# Certificate not being created due to "error getting validation data"

**URL:** <https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/certificate-not-being-created-due-to-error-getting-validation-data/70863>\
**Category:** Help\
**Created:** [August 29, 2018, 11:57am UTC](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/certificate-not-being-created-due-to-error-getting-validation-data/70863 "2018-08-29T11:57:01Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 14\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![cyrix\_records](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/letsencrypt/user_avatar/community.letsencrypt.org/cyrix_records/32/25760_2.png) [@cyrix\_records](https://community.letsencrypt.org/u/cyrix_records)\
**Post date:** [August 29, 2018, 11:57am UTC](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/certificate-not-being-created-due-to-error-getting-validation-data/70863/1 "2018-08-29T11:57:01Z")

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Hi letsencrypt-community,

I am new to the topic off SSL signing and I try to generate a certificate for my OwnCloud server hosted via a Raspberry Pi at home. I followed the instructions in the [OwnCloud documentations](https://doc.owncloud.org/server/10.0/admin_manual/installation/letsencrypt/#install-letsencrypt-via-ppa-repository) but it keeps providing an error.

I used to create a certificate via openssl request before (including some Apache config changes) but since it did not work out properly, I switchted to the letsencrypt way of doing it.

I would really appreciate any help.

Thank you,  
Georg

My domain is: [huberconsulting.ddns.net](http://huberconsulting.ddns.net)

I ran this command: sudo /etc/letsencrypt/huberconsulting.ddns.net.sh

It produced this output:

Saving debug log to /var/log/letsencrypt/letsencrypt.log  
Obtaining a new certificate  
Performing the following challenges:  
http-01 challenge for [huberconsulting.ddns.net](http://huberconsulting.ddns.net)  
Using the webroot path /var/www/letsencrypt for all unmatched domains.  
Waiting for verification…  
Cleaning up challenges  
Running post-hook command: service apache2 reload  
Failed authorization procedure. [huberconsulting.ddns.net](http://huberconsulting.ddns.net) (http-01): urn:acme:error:connection :: The server could not connect to the client to verify the domain :: Fetching [http://huberconsulting.ddns.net/.well-known/acme-challenge/\_JN2T45j95bLg5FW1bMwpYMy5Tpjoi\_vNHPlGAfp1BU:](http://huberconsulting.ddns.net/.well-known/acme-challenge/_JN2T45j95bLg5FW1bMwpYMy5Tpjoi_vNHPlGAfp1BU:) Error getting validation data

IMPORTANT NOTES:

- If you lose your account credentials, you can recover through  
e-mails sent to [administrator@huber-consulting.de](mailto:administrator@huber-consulting.de).

- The following errors were reported by the server:

- Your account credentials have been saved in your Certbot  
configuration directory at /etc/letsencrypt. You should make a  
secure backup of this folder now. This configuration directory will  
also contain certificates and private keys obtained by Certbot so  
making regular backups of this folder is ideal.

My web server is (include version): Don’t know

The operating system my web server runs on is (include version): Raspbian (latest version)

My hosting provider, if applicable, is: RaspberryPi at Home

I can login to a root shell on my machine (yes or no, or I don’t know): yes

I’m using a control panel to manage my site (no, or provide the name and version of the control panel): Don’t know

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Osiris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/839c29/32.png) [@Osiris](https://community.letsencrypt.org/u/Osiris)\
**Post date:** [August 29, 2018, 12:09pm UTC](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/certificate-not-being-created-due-to-error-getting-validation-data/70863/2 "2018-08-29T12:09:05Z")

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Is your server behind a firewall or perhaps a (NAT) router?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![cyrix\_records](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/letsencrypt/user_avatar/community.letsencrypt.org/cyrix_records/32/25760_2.png) [@cyrix\_records](https://community.letsencrypt.org/u/cyrix_records)\
**Post date:** [August 29, 2018, 12:23pm UTC](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/certificate-not-being-created-due-to-error-getting-validation-data/70863/3 "2018-08-29T12:23:41Z")

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My server is attached to my router at home (Germany) via Lan cable. The router is an AVM fritzbox. I assume, NAT is included. Does that help?

