# Cron service is masked
**URL:** https://dietpi.com/forum/t/cron-service-is-masked/16544
**Category:** Troubleshooting
**Tags:** services
**Created:** [12 April 2023 09:36 UTC](https://dietpi.com/forum/t/cron-service-is-masked/16544 "2023-04-12T09:36:25Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Johannes](https://dietpi.com/forum/u/Johannes)
#### Post date: [12 April 2023 09:36 UTC](https://dietpi.com/forum/t/cron-service-is-masked/16544/1 "2023-04-12T09:36:25Z")
### Creating a bug report/issue
#### Required Information
- DietPi version | 8.16.2
- Distro version | bullseye
- Kernel version | Linux rock001 5.15.93-rockchip64 #23.02.2 SMP PREEMPT Fri Feb 17 23:48:36 UTC 2023 aarch64 GNU/Linux
- SBC model | ROCK Pi S (aarch64)
- Power supply used | 5V 3A Raspberry Pi USB C
- SD card used | [Netac Technology NT02P500PRO-032G-R A1 32 GB
#### Additional Information (if applicable)
- Software title | cron.service
- should be reproducable on fresh install
#### Steps to reproduce
Fresh install of Dietpi using Automation.
`sudo systemctl status cron.service`
#### Expected behaviour
```auto
● cron.service - Regular background program processing daemon
Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/cron.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)
Active: active (running) since Wed 2023-04-12 11:23:04 CEST; 37s ago
Docs: man:cron(8)
Main PID: 15130 (cron)
Tasks: 1 (limit: 397)
Memory: 400.0K
CPU: 25ms
CGroup: /system.slice/cron.service
└─15130 /usr/sbin/cron -f
```
#### Actual behaviour
```auto
● cron.service
Loaded: masked (Reason: Unit cron.service is masked.)
Active: inactive (dead)
```
#### Extra details
Easily solved by unmasking the service. As a workaround for new service I added this to my\_Automation\_Custom\_Script.sh\_
```auto
# unamsk and enable cron service. Unclear why it is masked
sudo systemctl unmask cron.service
sudo systemctl enable cron.service
sudo systemctl start cron.service
sudo systemctl status cron.service
```
---
### Author:  [@Joulinar](https://dietpi.com/forum/u/Joulinar)
#### Post date: [12 April 2023 13:10 UTC](https://dietpi.com/forum/t/cron-service-is-masked/16544/2 "2023-04-12T13:10:37Z")
usually cron should not be masked.
@MichaIng could you have a look to ROCK Pi S image pls?
---
### Author:  [@MichaIng](https://dietpi.com/forum/u/MichaIng)
#### Post date: [13 April 2023 15:09 UTC](https://dietpi.com/forum/t/cron-service-is-masked/16544/3 "2023-04-13T15:09:14Z")
Uh, that may be something I have missed with the service start rework. Will generate new images which unmask cron during first run setup respectively without cron masked in the first place.
---
### Author:  [@Joulinar](https://dietpi.com/forum/u/Joulinar)
#### Post date: [13 April 2023 15:21 UTC](https://dietpi.com/forum/t/cron-service-is-masked/16544/4 "2023-04-13T15:21:35Z")
oh yes, just check on the new OrangePi 5 image. It is the same there. maybe we need to submit a change/fix for people who download images the last days?
---
### Author:  [@MichaIng](https://dietpi.com/forum/u/MichaIng)
#### Post date: [13 April 2023 15:35 UTC](https://dietpi.com/forum/t/cron-service-is-masked/16544/5 "2023-04-13T15:35:05Z")
Jep, its bad since live patches are pulled via cron (part of update check).
---
### Author:  [@MichaIng](https://dietpi.com/forum/u/MichaIng)
#### Post date: [13 April 2023 17:21 UTC](https://dietpi.com/forum/t/cron-service-is-masked/16544/6 "2023-04-13T17:21:43Z")
Solved:
- The installer won’t mask the service anymore. It wasn’t ever really necessary since it is stopped during updates and installs anyway: [v8.16 · MichaIng/DietPi@ef5bba8 · GitHub](https://github.com/MichaIng/DietPi/commit/ef5bba8)
- New images are built: [DietPi-Build · MichaIng/DietPi@ef5bba8 · GitHub](https://github.com/MichaIng/DietPi/actions/runs/4691888906)
- Patches live patch to v8.16 systems: [Live patch 0 v8.16 (#6311) · MichaIng/DietPi@195d9b6 · GitHub](https://github.com/MichaIng/DietPi/commit/195d9b6)
- Patched with next DietPi update, in case the live patch has not been applied: [https://github.com/MichaIng/DietPi/commit/8906c59](https://github.com/MichaIng/DietPi/commit/8906c59)
---
### Author:  [@Johannes](https://dietpi.com/forum/u/Johannes)
#### Post date: [13 April 2023 20:51 UTC](https://dietpi.com/forum/t/cron-service-is-masked/16544/7 "2023-04-13T20:51:14Z")
Awesome fast response! Thanks for this and the great work in general!
We’re going to use dietpi as a part of a long term monitoring project for bats (listening to ultrasonic calls)… 🦇 😁
Cheers!