/etc/init.d/pptpd) file and add simple "-p" after status_of_proc it should look like this.

status_of_proc -p "$PIDFILE" "$DAEMON" "$NAME" && exit 0 || exit $?

Answer 2

This is a bug in 14.04, see: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/pptpd/+bug/1296835

Just check out the pptpd process with ps aux | grep pptpd, the status target of service pptpd just misleads you, and misleads everybody.