Strange Apache error (appears to be related to bad pidfile)

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Good morning,

I've had a strange problem with Apache twice in the past week, and I'm out
of ideas as to what might be going on.

Here's the background: I run a website that uses a plain-vanilla Apache
server to serve images, and uses mod_proxy to forward requests for
everything else to a backend mod_perl server on a different port on the same
ip address. (I think this scenario used to be documented here:
http://perl.apache.org/docs/1.0/guide/install.html#Installat ion_Scenarios_for_mod_perl_and_Other_Components,
but it doesn't appear to be there anymore.)

The problem that I ran into is that after running on the same configuration
for years, and without a reboot for a month or so, the plain-vanilla Apache
server stopped serving requests.

- My first try was to execute apachectl stop and then apachectl start.
apachectl printed: "/usr/local/apache-light/bin/apachectl start: httpd
started". However, it wasn't running (which I verified by trying to run
apachectl status and then apachectl stop).
- The first time this happened, I was running Apache 1.3.37. I
downloaded the tarball for Apache 1.3.41 and installed that in place of
1.3.37. The second time this error occurred it occurred with 1.3.41.
- No messages were written to the access_log or error_log
- /usr/local/apache-light/bin/apachectl configtest returned "Syntax OK"
- apachectl points to the correct pidfile (at least it's the one
specified in /usr/local/apache-light/conf/httpd.con), and it looks to me
like root has perfectly reasonable rights to the pidfile.

I was eventually able to restart the apache process the first time by
deleting the pidfile. When I ran apachectl start without a pidfile, the
apache process started up and ran without problems for 3 days. The second
time this happened, it wasn't enough to delete the pid file. I again
reinstalled apache, and went so far as to reboot the server. (fsck did not
find any errors on reboot.) This time, I was only able to restart the sever
after running the following:

[root@data2]# touch /usr/local/apache-light/logs/httpd.pid
[root@data2]# rm -f /usr/local/apache-light/logs/httpd.pid
[root@data2]# /usr/local/apache-light/bin/apachectl start

This finally worked, and the server has been serving requests for 3 days
now.

Any ideas on what might be going on? I'd love to have some ideas before
this happens again -- it's been a stressful 45 minutes each time while I
scrambled to try to figure out how to restart it.

Thanks!
-Chris

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Good morning,

I've had a strange problem with Apache twice in th=
e past week, and I'm out of ideas as to what might be going on.=A0




Here's the background: I run a website that uses a plain-vanilla Ap=
ache server to serve images, and uses mod_proxy to forward requests for eve=
rything else to a backend mod_perl server on a different port on the same i=
p address.=A0 (I think this scenario used to be documented here: "http://perl.apache.org/docs/1.0/guide/install.html#Installa tion_Scenarios_=
for_mod_perl_and_Other_Components" target=3D"_blank">http://perl.apache.org=
/docs/1.0/guide/install.html#Installation_Scenarios_for_mod_ perl_and_Other_=
Components, but it doesn't appear to be there anymore.)





The problem that I ran into is that after running on the same configura=
tion for years, and without a reboot for a month or so, the plain-vanilla A=
pache server=A0 stopped serving requests.=A0

• My first try was t=
  o execute apachectl stop and then apachectl start.=A0 apachectl printed: &q=
  uot;/usr/local/apache-light/bin/apachectl start: httpd started".=A0 Ho=
  wever, it wasn't running (which I verified by trying to run apachectl s=
  tatus and then apachectl stop).




• =A0The first time this happened, I was running Apache 1.3.37.=A0 I down=
  loaded the tarball for Apache 1.3.41 and installed that in place of 1.3.37.=
  =A0 The second time this error occurred it occurred with 1.3.41.
• No=
  messages were written to the access_log or error_log=A0




• /usr/local/apache-light/bin/apachectl configtest returned "Syntax =
  OK"
• apachectl points to the correct pidfile (at least it's=
  the one specified in /usr/local/apache-light/conf/httpd.con), and it looks=
  to me like root has perfectly reasonable rights to the pidfile.

Re: Strange Apache error (appears to be related to bad pidfile)

On Mon, Jun 1, 2009 at 6:50 AM, Chris Brooks wrote:
> My first try was to execute apachectl stop and then apachectl start.

You won't see the errors if you use apachectl. Just talk to httpd
directly instead.

- Perrin

Re: Strange Apache error (appears to be related to bad pidfile)

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Hi Perrin,

Cool, that's a good suggestion. I'll work with httpd directly if it happens
again.

Thanks,
Chris

On Mon, Jun 1, 2009 at 10:25 AM, Perrin Harkins wrote:

> On Mon, Jun 1, 2009 at 6:50 AM, Chris Brooks wrote:
> > My first try was to execute apachectl stop and then apachectl start.
>
> You won't see the errors if you use apachectl. Just talk to httpd
> directly instead.
>
> - Perrin
>

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Hi Perrin,

Cool, that's a good suggestion.=A0 I'll work with=
httpd directly if it happens again.

Thanks,
Chris