sshd error, arch linux

[hi21]

I installed openssh and the sshd server doesn’t start on startup.

I can run sshd manually successfully.
sudo /usr/bin/sshd starts

[john2@archlinux2 work]$ sudo systemctl status sshd.service
[sudo] password for john2:
× sshd.service - OpenSSH Daemon
Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/sshd.service; enabled; preset: dis>
Active: failed (Result: exit-code) since Wed 2025-08-06 14:28:22 EDT; 14mi>
Invocation: 06ffa5812b274b90903c9ebd2cbceaad
Docs: man:sshd(8)
man:sshd_config(5)
Process: 647 ExecStart=/usr/bin/sshd -D (code=exited, status=255/EXCEPTION)
Main PID: 647 (code=exited, status=255/EXCEPTION)

Aug 06 14:28:22 archlinux2 systemd[1]: sshd.service: Scheduled restart job, res>
Aug 06 14:28:22 archlinux2 systemd[1]: sshd.service: Start request repeated too>
Aug 06 14:28:22 archlinux2 systemd[1]: sshd.service: Failed with result 'exit-c>
Aug 06 14:28:22 archlinux2 systemd[1]: Failed to start OpenSSH Daemon.

thanks

[jmarket]

Hello and welcome to PCHF

First, run the following command and please post the output

[ICODE]sudo journalctl -xe | grep sshd[/ICODE]

Also test your sshd config with:

[ICODE]sudo sshd -t[/ICODE]