<p>I had to just set the following in <code>/etc/gitlab-runner/config.toml</code></p>
<pre><code>[[runners]]
  ...
  builds_dir = &quot;/home/gitlab-runner/build/&quot;
</code></pre>
<p>This parameter does not change the value in  <code>/etc/systemd/system/gitlab-runner.service</code> <strong>until</strong> a build is triggered (it seems)...</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-06-06T14:58:42.990Z
2023-06-06T14:58:42.990Z
Chris Stryczynski
<p>I installed the runners using the <code>docker</code> executor, but then later realized I actually needed the <code>shell</code> executor for layer caching... However now I just keep running into so many errors trying to get the runner to work...</p>
<pre><code>sudo gitlab-runner list
Runtime platform                                    arch=amd64 os=linux pid=17362 revision=79704081 version=16.0.1
Listing configured runners                          ConfigFile=/etc/gitlab-runner/config.toml
affiliate-processor-1                               Executor=shell Token=******************* URL=https://gitlab.com
affiliate-processor-1                               Executor=shell Token=******************* URL=https://gitlab.com
gitlab-runner-final                                 Executor=shell Token=******************* URL=https://gitlab.com
</code></pre>
<p>And the journal logs:</p>
<pre><code>sudo journalctl -u gitlab-runner --follow
-- Logs begin at Sat 2023-05-27 18:43:05 UTC. --
Jun 05 12:29:01 affiliate-processor-1 gitlab-runner[17177]: Running in system-mode.                           
Jun 05 12:29:01 affiliate-processor-1 gitlab-runner[17177]:                                                   
Jun 05 12:29:01 affiliate-processor-1 gitlab-runner[17177]: Configuration loaded                                builds=0
Jun 05 12:29:01 affiliate-processor-1 gitlab-runner[17177]: listen_address not defined, metrics &amp; debug endpoints disabled  builds=0
Jun 05 12:29:01 affiliate-processor-1 gitlab-runner[17177]: [session_server].listen_address not defined, session endpoints disabled  builds=0
Jun 05 12:29:01 affiliate-processor-1 gitlab-runner[17177]: Initializing executor providers                     builds=0
Jun 05 12:29:01 affiliate-processor-1 gitlab-runner[17177]: ERROR: Checking for jobs... forbidden               runner=m5Q9_Nc_6
Jun 05 12:29:03 affiliate-processor-1 gitlab-runner[17177]: ERROR: Checking for jobs... forbidden               runner=m5Q9_Nc_6
Jun 05 12:29:04 affiliate-processor-1 gitlab-runner[17177]: ERROR: Checking for jobs... forbidden               runner=m5Q9_Nc_6
Jun 05 12:29:04 affiliate-processor-1 gitlab-runner[17177]: ERROR: Runner &quot;https://gitlab.com************************&quot; is unhealthy and will be disabled for 1h0m0s seconds!  unhealthy_requests=3 unhealthy_requests_limit=3
</code></pre>
<p>How can I fix this?</p>
<p>Some more issues, <code>systemctl status gitlab-runner.service</code> shows:</p>
<pre><code>/usr/bin/gitlab-runner run --working-directory /home/chris --config /etc/gitlab-runner/config.toml --service gitlab-runner --user gitlab-runner
</code></pre>
<p>Why is it using my PERSONAL home directory as the working directory??? Surely it rather uses some system directory instead or the gitlab-runner home directory?!?!</p>
<hr />
<p>OKAY I have uninstalled the old runners which seemed to be the cause of the issue... But now I have these pipeline errors:</p>
<pre><code>mkdir: cannot create directory ‘/home/chris/builds/onty8Erw6’: Permission denied
</code></pre>
<p>?!?!?!? WHY IS IT USING THE <code>/home/chris</code> directory?!?!</p>

<gitlab><gitlab-ci-runner>
Gitlab runner tons of errors when trying to use shell executor
Chris Stryczynski
# Gitlab runner tons of errors when trying to use shell executor

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-06-05)

I installed the runners using the docker executor, but then later realized I actually needed the shell executor for layer caching... However now I just keep running into so many errors trying to get the runner to work...
sudo gitlab-runner list
Runtime platform                                    arch=amd64 os=linux pid=17362 revision=79704081 version=16.0.1
Listing configured runners                          ConfigFile=/etc/gitlab-runner/config.toml
affiliate-processor-1                               Executor=shell Token=******************* URL=https://gitlab.com
affiliate-processor-1                               Executor=shell Token=******************* URL=https://gitlab.com
gitlab-runner-final                                 Executor=shell Token=******************* URL=https://gitlab.com

And the journal logs:
sudo journalctl -u gitlab-runner --follow
-- Logs begin at Sat 2023-05-27 18:43:05 UTC. --
Jun 05 12:29:01 affiliate-processor-1 gitlab-runner[17177]: Running in system-mode.                           
Jun 05 12:29:01 affiliate-processor-1 gitlab-runner[17177]:                                                   
Jun 05 12:29:01 affiliate-processor-1 gitlab-runner[17177]: Configuration loaded                                builds=0
Jun 05 12:29:01 affiliate-processor-1 gitlab-runner[17177]: listen_address not defined, metrics & debug endpoints disabled  builds=0
Jun 05 12:29:01 affiliate-processor-1 gitlab-runner[17177]: [session_server].listen_address not defined, session endpoints disabled  builds=0
Jun 05 12:29:01 affiliate-processor-1 gitlab-runner[17177]: Initializing executor providers                     builds=0
Jun 05 12:29:01 affiliate-processor-1 gitlab-runner[17177]: ERROR: Checking for jobs... forbidden               runner=m5Q9_Nc_6
Jun 05 12:29:03 affiliate-processor-1 gitlab-runner[17177]: ERROR: Checking for jobs... forbidden               runner=m5Q9_Nc_6
Jun 05 12:29:04 affiliate-processor-1 gitlab-runner[17177]: ERROR: Checking for jobs... forbidden               runner=m5Q9_Nc_6
Jun 05 12:29:04 affiliate-processor-1 gitlab-runner[17177]: ERROR: Runner "https://gitlab.com************************" is unhealthy and will be disabled for 1h0m0s seconds!  unhealthy_requests=3 unhealthy_requests_limit=3

How can I fix this?
Some more issues, systemctl status gitlab-runner.service shows:
/usr/bin/gitlab-runner run --working-directory /home/chris --config /etc/gitlab-runner/config.toml --service gitlab-runner --user gitlab-runner

Why is it using my PERSONAL home directory as the working directory??? Surely it rather uses some system directory instead or the gitlab-runner home directory?!?!

OKAY I have uninstalled the old runners which seemed to be the cause of the issue... But now I have these pipeline errors:
mkdir: cannot create directory ‘/home/chris/builds/onty8Erw6’: Permission denied

?!?!?!? WHY IS IT USING THE /home/chris directory?!?!

**Tags:** gitlab, gitlab-ci-runner


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_0 on 2023-06-06. Score: 0

I had to just set the following in /etc/gitlab-runner/config.toml
[[runners]]
  ...
  builds_dir = "/home/gitlab-runner/build/"

This parameter does not change the value in  /etc/systemd/system/gitlab-runner.service until a build is triggered (it seems)...


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