Ansible Troubleshooting: Destination Does Not Exist, Return Code 257

How to troubleshoot the error “Destination does not exist”, return code 257 enabling PasswordAuthentication for SSH using Ansible lineinfile module.

Introduction

Welcome to another episode of Ansible Pilot! I’m Luca Berton, and today we’ll delve into Ansible troubleshooting, focusing on the “Destination does not exist” error with return code 257. This error typically occurs when attempting to edit a file that doesn’t exist on the target file system. We’ll explore the root causes and demonstrate how to resolve this issue using the Ansible lineinfile module.

Understanding the Error

The fatal error message “Destination does not exist” with return code 257 arises when Ansible attempts to modify a file that is either misspelled or entirely absent on the target system. This error is commonly encountered while configuring SSH settings, particularly when enabling PasswordAuthentication.

I’m Luca Berton, and let’s dive into today’s Ansible troubleshooting session.

Demo