Plesk CP: 500 error & PHP handler stopped

[Skojweb]

Plesk control panel: 500 error

Today I'm suddenly getting a 500 error when logging into the control panel. In addition, the .php handler seems to have stopped working..

The last server change was done a few weeks ago, upgrading CentOS to Cloud Linux with CageFS. The server ran without problems since.. So I don't know exactly what's causing this except for a specific Plesk update or a memory problem because of Cloud Linux.

I tried reconfiguring httpd and restarting psa/httpd. I also found a similar problem on this forum, but unfortunatly the provided solution didn't solve the problem.

Linux version

- Plesk-10.4.4-cl6-x86_64, MU22
- Linux version 2.6.32-231.21.1.lve0.9.18.1.x86_64 ([email protected]) (gcc version 4.4.6 20110731 (Red Hat 4.4.6-3) (GCC) )
- CloudLinux Server release 6.2 (converted CentOS6)

Actual 500 error (error log)

2012-03-19 11:07:41: (mod_fastcgi.c.1000) the fastcgi-backend /usr/bin/sw-engine-cgi -c /usr/local/psa/admin/conf/php.ini -d auto_prepend_file=auth.php3 -u psaadm failed to start:
2012-03-19 11:07:41: (mod_fastcgi.c.1004) child exited with status 1 /usr/bin/sw-engine-cgi -c /usr/local/psa/admin/conf/php.ini -d auto_prepend_file=auth.php3 -u psaadm
2012-03-19 11:07:41: (mod_fastcgi.c.1007) if you try do run PHP as FastCGI backend make sure you use the FastCGI enabled version.
You can find out if it is the right one by executing 'php -v' and it should display '(cgi-fcgi)' in the output, NOT (cgi) NOR (cli)
For more information check http://www.lighttpd.net/documentation/fastcgi.html#preparing-php-as-a-fastcgi-program
2012-03-19 11:07:41: (mod_fastcgi.c.1012) If this is PHP on Gentoo add fastcgi to the USE flags
2012-03-19 11:07:41: (mod_fastcgi.c.1105) [ERROR]: spawning fcgi failed.
Must be suid root

php -v

root@erdinger php.d]# php -v
PHP 5.3.10 (cli) (built: Feb 3 2012 08:17:28)
Copyright (c) 1997-2012 The PHP Group
Zend Engine v2.3.0, Copyright (c) 1998-2012 Zend Technologies
with eAccelerator v0.9.6-svn358-dev, Copyright (c) 2004-2007 eAccelerator, by eAccelerator
with the ionCube PHP Loader v4.0.10, Copyright (c) 2002-2011, by ionCube Ltd., and
with Zend Guard Loader v3.3, Copyright (c) 1998-2010, by Zend Technologies

php-cgi -v

PHP 5.3.10 (cgi-fcgi) (built: Feb 3 2012 08:16:45)
Copyright (c) 1997-2012 The PHP Group
Zend Engine v2.3.0, Copyright (c) 1998-2012 Zend Technologies
with eAccelerator v0.9.6-svn358-dev, Copyright (c) 2004-2007 eAccelerator, by eAccelerator
with the ionCube PHP Loader v4.0.10, Copyright (c) 2002-2011, by ionCube Ltd., and
with Zend Guard Loader v3.3, Copyright (c) 1998-2010, by Zend Technologies

No mod_fcgid is installed on the server.. Has anyone an idea why this problem suddenly happened?

 

[Skojweb]

Even after removing all php* packages, the 500 error ("spawning fcgi failed") persists..

How do I get rid of fcgi? I can't seem to find any references of fastcgi modules in the php.ini, nor the apache config file.

 

[Skojweb]

The problem was caused by an automatic ("stable") update of Parallel Plesk Panel. Since Parallels' support is very much asleep as usual (I created a support ticket yesterday AM), I needed to acquire professional assistance from a server management company to solve this issue.

For people having the same issue, here's the solution:
http://forum.parallels.com/showpost.php?p=562312