Nginx 500 Errors: Report & Post Troubleshooting

  • Thread starter Fredrik
  • Start date
In summary, there were several reports of 500 nginx errors while trying to post on the forum. These errors occurred sporadically and were not consistent among all users. Some also experienced the errors while trying to preview or edit posts. The cause of these errors is still unknown, but the administrator made some adjustments and updated nginx to the latest version in an attempt to fix the issue. It was suggested that maintenance announcements could help prevent these errors in the future.
  • #1
Fredrik
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I got some about 8-10 minutes ago. Borek said we should report it or make a post about it when it happens, so I'm doing that now. I was unable to submit my post for a while. I got the same error when I reloaded a couple of times. Then I left the computer for a couple of minutes, and reloaded again when I came back. This time it worked.
 
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  • #2
Thanks for the report, please keep me updated if you receive any more.
 
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  • #3
I had them this morning, between 9-11am CST.
 
  • #5
Greg Bernhardt said:
k, I'll check the logs
Or maybe it's was around 1pm. I can't aee my last login time anymore.
 
  • #6
I had one at about 01:00 BST.

Back to normal a few minutes later.
 
  • #7
I got one at 10:58 (MST) while responding to a post in Systems & Design. One subsequently occurred when I tried to report it here. Now it seems to work, but the thread that I was responding to is gone. Are those related?
 
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  • #8
Danger said:
the thread that I was responding too is gone. Are those related?

Hard to say not knowing what the thread was.

"Design for lorry under-ride guard"? Deleted, it was a crosspost.
 
  • #9
Borek said:
"Design for lorry under-ride guard"? Deleted, it was a crosspost.

Yeah, that's the one. Where's the live copy?
 
  • #10
https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=682996
 
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  • #11
Thanks Borek. That's the same guy, and the same general topic, but absolutely not the one that I responded to. I have nothing to offer, so I won't bother pursuing the matter.
 
  • #12
502 invalid gateway, then two 504 gateway timeouts, at about 22:40 BST.
 
  • #13
About 5 minutes ago several 500 errors from nginx when trying to send a PM.
 
  • #14
I got a couple more during the night, but just went back to sleep without noting the time.
 
  • #15
Got a 500 nginx error when replying to a thread about 1800 UK time.
 
  • #16
Thanks for all the reports. Strangely I can't find anything in the error logs. It seems everyone is getting the error when sending information to the database?
 
  • #17
Greg Bernhardt said:
Thanks for all the reports. Strangely I can't find anything in the error logs. It seems everyone is getting the error when sending information to the database?

The 502 and 504s were just trying to view threads, not posting anything.
 
  • #18
In my case it definitely looked this way - I was able to browse, but not able to send PM.
 
  • #19
I was also getting these last night, about 12 hours ago. I posted fine. I went to post again, and got the error. I logged out fine. Logging in, same error
 
  • #20
Greg Bernhardt said:
Thanks for all the reports. Strangely I can't find anything in the error logs. It seems everyone is getting the error when sending information to the database?

Yes, I was getting them last night when I tried to delete a post, then again when I tried to report I was getting them.
 
  • #21
I think these errors are sporadic, I just received a 'Database Error' when moving between the forums and then clicked back and everything was okay..
 
  • #22
In my cases, it was always while attempting to post. Browsing presented no problems. Most were 500's, with a couple of 502's and possibly a 501 (I can't remember). I don't even know what the hell they mean, but they're annoying.
 
  • #23
Danger said:
In my cases, it was always while attempting to post. Browsing presented no problems. Most were 500's, with a couple of 502's and possibly a 501 (I can't remember). I don't even know what the hell they mean, but they're annoying.

Likewise. I only got to 500 errors when trying to post. However, browsing was intact.

I managed to log out. But trying to log back in I got 500 server errors. I made a post at the same time on a status update on PF's Facebook page (roughly 11 hours ago).

I didn't dare attempt to answer the random question on the feedback form (the Contact Us form at the bottom of the webpage), because I didn't know what W stands for in an equation. Having those kind of questions, however, aren't helpful as a capcha, especially when one is trying to inform the admin of server errors. Especially when I cannot log in, nor if I was, couldn't post.
 
  • #25
Greg Bernhardt said:
I made a tweak a few minutes ago.
I didn't smell anything, but I'll take your word for it...
 
  • #26
I got a 500 a few minutes ago. I was trying to preview a post.
 
  • #27
Same here.
 
  • #28
Me too.
 
  • #29
Fredrik said:
I got a 500 a few minutes ago. I was trying to preview a post.

Likewise when trying to edit
 
  • #30
got a 500 ngingx 2 minutes ago, previewing a post

(oh, and another one just now, previewing this post! :rolleyes:)

(ok on 2nd preview)

(and on 3rd)
 
  • #31
I got it too. Nothing showing up in the logs. Very strange. I'm going to update nginx to the latest version shortly.
 
  • #32
tiny-tim said:
got a 500 ngingx 2 minutes ago, previewing a post

(oh, and another one just now, previewing this post! :rolleyes:)

(ok on 2nd preview)

(and on 3rd)
When it happens to me, I always get the error again if refresh immediately. So I need to wait a minute or a few before I refresh again.
 
  • #33
Could not post anything for 5 minutes due to 500 nginx errors. What is the cause of them?
 
  • #35
Greg Bernhardt said:
How long ago. I was making lots of adjustments about an hour ago

Just before I posted the report: about 1940 UK time.
 

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