[SOLVED] [PEBKAC] FastCgiExternalServer blocks apache2 restart

Discussion in 'General' started by NdK, Apr 29, 2026 at 9:57 AM.

  1. NdK

    NdK Member

    Hello all.

    I just installed latest updates (Debian 12 + PHP 8.4 and 8.5 from sury.org + ISPConfig 3.3.1p1) and now apache refuses to start.

    The error is:
    apr 29 09:00:07 web1 apachectl[916867]: FastCgiExternalServer: redefinition of previously defined class "/var/www/clients/client0/web33/cgi-bin/php-fcgi-*-80-mysite.example.com"

    If I comment both instances, apache runs and the site seems to work. But I won't be able to edit anything or ISPC reactivates those lines, detects an error and undoes all the changes :(

    A strange thing I noticed is that the FastCgiExternalServer line references /var/lib/php5-fpm/web1.sock . The sock file is there, but I have no php5 installed...

    What should I do to fix it?

    Tks.
     
  2. till

    till Super Moderator Staff Member ISPConfig Developer

    Check our Apache2 sites-enabled and sites-available folders, you might have created a copy of a file, e.g. unintentionally by manually editing it.

    That's not PHP 5, it's a folder named php5. The number 5 is not related to a website's PHP version.
     
    NdK likes this.
  3. NdK

    NdK Member

    Argh.
    Continuing the search I found an old thread (that I opened!) with the same issue. -- Murphy in action!
    https://forum.howtoforge.com/thread...definition-of-previously-defined-class.80023/

    Seems updating apache overwrites apache2.conf that contains
    IncludeOptional sites-enabled/
    IncludeOptional sites-enabled/*.vhost

    Just commenting the second line solves the error.
    Sorry for the noise... Seems both my memory and my google-fu are quickly deteriorating :(
     
    till likes this.

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