Error "Failed at step EXEC spawning /usr/lib/systemd/systemd: Permission denied" occurs after upgrading from RHEL 7 to RHEL 8

Solution Verified - Updated -

Issue

  • After upgrading to RHEL 8, below errors are seen in /var/log/messages:
Mar 31 02:07:06 lab-008 systemd[2927886]: user@99.service: Failed at step EXEC spawning /usr/lib/systemd/systemd: Permission denied
Mar 31 02:37:36 lab-008 systemd[3854704]: user@99.service: Failed to execute command: Permission denied
Mar 31 02:37:36 lab-008 systemd[3854704]: user@99.service: Failed at step EXEC spawning /usr/lib/systemd/systemd: Permission denied
Mar 31 03:07:13 lab-008 systemd[580219]: user@99.service: Failed to execute command: Permission denied
Mar 31 03:07:13 lab-008 systemd[580219]: user@99.service: Failed at step EXEC spawning /usr/lib/systemd/systemd: Permission denied

Environment

  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 8
  • RHEL 8

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