Leopard ate my Apache

November 1, 2007 10:32 PM

Upgraded to Apache 2.2. Then I upgraded to Leopard. Suddenly Apache isn't working. What can I do to fix this?

A while back I installed Apache 2.2 on my MacBook Pro. Didn't overwrite the default 1.3 install, just renamed the old apachectl in /usr/sbin and added a new link pointing at the upgraded Apache (installed in /usr/local/apache2).

Prior to the upgrade, I didn't even think of this. Apple has been sticking with the 1.3 builds for so long that it never even crossed my mind.

After the upgrade, Apache wasn't serving pages. I did re-enable Web Sharing, but that didn't fix it. Starting Apache from terminal gave me a weird error string. Restoring the old apachectl link in /usr/sbin and then restarting Apache seems to work. Response headers say it is running 2.2.6, which should be correct for Leopard from what I'm reading. However, it isn't serving the pages it should be serving (that is, nothing in my Sites folder is showing up).

What I want to know is this: Did restoring the old apachectl fix my problem (that is, should it now be pointing at the correct location for the built-in Apache server)? Can I now just edit the new httpd.conf files for the new built-in Apache 2.2 build, and then kill the custom install I put in /usr/local? Will that restore access to the pages living in Sites? Or am I going to have to kill the custom Apache thoroughly, then re-run the Leopard install? Is it possible it's just a permissions thing? Sites folder is read only for everyone except me... I'm listed as both user and group for all files. I didn't change this, but I seem to recall it being an issue before.

posted by caution live frogs to computers & internet (4 comments total)

However, it isn't serving the pages it should be serving

That means httpd.conf isn't what you expect, at least with regards to the DocumentRoot directive. Edit the httpd.conf.
posted by DreamerFi at 4:37 AM on November 2, 2007

Don't reinstall Leopard. Go back to Tiger. Do not put Leopard on any production machines until Apple releases at least 2 major version updates.
posted by Brocktoon at 6:46 AM on November 2, 2007

Ignore Brocktoon completely (for one thing, Leopard itself is only a minor version update, from 10.4.x to 10.5; for another, what "production machine"? It's your laptop, install what you want).

DreamerFi has it, just copy and paste the DocumentRoot and relevant <Directory> entries from your custom httpd.conf to the new one.
posted by nicwolff at 9:54 AM on November 2, 2007

Brocktoon, I said "Leopard", not "Vista" - I expect Apple will release a more finished end product than MS. (To be fair, Leopard is giving me some minor issues, but most of these are third-party things - Adobe Acrobat Pro, specifically).

I checked my directories - now have several sets of httpd.conf files (from my own build, from the Tiger 1.3 build and in /etc/apache2, the brand new Leopard ones). Should have this thing up and running as soon as I do some copy and paste action. Thanks.
posted by caution live frogs at 12:07 PM on November 2, 2007