Issue Plesk Obsidian 18.0.29 update makes my Wordpress sites malfunction - [UPDATE] issue is related with restrict symbolic links setting enabled PPPM-5348

[Necroman]

Hi there!

I'm running several servers with CentOS Linux 7.8.2003 (Core), Plesk Obsidian 18.0.28 update #3, websites on nginx only, FPM PHP 7.4.8 and have updated to MariaDB 10.3.24 using Plesk tutorial ( How to upgrade MySQL 5.5 to 5.6/5.7 or MariaDB 5.5 to 10.0/10.1/10.2/10.3 on Linux?). I've been running Plesk like this since the launch of Obsidian and about 2 months ago i updated to MariaDB 10.3.23.

But yesterday, after i updated one server to Plesk Obsidian 18.0.29, all my Wordpress websites became very slow to open, images and Font Awesome icons were not loading and the Wordpress admin page was unavailable with a "too many redirects error". Plesk seemed to be running fine but the websites were affected.

The problems started after i updated Plesk so i'm sure this has something to do with this update.
Here is what i tried to do, but nothing helped returning the websites to a working condition:
- Disabled all Wordpress plugins and themes
- Restarted services and Plesk
- Restarted server
- Updated CentOS and packages
- Run webserver configuration troubleshooter - showed no errors
- Run Plesk repair kit - showed errors:
Web & FTP Servers:
- "Checking for nginx ULIMIT value 2 domains have been found on server. Problem with nginx default limit for open files is possible Please check nginx fails to start/reload on a Plesk server: Too many open files for details"
- The old error "1 service plans with unregistered PHP handlers were found."
Plesk Database:
- "Wrong AUTO_INCREMENT values in the following tables: Repository: 2 ≠ 5"
Tried to fix the errors, Plesk told me they were fixed but after checking again they reappeared...

Since nothing worked i reverted to my previous day backup. The websites work fine on Plesk Obsidian 18.0.28 update #3, so i disabled auto-updates on all servers until i can find a solution or Plesk team fixes this.

The change log for 18.0.29 is big, but I noticed this:
"Update to Plesk Obsidian 18.0.29 will reconfigure Apache and nginx websites."
"Plesk Repair now checks the ulimit value before showing a warning about it. (PPP-47989)"

Can someone help? Is anyone having the same issues?
Thanks!

 

[chrisc]

Exact same situation with me in terms of setup.

I saw that line about reconfiguration in the notes so have held up on updating as yet. Some input from Plesk technical would be appreciated before we proceed on this latest version.

 

[Necroman]

No help?
Anyone?

 

[pstr]

Thanks @Necroman very much. This saved my weekend (not upgrading)

Plesk team : whats wrong here ?
Any chance doing a rollback w/o restoring the whole machine ?

 

[Necroman]

Updated today to 18.0.29 update 1, and i have the same problems!

 

[chrisc]

@Necroman - I had an issue with a MariaDB 10.4 update where the databases weren't included in Plesk server backups. I sorted that, and everything now works exactly as it should, including full server backups.

I ask because if you have the DB upgrade issue that I had - it's not immediately obvious because sites work as they should, but Plesk has an issue with it until the upgrade is fully completed - then that may be related to your issue. The info sheet at:-

 How to upgrade MySQL 5.5 to 5.6/5.7 or MariaDB 5.5 to 10.0/10.1/10.2/10.3 on Linux?

now includes the final:-

MYSQL_PWD=`cat /etc/psa/.psa.shadow` mysql_upgrade -uadmin

which I found successfully updated all the db's (the usual mysql_upgrade wasn't sufficient) and yes, it does now run MariaDB 10.4.13 without problems, showing the correct version number in the Plesk dashboard, despite the Plesk notice stating support only up to 10.3.

Also, how are you reverting to previous versions, as a normal reversion would require full deletion, installation of a vanilla older version of Plesk, and then an Entire System Restore from a full Backup?

 

[Necroman]

Hi @chrisc and thanks for helping!

I'm using MariaDB 10.3.24 and successfully run all the tutorial steps, including
MYSQL_PWD=`cat /etc/psa/.psa.shadow` mysql_upgrade -uadmin

Plesk backups seem to be created fine - they don't show any error. Also Plesk Repair Kit on 18.0.28 u3 only shows the old error "1 service plans with unregistered PHP handlers were found". But when i update to 18.0.29 it shows me two other errors that are not fixed.

