GitHub Actions fails before tests start

[zarkamkh88-ui]

🏷️ Discussion Type

Bug

💬 Feature/Topic Area

ARC (Actions Runner Controller)

Discussion Details

Hello GitHub Community,

My repository is zarkamkh88-ui/Arbitrage.

GitHub Actions jobs fail before the tests start. The runner ID is 0, and no test steps execute.

The error message says that recent account payments have failed or the spending limit needs to increase.

The failed workflow run is 38562121563.

Could you help me identify and fix this problem?

Thank you.

[github-actions[bot]]

💬 Your Product Feedback Has Been Submitted 🎉

Thank you for taking the time to share your insights with us! Your feedback is invaluable as we build a better GitHub experience for all our users.

Here's what you can expect moving forward ⏩

• Your input will be carefully reviewed and cataloged by members of our product teams. 
  • Due to the high volume of submissions, we may not always be able to provide individual responses.
  • Rest assured, your feedback will help chart our course for product improvements.
• Other users may engage with your post, sharing their own perspectives or experiences. 
• GitHub staff may reach out for further clarification or insight. 
  • We may 'Answer' your discussion if there is a current solution, workaround, or roadmap/changelog post related to the feedback.

Where to look to see what's shipping 👀

• Read the Changelog for real-time updates on the latest GitHub features, enhancements, and calls for feedback.
• Explore our Product Roadmap, which details upcoming major releases and initiatives.

What you can do in the meantime 💻

• Upvote and comment on other user feedback Discussions that resonate with you.
• Add more information at any point! Useful details include: use cases, relevant labels, desired outcomes, and any accompanying screenshots.

As a member of the GitHub community, your participation is essential. While we can't promise that every suggestion will be implemented, we want to emphasize that your feedback is instrumental in guiding our decisions and priorities.

Thank you once again for your contribution to making GitHub even better! We're grateful for your ongoing support and collaboration in shaping the future of our platform. ⭐

[zarkamkh88-ui]

Thank you. This is not a feature request; it is a blocking GitHub Actions execution failure.

The workflow fails before any test step runs. The runner ID is 0, and the error says recent account payments have failed or the spending limit needs to increase.

Could someone help determine whether this is a billing/quota restriction or a runner infrastructure issue, and suggest a way to run the tests without paid usage?

Workflow run: 38562121563
Repository: zarkamkh88-ui/Arbitrage

I cannot merge the security PR until the tests have actually run and passed.

[DYNOSuprovo]

This is a billing/quota restriction on GitHub-hosted runners for private repositories, not a bug in your runner infrastructure or workflow YAML.

Here is the exact explanation of why runner ID is 0 and three concrete ways you can run your tests without paid usage:

---

Why this happens (Runner ID: 0)

1. Private Repository Quota: On GitHub Free accounts, public repositories get unlimited free minutes on standard GitHub-hosted runners, but private repositories share a pool of 2,000 free minutes per month.
2. Execution Block: When your monthly 2,000 minutes are exhausted, or if there is an overdue balance / failed payment on the account while the spending limit is set to $0, GitHub's orchestration scheduler blocks job provisioning immediately.
3. Because the job is rejected before a virtual machine is ever allocated, Runner ID is 0 and no checkout or test steps can begin.

---

How to run the tests with $0 cost

Option 1: Attach a Free Self-Hosted Runner (Recommended for Private Repos)

GitHub does not charge for or consume minutes on self-hosted runners, even in private repositories on the Free plan. You can use your local computer or any free cloud VM (e.g., Oracle Cloud Always Free or an AWS free-tier instance):

1. In your repository zarkamkh88-ui/Arbitrage, go to Settings > Actions > Runners.
2. Click New self-hosted runner, select your OS (Linux / macOS / Windows), and follow the three copy-paste terminal commands to install and start the runner listener.
3. In your workflow file (.github/workflows/...), update the runner target:

   jobs:
     test:
       runs-on: self-hosted  # was ubuntu-latest

4. Re-run the workflow or push the branch. The job will pick up immediately on your machine at $0 cost with zero quota restrictions.

---

Option 2: Make the Repository Public (If Non-Proprietary)

If zarkamkh88-ui/Arbitrage is open source and does not contain private secrets:

1. Go to Settings > General > Danger Zone.
2. Click Change repository visibility -> Make public.
3. Public repositories immediately regain access to unlimited standard GitHub-hosted runners (ubuntu-latest) with no minutes deducted.

---

Option 3: Check Billing Cycle Reset Date

If you want to stay on GitHub-hosted runners without self-hosting:

1. Navigate to Account Settings > Billing and plans > Plans and usage.
2. Under Actions, check your current minute usage and the billing cycle reset date. The 2,000 free minutes replenish automatically on that day.
3. If you have an active card and want to unblock immediately, set a temporary $2–$5 spending limit under Billing and plans > Spending limits.