unifi app can not be deployed

[joergweis]

I am running on truenas scale (ElectricEel-24.10.2.4) and I am trying to get the unifi controller app running. I have filled all the needed fields, created an own dataset for the application and I am working with host path instead of ix-file. Nevertheless the configured application is not coming up. I did a docker log and this comes up:

[2025-10-06 20:25:30,129] <docker-entrypoint> INFO - Entrypoint script version 1.2.0
[2025-10-06 20:25:30,130] <docker-entrypoint> INFO - Entrypoint functions version 1.1.0
[2025-10-06 20:25:30,133] <docker-entrypoint> WARN - Container/entrypoint not started as UID 0 (root)
[2025-10-06 20:25:30,135] <docker-entrypoint> WARN - Unable to change permissions or set custom GID/UID if configured
[2025-10-06 20:25:30,138] <docker-entrypoint> WARN - Process will be spawned with GID=999, UID=999
[2025-10-06 20:25:30,139] <docker-entrypoint> WARN - Depending on permissions requested command may not work
[2025-10-06 20:25:30,141] <docker-entrypoint> WARN - ======================================================================
[2025-10-06 20:25:30,142] <docker-entrypoint> WARN - One or more of: 'DB_MONGO_LOCAL', 'DB_MONGO_URI', 'STATDB_MONGO_URI', or 'UNIFI_DB_NAME' is unset.
[2025-10-06 20:25:30,143] <docker-entrypoint> WARN - In the future you should consider running UniFi on Docker with an external Mongo DB instance defined.
[2025-10-06 20:25:30,145] <docker-entrypoint> WARN - *** Please check the README.md and examples at https://github.com/goofball222/unifi ***
[2025-10-06 20:25:30,146] <docker-entrypoint> WARN - ======================================================================
[2025-10-06 20:25:30,147] <docker-entrypoint> INFO - Checking system.properties setup for container
[2025-10-06 20:25:30,149] <docker-entrypoint> INFO - '/usr/lib/unifi/data/system.properties' doesn't exist, copying from '/usr/lib/unifi/system.properties.default'
cp: cannot create regular file '/usr/lib/unifi/data/system.properties': Permission denied
[2025-10-06 20:25:31,614] <docker-entrypoint> INFO - Entrypoint script version 1.2.0
[2025-10-06 20:25:31,615] <docker-entrypoint> INFO - Entrypoint functions version 1.1.0
[2025-10-06 20:25:31,618] <docker-entrypoint> WARN - Container/entrypoint not started as UID 0 (root)
[2025-10-06 20:25:31,619] <docker-entrypoint> WARN - Unable to change permissions or set custom GID/UID if configured
[2025-10-06 20:25:31,623] <docker-entrypoint> WARN - Process will be spawned with GID=999, UID=999
[2025-10-06 20:25:31,624] <docker-entrypoint> WARN - Depending on permissions requested command may not work
[2025-10-06 20:25:31,625] <docker-entrypoint> WARN - ======================================================================
[2025-10-06 20:25:31,627] <docker-entrypoint> WARN - One or more of: 'DB_MONGO_LOCAL', 'DB_MONGO_URI', 'STATDB_MONGO_URI', or 'UNIFI_DB_NAME' is unset.
[2025-10-06 20:25:31,628] <docker-entrypoint> WARN - In the future you should consider running UniFi on Docker with an external Mongo DB instance defined.
[2025-10-06 20:25:31,629] <docker-entrypoint> WARN - *** Please check the README.md and examples at https://github.com/goofball222/unifi ***
[2025-10-06 20:25:31,631] <docker-entrypoint> WARN - ======================================================================
[2025-10-06 20:25:31,632] <docker-entrypoint> INFO - Checking system.properties setup for container
[2025-10-06 20:25:31,633] <docker-entrypoint> INFO - '/usr/lib/unifi/data/system.properties' doesn't exist, copying from '/usr/lib/unifi/system.properties.default'
cp: cannot create regular file '/usr/lib/unifi/data/system.properties': Permission denied
[2025-10-06 20:25:33,075] <docker-entrypoint> INFO - Entrypoint script version 1.2.0
[2025-10-06 20:25:33,077] <docker-entrypoint> INFO - Entrypoint functions version 1.1.0
[2025-10-06 20:25:33,080] <docker-entrypoint> WARN - Container/entrypoint not started as UID 0 (root)
[2025-10-06 20:25:33,081] <docker-entrypoint> WARN - Unable to change permissions or set custom GID/UID if configured
[2025-10-06 20:25:33,084] <docker-entrypoint> WARN - Process will be spawned with GID=999, UID=999
[2025-10-06 20:25:33,086] <docker-entrypoint> WARN - Depending on permissions requested command may not work
[2025-10-06 20:25:33,087] <docker-entrypoint> WARN - ======================================================================
[2025-10-06 20:25:33,088] <docker-entrypoint> WARN - One or more of: 'DB_MONGO_LOCAL', 'DB_MONGO_URI', 'STATDB_MONGO_URI', or 'UNIFI_DB_NAME' is unset.
[2025-10-06 20:25:33,090] <docker-entrypoint> WARN - In the future you should consider running UniFi on Docker with an external Mongo DB instance defined.
[2025-10-06 20:25:33,091] <docker-entrypoint> WARN - *** Please check the README.md and examples at https://github.com/goofball222/unifi ***
[2025-10-06 20:25:33,092] <docker-entrypoint> WARN - ======================================================================
[2025-10-06 20:25:33,094] <docker-entrypoint> INFO - Checking system.properties setup for container
[2025-10-06 20:25:33,095] <docker-entrypoint> INFO - '/usr/lib/unifi/data/system.properties' doesn't exist, copying from '/usr/lib/unifi/system.properties.default'

it looks like there is an issue with the user the application is configured to run with.