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**Author:** ![JuergenAuer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/letsencrypt/user_avatar/community.letsencrypt.org/juergenauer/32/26491_2.png) [@JuergenAuer](https://community.letsencrypt.org/u/JuergenAuer)\
**Post date:** [August 29, 2018, 1:17pm UTC](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/certificate-not-being-created-due-to-error-getting-validation-data/70863/4 "2018-08-29T13:17:02Z")

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Hi @cyrix_records

> [@cyrix\_records](#):
>
> The router is an AVM fritzbox.

you need a port forwarding / Portfreigabe. Router port 80 -\> your server

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![cyrix\_records](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/letsencrypt/user_avatar/community.letsencrypt.org/cyrix_records/32/25760_2.png) [@cyrix\_records](https://community.letsencrypt.org/u/cyrix_records)\
**Post date:** [August 29, 2018, 2:33pm UTC](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/certificate-not-being-created-due-to-error-getting-validation-data/70863/5 "2018-08-29T14:33:51Z")

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@JuergenAuer

Thanks for the reply. It worked, but I am now receiving the following error message:

Failed authorization procedure. [huberconsulting.ddns.net](http://huberconsulting.ddns.net) (http-01): urn:acme:error:unauthorized :: The client lacks sufficient authorization :: Invalid response from [http://huberconsulting.ddns.net/.well-known/acme-challenge/Q5p\_yx\_u\_kzDWflElXm3K3JU6LQ7lk0ai\_mUlJ2pRuQ:](http://huberconsulting.ddns.net/.well-known/acme-challenge/Q5p_yx_u_kzDWflElXm3K3JU6LQ7lk0ai_mUlJ2pRuQ:) "

 \<head data-requesttoken="ZAIABglmMCUZSGJIGlUPRg"

IMPORTANT NOTES:

- The following errors were reported by the server:

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![JuergenAuer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/letsencrypt/user_avatar/community.letsencrypt.org/juergenauer/32/26491_2.png) [@JuergenAuer](https://community.letsencrypt.org/u/JuergenAuer)\
**Post date:** [August 29, 2018, 2:57pm UTC](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/certificate-not-being-created-due-to-error-getting-validation-data/70863/6 "2018-08-29T14:57:11Z")

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> [@cyrix\_records](#):
>
> I ran this command: sudo /etc/letsencrypt/huberconsulting.ddns.net.sh  
> ...  
> http-01 challenge for [huberconsulting.ddns.net](http://huberconsulting.ddns.net)  
> Using the webroot path /var/www/letsencrypt for all unmatched domains.

This script creates (or uses) the wrong webroot. The webroot is the folder where your website starts. Not /var/www/letsencrypt, perhaps /var/www.

PS: Now I see: The cli.ini has a row

`webroot-path = /var/www/letsencrypt/`

That may be wrong.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![cyrix\_records](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/letsencrypt/user_avatar/community.letsencrypt.org/cyrix_records/32/25760_2.png) [@cyrix\_records](https://community.letsencrypt.org/u/cyrix_records)\
**Post date:** [August 29, 2018, 3:32pm UTC](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/certificate-not-being-created-due-to-error-getting-validation-data/70863/7 "2018-08-29T15:32:53Z")

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@JuergenAuer

Honestly, I do not know, how to find that path. How do I identify the right one? I have a radio with an ownCloud installation on it.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![JuergenAuer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/letsencrypt/user_avatar/community.letsencrypt.org/juergenauer/32/26491_2.png) [@JuergenAuer](https://community.letsencrypt.org/u/JuergenAuer)\
**Post date:** [August 29, 2018, 3:49pm UTC](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/certificate-not-being-created-due-to-error-getting-validation-data/70863/8 "2018-08-29T15:49:56Z")

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> [@cyrix\_records](#):
>
> Honestly, I do not know, how to find that path. How do I identify the right one?

If I open [http://huberconsulting.ddns.net/](http://huberconsulting.ddns.net/) - I am redirected to

[http://huberconsulting.ddns.net/index.php/login](http://huberconsulting.ddns.net/index.php/login)

So you must have a file index.php somewhere. The path of this file is your webroot.

Perhaps /var/www/html or /var/www

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![cyrix\_records](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/letsencrypt/user_avatar/community.letsencrypt.org/cyrix_records/32/25760_2.png) [@cyrix\_records](https://community.letsencrypt.org/u/cyrix_records)\
**Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 7:31am UTC](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/certificate-not-being-created-due-to-error-getting-validation-data/70863/9 "2018-08-30T07:31:06Z")

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> [@JuergenAuer](#):
>
> If I open [http://huberconsulting.ddns.net/ 2](http://huberconsulting.ddns.net/) - I am redirected to
> 
> [http://huberconsulting.ddns.net/index.php/login](http://huberconsulting.ddns.net/index.php/login)

I tried changing the path. So now cli.ini has the path \> /var/www/html/ . However it still provides me with an error. Please find error below:

_Saving debug log to /var/log/letsencrypt/letsencrypt.log_  
_Obtaining a new certificate_  
_Performing the following challenges:_  
_http-01 challenge for [huberconsulting.ddns.net](http://huberconsulting.ddns.net)_  
_Using the webroot path /var/www/html for all unmatched domains._  
_Waiting for verification..._  
_Cleaning up challenges_  
_Running post-hook command: service apache2 reload_  
_Failed authorization procedure. [huberconsulting.ddns.net](http://huberconsulting.ddns.net) (http-01): urn:acme:error:unauthorized :: The client lacks sufficient authorization :: Invalid response from [http://huberconsulting.ddns.net/.well-known/acme-challenge/XAUgAs8g6-BQi8JN2FWxS\_TMJgva\_AEtZf4hAauhIGQ:](http://huberconsulting.ddns.net/.well-known/acme-challenge/XAUgAs8g6-BQi8JN2FWxS_TMJgva_AEtZf4hAauhIGQ:) "_  
  
