Error: XCache: Cannot init

[Didjee]

After installing PW 2.4 I get the following error in admin and error.txt:

Error: XCache: Cannot init (line 0 of Unknown)

The server (shared hosting) is running PHP 5.3.10.

I have already changed the permission settings of /site/assets/cache to 777 (was 755), but that didn't solve the problem.

[adrian]

If  you google that error there are a few possible php.ini settings that might help. Certainly not an issue specific to PW. If you're still having trouble after trying some of the google advice, then this is a question for your host.

[netcarver]

This is more likely to be a PHP/xCache config problem. You may have to get your host to check the php.ini files and make sure the memory limit is higher than that needed by xcache.

Wish I could be of more help with this issue.

[Didjee]

OK, thanks for your replies! I have asked my provider to solve this problem for me.

[Didjee]

This is the answer of my provider:

I have tried to find out which of the Xcache directive that needs to be
increased but I am unable to find out which one.

On the following page you can find all the extension that are available
on our Web Hosting platform: http://95.211.13.68/phpinfo.php

To find the Xcache related configuration, just scroll down or search for
'XCache' in the page. 

Perhaps your developer knows exactly which Xcache directive it is?

Can someone answer the question above?

[netcarver]

@Didjee, 

Sorry, but I don't know the answer off the top of my head. Have you tried google for possible solutions?

One thought that did occur to me is to turn xcache off for your installation just to see if that got you up and running for now while you search. Try editing your PW .htaccess file and adding this...

php_flag xcache.cacher Off

...to the section with the other php_flags.

One other thing to think about: you can get a low-end VPS for about 15 Euros a year - and that would allow you total flexibility regarding installing what your site needs rather than having to rely on a shared hosting setup.

[kongondo]

..One other thing to think about: you can get a low-end VPS for about 15 Euros a year - and that would allow you total flexibility regarding installing what your site needs rather than having to rely on a shared hosting setup.

Sorry to hijack your thread Didjee...

<digress>@Netcarver, any recommendations? Thanks.</digress>

[netcarver]

@Kongondo,

I've used a few low-end VPS providers in the past (3 actually) for a redis-backed PHP app that I wrote to do things with Amazon's Merchant Web Services. By far the best service and stability I've had was from an Italian provider called Prometeus but I'd recommend looking out for their OpenVZ offers on lowendbox.com rather than going to their site directly as it's on lowendbox that you'll see their special offers - they tend to advertise more expensive KVM and Xen stuff on their own site.

In fact, Prometeus is the only provider I've used that has been able to provide a 'stable' enough platform for my requirements, and the only one that was able to deal with DDOSs attacks in a way that meant I could keep my app running. Because I was running Amazon sales through that server I couldn't handle downtime but if I were only running a low-traffic website then the other providers might have been OK, and certainly cheaper (one of the hosts was £8/yr and perfectly able to host a low-traffic website if using nginx.)

Prometeus did initiate one reboot during my time with them and that was to upgrade the control panel software as it had a critical security flaw. Total downtime was about 30 mins. The other two providers I tried had similar downtime due to patching the same flaw but were just not stable enough for merchant services for a variety of reasons and had much more unscheduled downtime (in one case several days worth.) One provider underwent two datacenter moves within a couple of months which means (in addition to downtime) IP address changes for the server, new certificates to verify, config settings to adjust etc.

I'm not affiliated with Prometeus and no longer use their services. Cancellation was hassle-free and I've received no unsolicited communications from them. If I need a VPS again I'll be looking at Prometeus first.

Edited to add: I've just been browsing for Prometeus offers on lowendbox and it looks like the owner (Salvatore) has split the OpenVZ hosting into a separate shell business called OVerZold and here's a recent advert on lowendbox for their services although it isn't for a low-end product. Both Prometeus and OVerZold are showing as having the same IP address blocks assigned to them so I'd be really surprised if this isn't still operated out of his Milan-based data centre - which was rock solid for me.

Edited April 21, 2014 by netcarver

[kongondo]

@Netcarver,

Thanks for the very comprehensive answer!

[Didjee]

@Netcarver: I tried all possible solutions, but putting that extra line in .htaccess 'solves' the problem (at least it hides the error message).

Within a week or 2 we are going to move the hosting account where the Xcache problem occurs (used for development) to a VPS.

For the time being adding that line to .htaccess is fine. Thanks for your help!

[Ivan Gretsky]

I got the same error after manual upgrade on a live server. But the error only appears on admin. I rolled back, but the problem persisted. Any help appreciated.

Edit: After a relatively short period of time it started working again. So the 1st solution is to wait a bit )