I followed the instructions on the Pi-Hole site for installing unbound. This included creating the config file.
Install seemed to go fine. I ran the unbound error check and got the following results:
unbound-checkconf: no errors in /etc/unbound/unbound.conf.d/pi-hole.conf
All good. I restarted UnBound and got this error message:
Job for unbound.service failed because the control process exited with error code.
See "systemctl status unbound.service" and "journalctl -xeu unbound.service" for details.
I inspected those logs and the results are posted below. I'd appreciate any advice on what might be wrong.
Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/unbound.service; enabled; preset: enabled)
Active: failed (Result: exit-code) since Wed 2025-07-30 21:21:48 NZST; 1min 20s ago
Docs: man:unbound(8)
Process: 66812 ExecStartPre=/usr/libexec/unbound-helper chroot_setup (code=exited, status=1/FAILURE)
Process: 66814 ExecStartPre=/usr/libexec/unbound-helper root_trust_anchor_update (code=exited, status=1/FAILURE)
Process: 66816 ExecStart=/usr/sbin/unbound -d -p $DAEMON_OPTS (code=exited, status=1/FAILURE)
Process: 66817 ExecStopPost=/usr/libexec/unbound-helper chroot_teardown (code=exited, status=1/FAILURE)
Main PID: 66816 (code=exited, status=1/FAILURE)
CPU: 69ms
Jul 30 21:43:51 PiHole systemd[1]: Stopped unbound.service - Unbound DNS ser>
░░ Subject: A stop job for unit unbound.service has finished
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://www.debian.org/support
░░
░░ A stop job for unit unbound.service has finished.
░░
░░ The job identifier is 17970 and the job result is done.
Jul 30 21:43:51 PiHole systemd[1]: unbound.service: Start request repeated t>
Jul 30 21:43:51 PiHole systemd[1]: unbound.service: Failed with result 'exit>
░░ Subject: Unit failed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://www.debian.org/support
░░
░░ The unit unbound.service has entered the 'failed' state with result 'exit-co>
Jul 30 21:43:51 SPIHole systemd[1]: Failed to start unbound.service - Unbound>
░░ Subject: A start job for unit unbound.service has failed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://www.debian.org/support
░░
░░ A start job for unit unbound.service has finished with a failure.
░░
░░ The job identifier is 17970 and the job result is failed.
lines 3297-3319/3319 (END)
Jul 30 21:43:51 PiHole systemd[1]: Stopped unbound.service - Unbound DNS server.
░░ Subject: A stop job for unit unbound.service has finished
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://www.debian.org/support
░░
░░ A stop job for unit unbound.service has finished.
░░
░░ The job identifier is 17970 and the job result is done.
Jul 30 21:43:51 PiHole systemd[1]: unbound.service: Start request repeated too quickly.
Jul 30 21:43:51 PiHole systemd[1]: unbound.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
░░ Subject: Unit failed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://www.debian.org/support
░░
░░ The unit unbound.service has entered the 'failed' state with result 'exit-code'.
Jul 30 21:43:51 PiHole systemd[1]: Failed to start unbound.service - Unbound DNS server.
░░ Subject: A start job for unit unbound.service has failed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://www.debian.org/support
░░
░░ A start job for unit unbound.service has finished with a failure.
░░
░░ The job identifier is 17970 and the job result is failed.
lines 3297-3319/3319 (END)
Jul 30 21:43:51 PiHole systemd[1]: Stopped unbound.service - Unbound DNS server.
░░ Subject: A stop job for unit unbound.service has finished
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://www.debian.org/support
░░
░░ A stop job for unit unbound.service has finished.
░░
░░ The job identifier is 17970 and the job result is done.
Jul 30 21:43:51 PiHole systemd[1]: unbound.service: Start request repeated too quickly.
Jul 30 21:43:51 PiHole systemd[1]: unbound.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
░░ Subject: Unit failed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://www.debian.org/support
░░
░░ The unit unbound.service has entered the 'failed' state with result 'exit-code'.
Jul 30 21:43:51 PiHole systemd[1]: Failed to start unbound.service - Unbound DNS server.
░░ Subject: A start job for unit unbound.service has failed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://www.debian.org/support
░░
░░ A start job for unit unbound.service has finished with a failure.
░░
░░ The job identifier is 17970 and the job result is failed.