I'm reverting to a backup of my server, not a Plesk backup. And until my Plesk 18.0.29 update fiasco i have never needed to restore a backup!! I'm happy its working though

I really don't know what is happening, but i think it has something to do with the reconfiguration Plesk 18.0.29 is making to Apache and nginx websites, but this completely breaks all my Wordpress websites!

 

[Necroman]

Can someone from Plesk team help?

I can update the server and send some logs if it helps!

 

[IgorG]

I would suggest you contact Plesk Support Team. Investigation this issue directly on your server is required.

 

[pleskpanel]

Can someone from Plesk team help?

I can update the server and send some logs if it helps!

If you haven't already restored your server from a backup and you engage Plesk Support, please post back with your results!

 

[Necroman]

I would suggest you contact Plesk Support Team. Investigation this issue directly on your server is required.

Should i ask for support here?

Submit a request – Plesk Help Center

support.plesk.com

Is there anything i can try to diagnose my issues, make Plesk reconfigure my domains or to fix the issues that the Repair Kit shows after the update?

If you haven't already restored your server from a backup and you engage Plesk Support, please post back with your results!

I have restored the server from backup, but whenever i update Plesk to 18.0.29 my Wordpress sites get broken - tried recently with the 18.0.29 u1 but its the same issues.

 

[pleskpanel]

Should i ask for support here?

Submit a request – Plesk Help Center

support.plesk.com

Is there anything i can try to diagnose my issues, make Plesk reconfigure my domains or to fix the issues that the Repair Kit shows after the update?


I have restored the server from backup, but whenever i update Plesk to 18.0.29 my Wordpress sites get broken - tried recently with the 18.0.29 u1 but its the same issues.

I would recommend avoiding the upgrade/restore circle as that isn't likely going to address the issues that you're using. The first action item might be to engage either Plesk support or your Plesk reseller to get this addressed and if it's especially critical, Plesk support might be the way to go.

 

[Necroman]

Thanks! I needed to restore to a previous working condition so my websites could work again! Then i saw the 18.0.29 u1 and tried again.
I'm using the server backup and restore and its like 5 - 10m to restore a full server.

This is critical and i'm a little awed because in years working with Plesk this never happened before and it also seems no one is having these issues. I don't think i have any "strange" server / plesk configuration to be just me having these issues

When i have a little more time i will try to update and fix the plesk repair kit errors, but i was wondering if anyone have any suggestions to diagnose the issues, error logs, commands i could run?

Thanks

 

[Necroman]

I would suggest you contact Plesk Support Team. Investigation this issue directly on your server is required.

If you haven't already restored your server from a backup and you engage Plesk Support, please post back with your results!

@IgorG and @pleskpanel i find what is causing the issue and i believe this is a bug, much like the Plesk bug with ID PPPM-5348.

I have Restrict the ability to follow symbolic links setting enabled in Apache & nginx Settings, and after the Plesk 18.0.29 update, my Wordpress sites won't work as expected. This is after the Plesk 18.0.29 update, because on 18.0.28 u3 it works fine. I have this enabled because it should improve the server security.

proxy_error_log shows lots of errors like

2020-08-14 23:51:46

Error

23.97.134.107

[crit] 6727#0: *2459 open() "/var/www/vhosts/domain.com/httpdocs/" failed (13: Permission denied)

nginx error

Even after i disable the follow symbolic links Plesk Repair Kit shows me errors - on 18.0.28 u3 i only had the error "1 service plans with unregistered PHP handlers were found", but on 18.0.29 u1 they are:
Web & FTP Servers:
- Checking for nginx ULIMIT value 2 domains have been found on server. Problem with nginx default limit for open files is possible Please check nginx fails to start/reload on a Plesk server: Too many open files for details - Repair kit is unable to fix it, but setting opened files limit to 4096 seems to fix it
- 1 service plans with unregistered PHP handlers were found - Repair kit is unable to fix it
Plesk Database:
- Wrong AUTO_INCREMENT values in the following tables: Repository: 2 ≠ 5 - Repair kit seems to fix it

Any thoughts on the inability to have restrict the ability to follow symbolic links setting enabled on Plesk 18.0.29?
And what about the other errors? Should i be worried, wait or just update to 18.0.29 and disable symbolic links?

Thanks!

 

[Necroman]

No recommendations? Can someone please advise?