Getting ‘Error 500’ when accessing a page on my website. It just started happening and I’m not sure what caused it. Could this be a server issue or something else? How do I troubleshoot and fix this problem?
Error 500? Oh boy. That magical little number basically means something’s blowing up on the server side, but the server’s too shy to tell you exactly what. Could it be a server issue? Maybe. Could it be something you or one of your plugins/updates/random gremlins did? Also maybe. Troubleshooting time.
Step 1: Check server logs – These are like the breadcrumbs of drama. Head to your control panel or wherever your hosting provider hides those logs. Look for juicy errors. They’ll usually point to a script or resource that’s acting like a diva.
Step 2: Turn on error reporting – If you’ve got PHP running the show, use error_reporting(E_ALL); in your code or ask your host how to enable it. Sometimes, this will snitch on the exact issue.
Step 3: Your plugins/themes updated recently? If you’re on WordPress or similar CMS stuff, think about what changed recently. Deactivate all plugins/themes (not your whole site unless chaos is your brand) and see if the error chills out. Reactivate them one by one till you find the troublemaker.
Step 4: Try clearing cache – Sometimes cache systems lock onto old commands like a dog with a bone. If you’ve got server-side caching, clear it. Browser cache, site cache, CDN cache—wipe all of that.
Step 5: File permissions messed up? Check they’re like 755 for directories and 644 for files. Don’t overdo the permissions or hackers will be riding shotgun with you.
Step 6: Exceeding server limits? Shared hosting choking under traffic? Your scripts are demanding too much memory? Crank up your PHP memory limit in your php.ini file. (If you don’t know how… Google “increase PHP memory” or ask your host like a normal person.)
Worst-case scenario: If tweaking everything doesn’t work, server could be messing up hardcore. Submit a ticket or chat with your host and tell them their server needs therapy.
Basically, Error 500 is like a mystery movie—you just need to follow the clues before rage-quitting.
Yikes, Error 500 is like your website’s way of saying, ‘Eh, nope, not today!’ But let’s not lose our minds just yet. While @sternenwanderer gave a pretty solid roadmap, I’ll throw in a few extra plays for your troubleshooting playbook that might catch something they missed.
First off, check if your .htaccess file went rogue. If you’re on Apache, it’s possible the .htaccess file has some conflicting rules or directives causing the server to throw its hands up. Rename it temporarily (call it something like .htaccess.bak) and hit refresh on your site. If the 500 disappears, you’ve found your culprit. Then you can carefully dissect it line by line. Rewrite rules can cause all kinds of madness.
Secondly, ever considered temporary timeout shenanigans? If you’re dealing with a shared hosting situation, another user’s craziness could be hogging server resources. If this happens at a specific time daily, that’s a clue; maybe you’re getting throttled. Try accessing your website from a tool like GTmetrix or Pingdom to see if server response time is tanking.
Third possibility? Corrupted core files! If you’re running WordPress or some CMS and recently updated, maybe the update didn’t complete cleanly. Compare your core files to the originals of your CMS version (download a fresh copy and look for differences). It happens randomly – especially during big updates or FTP interruptions – but hey, the universe loves chaos.
Oh, and just to deviate a bit from @sternenwanderer: user permissions can drop 500s, but overly restrictive permissions might also do this. Sometimes even server config changes can mess with defaults on your host’s end. For example, ModSecurity (a web application firewall) might falsely flag your scripts as ‘suspicious.’ Check with your host if disabling it resolves the issue.
Last suggestion: if all else fails, test a site migration clone on another hosting environment. Use something like a staging site to see if the problem persists elsewhere. If the issue disappears, well, congrats, your hosting provider officially needs that aforementioned therapy session.
Bottom line? 500 errors love playing hide and seek, but patience usually wins out. Keep digging.