---
name: "error::process-tracking"
section: "7stap"
platform: "linux"
package: "systemtap"
version: "5.6-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/error::process-tracking"
---

# error::process-tracking(7stap)

process-tracking facilities are not available

## NAME

warning::process-tracking - process-tracking facilities are not available

## DESCRIPTION

These errors and warnings occur when the kernel systemtap is running on lacks support for user-space process tracking facilities.

### COMPILE-TIME ERROR

The error

```
ERROR: user-space process-tracking facilities not available
```

occurs when the script contains a uprobes probe point that the current kernel does not support.

### RUNTIME WARNINGS

The warning,

```
WARNING: process-tracking facilities are not available in this kernel
```

and the related message,

```
WARNING: cannot track target in process '...'
```

both occur at runtime when running on a kernel (generally an older version) that has neither utrace functionality nor an acceptable substitute.

The script should still load and run. However, probes that rely on availability of process-tracking facilities will silently fail to trigger.

## RESOLVING THE ISSUE

If process-tracking functionality is absolutely necessary, either a kernel version newer than 3.5 is needed, or an older version must be compiled with appropriate utrace patches.

## SEE ALSO

```
stap(1),
error::reporting(7stap)
```