Running OpenClaw in a Proxmox LXC - Want to Run Gateway as a system service
On my fresh install of Openclaw on an Ubuntu proxmox LXC (unprivledged), the gateway will not stay on. As I understand it, this is expected because openclaw is expecting a working systemd instance and user D-Bus socket which isn't possible with an LXC container. So I would like to install openclaw as a system service.
I found this guide (paywalled - https://archive.ph/20260209232640/https://medium.com/@PlanB./running-clawdbot-on-proxmox-a-practical-guide-for-real-humans-ed6a5a0c63d5#selection-1135.5-1135.22) that explains how to do this with clawdbot and have been trying to convert it for use in openclaw but cannot get the configuration of the service correct.
Here is my code for my openclaw.service:
[Unit]
Description=Openclaw Gateway Service
Documentation=https://docs.openclaw.ai/install
After=network.target
User=clawd
Group=clawd
Environment=OPENCLAW_HOME=/home/clawd
Environment=NODE_ENV=production
Environment=OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_BIND=0.0.0.0
Environment=OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_PORT=18789
ExecStart=/usr/bin/node /home/clawd/.npm-global/lib/node_modules/openclaw/dist/index.js gateway
Restart=always
RestartSec=10
StandardOutput=journal
StandardError=journal
[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target
when I try to start this service, I get the following error:
Failed to start openclaw.service: Unit openclaw.service has a bad unit file setting.
See system logs and 'systemctl status openclaw.service' for details.
systemctl status openclaw.service gives me:
* openclaw.service - Openclaw Gateway Service
Loaded: bad-setting (Reason: Unit openclaw.service has a bad unit file setting.)
Active: inactive (dead)
Docs: https://docs.openclaw.ai/install
I am not sure where to find the logs that would help me see why this fails to start. Any help would be appreciated! @Krill 🦐
I found this guide (paywalled - https://archive.ph/20260209232640/https://medium.com/@PlanB./running-clawdbot-on-proxmox-a-practical-guide-for-real-humans-ed6a5a0c63d5#selection-1135.5-1135.22) that explains how to do this with clawdbot and have been trying to convert it for use in openclaw but cannot get the configuration of the service correct.
Here is my code for my openclaw.service:
[Unit]
Description=Openclaw Gateway Service
Documentation=https://docs.openclaw.ai/install
After=network.target
User=clawd
Group=clawd
Environment=OPENCLAW_HOME=/home/clawd
Environment=NODE_ENV=production
Environment=OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_BIND=0.0.0.0
Environment=OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_PORT=18789
ExecStart=/usr/bin/node /home/clawd/.npm-global/lib/node_modules/openclaw/dist/index.js gateway
Restart=always
RestartSec=10
StandardOutput=journal
StandardError=journal
[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target
when I try to start this service, I get the following error:
Failed to start openclaw.service: Unit openclaw.service has a bad unit file setting.
See system logs and 'systemctl status openclaw.service' for details.
systemctl status openclaw.service gives me:
* openclaw.service - Openclaw Gateway Service
Loaded: bad-setting (Reason: Unit openclaw.service has a bad unit file setting.)
Active: inactive (dead)
Docs: https://docs.openclaw.ai/install
I am not sure where to find the logs that would help me see why this fails to start. Any help would be appreciated! @Krill 🦐
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