# Elasticsearch won't start after upgarde to version 9

**URL:** https://community.zammad.org/t/elasticsearch-wont-start-after-upgarde-to-version-9/21386
**Category:** Technical assistance
**Created:** [October 13, 2026, 7:44pm UTC](https://community.zammad.org/t/elasticsearch-wont-start-after-upgarde-to-version-9/21386 "2026-10-13T19:44:51Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![chris2](https://community.zammad.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/ac8455/32.png) [@chris2](https://community.zammad.org/u/chris2)
#### Post date: [October 13, 2026, 7:44pm UTC](https://community.zammad.org/t/elasticsearch-wont-start-after-upgarde-to-version-9/21386/1 "2026-10-13T19:44:51Z")

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### Infos:

- 
  - Used Zammad version: 7.1.3-1789383559.f56648e.ubuntu22
  - Used Zammad installation type: Ubuntu package
  - Operating system: Ubuntu 22.04.5 LTS

I followed [Migrating Elasticsearch from 7 to 9 - Opengist](https://gist.not-enough.coffee/MrGeneration/314462b937b949f783b922e8db6aa76c) and [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sb3VBkaHGz4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sb3VBkaHGz4). Before upgrading to version 9 I rebuilt the indexes (with `"sudo zammad run rake zammad:searchindex:rebuild[2]" and `s-reindex-outdated.sh).

### Expected behavior:

- elasticsearch starts and runs

### Actual behavior:

- elasticsearch won’t start
- elasticsearch.log gives me this line  
`java.lang.IllegalStateException: The index [.geoip_databases/2JjrQc8YRLyV1ejh_PZzaA] created in version [7.17.3] with current compatibility version [7.17.3] must be marked as read-only using the setting [index.blocks.write] set to [true] before upgrading to 9.5.5.`

### Steps to reproduce the behavior:

- sudo systemctl start elasticsearch

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<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![MrGeneration](https://community.zammad.org/user_avatar/community.zammad.org/mrgeneration/32/9260_2.png) [@MrGeneration](https://community.zammad.org/u/MrGeneration)
#### Post date: [October 13, 2026, 8:20pm UTC](https://community.zammad.org/t/elasticsearch-wont-start-after-upgarde-to-version-9/21386/2 "2026-10-13T20:20:27Z")

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You have to run the migration script from the gist _before_ upgrading to ES9.

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### Author: ![chris2](https://community.zammad.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/ac8455/32.png) [@chris2](https://community.zammad.org/u/chris2)
#### Post date: [October 14, 2026, 2:26pm UTC](https://community.zammad.org/t/elasticsearch-wont-start-after-upgarde-to-version-9/21386/3 "2026-10-14T14:26:53Z")

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I am pretty sure I ran all scirpts from the gist before the upgrade to version 9.

But I will try again tomorrow.