How to Correct 500 Internal Server Errors

Unfortunately, the solution is not the same for everyone. What might be causing 500 errors on your server could be different from what causes this on another.

Possible causes of 500 internal server error:

Missing files; i.e. a corrupted installation of s2Member or s2Member Pro. I'd suggest a full reinstall of the s2Member plugin to rule this out.
Apache compatibility. s2Member comes with several .htaccess files that require Apache 2.1 or higher, or an Apache-compatible web server. If one or more of the rules set by s2Member in its .htaccess files are not possible in your environment, this could result in a 500 internal server error. Inspecting your Apache error log on your own, or with help from your hosting company, will be a first step to identifying the specific line in a specific .htaccess file that is causing problems. Upgrading to a newer version of Apache may also be a route to explore.
Server-side permission issues. If your host refuses to serve files from /wp-content/plugins/s2member when/if the files in this directory do not have the expected permission settings, this could result in a 500 internal server error. It's best to seek assistance from your hosting company to resolve this. Ask, "why does this link produce a 500 internal server error?"; attaching an example link to one of the s2Member files that result in a 500 internal server error.

Tagged: Error Messages, Troubleshooting

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Article written by: Jason Caldwell March 19, 2015 Last Modified: March 19, 2015

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