\_ \<head data-requesttoken="JwA0IRxAQgQgZFsBOCktXg"\_

_IMPORTANT NOTES:_  
\_ - The following errors were reported by the server:\_

\_ Domain: huberconsulting.ddns.net\_  
\_ Type: unauthorized\_  
\_ Detail: Invalid response from\_  
\_ [http://huberconsulting.ddns.net/.well-known/acme-challenge/XAUgAs8g6-BQi8JN2FWxS\_TMJgva\_AEtZf4hAauhIGQ:\_](http://huberconsulting.ddns.net/.well-known/acme-challenge/XAUgAs8g6-BQi8JN2FWxS_TMJgva_AEtZf4hAauhIGQ:_)  
\_ "\_  
\_ \_  
\_ \<head data-requesttoken="JwA0IRxAQgQgZFsBOCktXg"\_

\_ To fix these errors, please make sure that your domain name was\_  
\_ entered correctly and the DNS A record(s) for that domain\_  
\_ contain(s) the right IP address.\_

I also tried to attach the log file, but "new users cannot attach files". Sorry

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![JuergenAuer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/letsencrypt/user_avatar/community.letsencrypt.org/juergenauer/32/26491_2.png) [@JuergenAuer](https://community.letsencrypt.org/u/JuergenAuer)\
**Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 10:15am UTC](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/certificate-not-being-created-due-to-error-getting-validation-data/70863/10 "2018-08-30T10:15:51Z")

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> [@cyrix\_records](#):
>
> /var/www/html/

Please save a file 123456789 (without extension) under

`/var/www/html/.well-known/acme-challenge/`

and try, if you can load this file via

[http://huberconsulting.ddns.net/.well-known/acme-challenge/123456789](http://huberconsulting.ddns.net/.well-known/acme-challenge/123456789)

per browser.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![cyrix\_records](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/letsencrypt/user_avatar/community.letsencrypt.org/cyrix_records/32/25760_2.png) [@cyrix\_records](https://community.letsencrypt.org/u/cyrix_records)\
**Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 10:50am UTC](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/certificate-not-being-created-due-to-error-getting-validation-data/70863/11 "2018-08-30T10:50:27Z")

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> [@JuergenAuer](#):
>
> Please save a file 123456789 (without extension) under
> 
> `/var/www/html/.well-known/acme-challenge/`
> 
> and try, if you can load this file via
> 
> [http://huberconsulting.ddns.net/.well-known/acme-challenge/123456789](http://huberconsulting.ddns.net/.well-known/acme-challenge/123456789)
> 
> per browser.

Hi Juergen, unfortunately I can't. File is loaded to the directory (while the acme-challange folder I had to create first of all). But when I navvigate to the link, I land on an OwnCloud page stating, that file was not found.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![JuergenAuer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/letsencrypt/user_avatar/community.letsencrypt.org/juergenauer/32/26491_2.png) [@JuergenAuer](https://community.letsencrypt.org/u/JuergenAuer)\
**Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 1:09pm UTC](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/certificate-not-being-created-due-to-error-getting-validation-data/70863/12 "2018-08-30T13:09:12Z")

</div>

> [@cyrix\_records](#):
>
> File is loaded to the directory (while the acme-challange folder I had to create first of all). But when I navvigate to the link, I land on an OwnCloud page stating, that file was not found.

Then your webroot

> [@cyrix\_records](#):
>
> /var/www/html

is wrong. You have to find your correct webroot.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![cyrix\_records](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/letsencrypt/user_avatar/community.letsencrypt.org/cyrix_records/32/25760_2.png) [@cyrix\_records](https://community.letsencrypt.org/u/cyrix_records)\
**Post date:** [August 31, 2018, 12:50pm UTC](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/certificate-not-being-created-due-to-error-getting-validation-data/70863/13 "2018-08-31T12:50:09Z")

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Hi @JuergenAuer

thanks for the insights. I managed to find the right path and to complete my letsencrypt settings. Now everything is fine.

Great help. Thank you

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/letsencrypt/original/3X/c/a/ca6c06ea1ea201324bba7048c6841ce60236468d.png) [@system](https://community.letsencrypt.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2018, 12:50pm UTC](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/certificate-not-being-created-due-to-error-getting-validation-data/70863/14 "2018-09-30T12:50:10Z")

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