Content of user_config.yaml:

TZ: Europe/Vienna
ix_certificate_authorities: {}
ix_certificates: {}
ix_context:
  app_metadata:
    annotations:
      min_scale_version: 24.10.2.2
    app_version: 9.4.19
    capabilities: []
    categories:
    - networking
    changelog_url: https://github.com/goofball222/unifi/releases
    date_added: '2024-08-01'
    description: Unifi Controller is a network management controller for Unifi Equipment.
    home: https://github.com/goofball222/unifi
    host_mounts: []
    icon: https://media.sys.truenas.net/apps/unifi-controller/icons/icon.png
    keywords:
    - controller
    - unifi
    - network
    last_update: '2025-09-29 20:42:04'
    lib_version: 2.1.53
    lib_version_hash: 87d1db998a9aab3355a78a686d640251822e640125e65ad1237c9902a59e32f1
    maintainers:
    - email: dev@truenas.com
      name: truenas
      url: https://www.truenas.com/
    name: unifi-controller
    run_as_context:
    - description: Unifi Controller runs as a non-root user.
      gid: 999
      group_name: unifi
      uid: 999
      user_name: unifi
    screenshots: []
    sources:
    - https://github.com/goofball222/unifi
    - https://hub.docker.com/r/goofball222/unifi
    title: Unifi Controller
    train: community
    version: 1.4.15
  app_name: unifi-controller
  is_install: false
  is_rollback: false
  is_update: true
  is_upgrade: false
  operation: UPDATE
  upgrade_metadata: {}
ix_volumes: {}
labels: []
network:
  certificate_id: null
  discovery_port:
    bind_mode: published
    host_ips:
    - 192.168.0.12
    port_number: 10001
  host_network: false
  portal_http_port:
    bind_mode: published
    host_ips:
    - 192.168.0.12
    port_number: 30075
  portal_https_port:
    bind_mode: published
    host_ips:
    - 192.168.0.12
    port_number: 30074
  stun_port:
    bind_mode: published
    host_ips:
    - 192.168.0.12
    port_number: 3478
  throughput_port:
    bind_mode: ''
    port_number: 30023
  web_http_port:
    bind_mode: published
    host_ips:
    - 192.168.0.12
    port_number: 30073
  web_https_port:
    bind_mode: published
    host_ips:
    - 192.168.0.12
    port_number: 30072
release_name: unifi-controller
resources:
  limits:
    cpus: 2
    memory: 4096
storage:
  additional_storage: []
  data:
    host_path_config:
      acl_enable: false
      path: /mnt/Pool01/DsUnifiController/UnifiController
    type: host_path
unifi:
  additional_envs:
  - name: RUNAS_UID0
    value: 'true'

[stavros-k]

Why did you set RUNAS_UID0?

[stavros-k]

You issue is here

cp: cannot create regular file '/usr/lib/unifi/data/system.properties': Permission denied

You need to make sure that data storage is writable by user 999:999

[joergweis]

Hi Stavros, did not set the property was already in the file after installation. Should I remove that? regards Jörg.

On Tue, 2025-10-07 at 08:51 -0700, Stavros Kois wrote: stavros-k left a comment (truenas/apps#3337) [1] Why did you set RUNAS_UID0? — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub [1], or unsubscribe [2]. You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[1] (truenas/apps#3337) #3337 (comment) [2] unsubscribe https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AKLNJIQ7DB5QKYELPTO7LW33WPOQXAVCNFSM6AAAAACIPHWC26VHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMZTGNZXGUZDIOBTGM

[stavros-k]

Hi Stavros, did not set the property was already in the file after installation. Should I remove that? regards Jörg.

Hi, I'm not sure how it was there. It would only be there if you manually added. But yes, it shouldn't be there.
You still need to make sure the permissions are correct.

[joergweis]

Hi Stavros, uninstalled and reinstalled, this time using ixVolume instead of host path. The hostpath setup for data storage does not really work, the ixVolume setup worked fine. After changing back to host path errors again. can you make something out of it. runasroot is not in the config anymore. regards Jörg

On Tue, 2025-10-07 at 08:51 -0700, Stavros Kois wrote: stavros-k left a comment (truenas/apps#3337) [1] Why did you set RUNAS_UID0? — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub [1], or unsubscribe [2]. You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[1] (truenas/apps#3337) #3337 (comment) [2] unsubscribe https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AKLNJIQ7DB5QKYELPTO7LW33WPOQXAVCNFSM6AAAAACIPHWC26VHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMZTGNZXGUZDIOBTGM

[stavros-k]

worked fine. After changing back to host path errors again.

Have you made sure the host paths are writable for the 999:999 user/group?