Server will not start

Symptoms

The Server process exits, never becomes ready, or setup cannot open. Desktop and Server have different startup and administrator flows; first identify which product is running.

Check

1. Read the process output and the logs under the configured data root for the first error.
2. For Server, check /healthz and /readyz separately; readiness includes database/bootstrap checks.
3. Check the configured port, data directory, server.toml, and database backend.
4. If using PostgreSQL, verify its URL, credentials, availability, and database provision. A configured PostgreSQL failure does not fall back to SQLite.
5. For a first-run Server, use the one-time claim token from the current process. Do not confuse it with a client API key.

Resolution

Correct the reported configuration or restore database connectivity, then restart with the same intended data root. If the process rejects an old layout, stop; do not delete the database or move files until following a supported migration or restoring the matching backup.

Escalate if still stuck

Collect the exact first error, release, deployment mode, and database backend with secrets removed. Use Diagnostics for sensitive-data handling.