HTTP Error 500, can't currently handle this request.

HTTP Error 500, can't currently handle this request.

by Alberto Montoto -
Number of replies: 6

I'm trying to migrate 2 old Moodle installations (versions 2.3 and 2.8.12), into my new Centos 7 machine; I followed all the procedures and when trying to access both websites, the browsers respond with the following:

This page isn’t working right now

<moodle_site> can't currently handle this request.

HTTP ERROR 500

Both versions are currently running without problems, in an old server that we're planning to withdraw from service, because it doesn't allow to upgrade to Centos 7

Note: We managed to move 3 more Moodle installations (version 3.6.3+), into the new "Centos 7" server, and they are working as expected.

Any idea if "HTTP ERROR 500" is because those are old versions?

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In reply to Alberto Montoto

Re: HTTP Error 500, can't currently handle this request.

by Visvanath Ratnaweera -
Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Translators
You didn't mention the target version nor the "procedures" you follow. The official ones are in the format https://docs.moodle.org/25/en/Upgrading (replace 25 with your target version).

You know that long jumps have limits, from Moodle side and also coming from the dependencies of system software? Here is a summary I maintain: http://www.syndrega.ch/blog/#php-and-dbms-compatibility-of-major-moodle-releases.
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In reply to Alberto Montoto

Re: HTTP Error 500, can't currently handle this request.

by Ken Task -
Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers

So you must be using virtual apaches if all those sites mentioned are being migrated to a single new CentOS 7 server.

In order to run versions 2 on same server that's hosting 3's you will have to have multiple versions of PHP.

See Visvanath Ratnaweera's page for versions - he shared the link.

What you might have to do ... upgrade the 2's to a 3 (as high as environment check will allow when it comes to PHP) and then migrate the upgraded sites to new server.

'SoS', Ken

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In reply to Ken Task

Re: HTTP Error 500, can't currently handle this request.

by Visvanath Ratnaweera -
Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Translators
Ken, multiple versions of PHP are now well documented. Multiple versions of MySQL/MariaDB will be the next challenge.
smile

A safer path would be an upgrade march in staging servers, as in your final para.
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In reply to Visvanath Ratnaweera

Re: HTTP Error 500, can't currently handle this request.

by Ken Task -
Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers

Don't think I've ever explored multiple DB servers on a single server, but you are correct ... DB version also a factor.   The idea is to find 'middle ground' ... not latest/greatest, but a version compat with Moodle version and PHP.

That's kinda where CentOS sucks ... based upon RHEL and RH being conservative ... requires CentOS to use reputable 3 party repos for higher versions.   MySQL has it's own repo and that's what I use now for that ... Remi has separate repos for PHP versions ... all the way up to 7.4 at present ... and that's what am converting to now.

You are 100% correct in suggesting cloning and on the clone step through an upgrade to the 2's prior to migrating to new CentOS 7 hosting.

For me, that's where VirtualBox comes into play for me.

Always an adventure! :|

'SoS', Ken

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In reply to Ken Task

Re: HTTP Error 500, can't currently handle this request.

by Mario Igrec -

Hi, I had the same problem, error 500, turns out that PHP on web server was put to PHP 7.4, the site gave 500 error. I progressively decreased the versions until I got to PHP 7.0, the site worked again. I have Moodle Moodle 3.1+ (Build: 20160701)

I need to do a whole lot of Moodle updates. They haven't been done for a while.

Hope this helps smile

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In reply to Mario Igrec

Re: HTTP Error 500, can't currently handle this request.

by Alberto Montoto -
Thank you everyone for your inputs, specially to Mario Igrec who gave me a straight path to resolve all my issues, in this topic

Installing old PHP 5.4 version did allow me to run migrations using the LTS routes suggested by Visvanath Ratnaweera, in another topic https://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=409798#p1653628
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