geth console throws error

Question

Fatal: Failed to create the protocol stack: datadir already used by another process

I have geth running in tmux in one tab:

geth --ws --mainnet --syncmode snap

In another tab I'm trying to connect to the console and I get this error:

$ geth console    
INFO [09-02|20:25:33.433] Starting Geth on Ethereum mainnet... INFO [09-02|20:25:33.433] Bumping default cache on mainnet         provided=1024 updated=4096INFO [09-02|20:25:33.434] Maximum peer count                       ETH=50 LES=0 total=50
INFO [09-02|20:25:33.434] Smartcard socket not found, disabling    err="stat /run/pcscd/pcscd.comm: no such file or directory"
Fatal: Failed to create the protocol stack: datadir already used by another process
➜  ~ $ geth consoleINFO [09-02|20:26:54.885] Starting Geth on Ethereum mainnet... 
INFO [09-02|20:26:54.885] Bumping default cache on mainnet         provided=1024 updated=4096
INFO [09-02|20:26:54.886] Maximum peer count                       ETH=50 LES=0 total=50
INFO [09-02|20:26:54.886] Smartcard socket not found, disabling    err="stat /run/pcscd/pcscd.comm: no such file or directory"
Fatal: Failed to create the protocol stack: datadir already used by another process
➜  ~ 

Answer 1

You need to run

geth attach

Instead of

geth console

Attach is used to connect to a running instance. Console is used to start an instance and get a console into that instance.