Looks like the mongrel_rails command in mongrel 1.1 still does not fix (or include an option) the issue of stale pid files. mongrel_rails will just exit if a pid exists without first checking if anything is actually running. You can use this script to patch up mongrel_rails...
#===== patch mongrel cd /usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/mongrel-1.1/bin/ cp mongrel_rails mongrel_rails.orig patch -p0 << 'EOF' --- mongrel_rails 2007-05-08 11:18:32.000000000 -0500 +++ mongrel_rails.new 2007-05-08 11:18:32.000000000 -0500 @@ -83,10 +83,20 @@ config = Mongrel::Rails::RailsConfigurator.new(settings) do if defaults[:daemon] if File.exist? defaults[:pid_file] - log "!!! PID file #{defaults[:pid_file]} already exists. Mongrel could be running already. Check your #{defaults[:log_file]} for errors." - log "!!! Exiting with error. You must stop mongrel and clear the .pid before I'll attempt a start." - exit 1 + pid = File.new(defaults[:pid_file]).readline + if `ps --pid #{pid} --no-headers`.length > 0 + log "!!! PID file #{defaults[:pid_file]} already exists and the process id referenced is running. This mongrel is probably already running. #{defaults[:log_file]} for errors. EXITING." + exit 1 + else + log "!!! PID file #{defaults[:pid_file]} exists, but is stale, and will be deleted so that this mongrel can run." + File.delete(defaults[:pid_file]) + end end +# if File.exist? defaults[:pid_file] +# log "!!! PID file #{defaults[:pid_file]} already exists. Mongrel could be running already. Check your #{defaults[:log_file]} for errors." +# log "!!! Exiting with error. You must stop mongrel and clear the .pid before I'll attempt a start." +# exit 1 +# end
daemonize log "Daemonized, any open files are closed. Look at #{defaults[:pid_file]} and #{defaults[:log_file]} for info." EOF