Why is My Newly Setup Joomla Site Showing Error 500 (Internal Server Error)?
Category: Web Applications
A fresh Joomla installation includes a file called .htaccess, located in the main folder of your Joomla installation. This file contains certain configuration settings that may conflict with the current web server configuration, leading to a 500 Internal Server Error.
Step 1: Rename the .htaccess File
To check if the .htaccess file is causing the error, try renaming it to a.htaccess. This will disable it temporarily. If the error resolves, the issue is likely within the .htaccess file.
Step 2: Edit the .htaccess File
Open the .htaccess file using a plain text editor, which you can access via your Control Panel’s File Manager (Files > File Manager). Look for the following line:
Options +FollowSymLinks
Place a # in front of it, like this:
#Options +FollowSymLinks
This may resolve the error, as FollowSymLinks is enabled by default, and disabling it could cause issues with your Joomla installation.
Step 3: Troubleshoot Other Directives
If the error persists, other directives within the .htaccess file may be the cause. Comment out potential problem directives such as Options, phpflag, ExecCGI, and Includes until the issue is resolved.
For additional troubleshooting tips, you can refer to our detailed article on fixing the 500 Internal Server Error on Joomla sites.
Tags: fix Joomla 500 error, Joomla .htaccess conflict, Joomla .htaccess error, Joomla 500 error, Joomla error 500 solution, Joomla fresh installation error, Joomla internal server error, Joomla site error, Joomla troubleshooting, Joomla website setup issues