config file: bind_ip = 127.0.0.1 replSet = myRS Start mongod with config file, then mongo shell: $ mongo > rs.status() { "info" : "run rs.initiate(...) if not yet done for the set" , "ok" : 0, "errmsg" : "no replset config has been received" , "code" : 94 } > rs.initiate() { "info2" : "no configuration explicitly specified -- making one" , "me" : "MYHOST:27017" , "ok" : 0, "errmsg" : "No host described in new configuration 1 for replica set indexers maps to this node" , "code" : 93 } > rs.status() { "info" : "run rs.initiate(...) if not yet done for the set" , "ok" : 0, "errmsg" : "no replset config has been received" , "code" : 94 }