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httpd crashing

FredQ

Over the last few days there've been a number of irregular crashes of httpd. Log entries for the latest issue:
[Mon Apr 28 04:24:52.666985 2025] [mpm_prefork:emerg] [pid 1440590:tid 1440590] (22)Invalid argument: AH00146: couldn't release the accept mutex
[Mon Apr 28 04:24:52.695609 2025] [mpm_prefork:emerg] [pid 1442178:tid 1442178] (22)Invalid argument: AH00146: couldn't release the accept mutex
[Mon Apr 28 04:24:52.993689 2025] [core:alert] [pid 1375420:tid 1375420] AH00050: Child 1440590 returned a Fatal error... Apache is exiting!
[Mon Apr 28 04:24:52.993806 2025] [:emerg] [pid 1375420:tid 1375420] AH02818: MPM run failed, exiting

OS: AlmaLinux v8.10.0 STANDARD
cPanel Version: 126.0.16

What is the recommended course of action?

Comments

8 comments

Date Votes
  • FredQ

    Since my post - around 2 hours ago - apache has crashed again twice. The logs (/etc/apache2/logs.error_log) from the latest crash are:

    [Mon Apr 28 10:25:53.908900 2025] [core:error] [pid 1517719:tid 1517719] [client 157.230.20.154:20130] AH00524: Handler for application/x-httpd-ea-php82 returned invalid result code 70014
    [Mon Apr 28 10:25:53.915063 2025] [core:error] [pid 1516040:tid 1516040] [client 142.93.162.228:10372] AH00524: Handler for application/x-httpd-ea-php82 returned invalid result code 70014
    [Mon Apr 28 10:25:53.942430 2025] [core:error] [pid 1519006:tid 1519006] [client 157.230.20.154:20138] AH00524: Handler for application/x-httpd-ea-php82 returned invalid result code 70014
    [Mon Apr 28 10:25:53.965567 2025] [core:error] [pid 1519335:tid 1519335] [client 64.226.88.66:51706] AH00524: Handler for application/x-httpd-ea-php82 returned invalid result code 70014
    [Mon Apr 28 10:25:53.966829 2025] [core:error] [pid 1512676:tid 1512676] [client 157.230.20.154:20144] AH00524: Handler for application/x-httpd-ea-php82 returned invalid result code 70014
    [Mon Apr 28 10:25:53.968659 2025] [core:error] [pid 1518899:tid 1518899] [client 104.248.128.147:15206] AH00524: Handler for application/x-httpd-ea-php82 returned invalid result code 70014
    [Mon Apr 28 10:25:53.974856 2025] [core:error] [pid 1512709:tid 1512709] [client 164.92.175.251:22388] AH00524: Handler for application/x-httpd-ea-php82 returned invalid result code 70014
    [Mon Apr 28 10:25:54.062262 2025] [core:error] [pid 1519335:tid 1519335] [client 64.226.88.66:51718] AH00524: Handler for application/x-httpd-ea-php82 returned invalid result code 70014
    [Mon Apr 28 10:25:54.062307 2025] [core:error] [pid 1512676:tid 1512676] [client 157.230.20.154:20168] AH00524: Handler for application/x-httpd-ea-php82 returned invalid result code 70014
    [Mon Apr 28 10:25:54.070374 2025] [core:error] [pid 1518899:tid 1518899] [client 104.248.128.147:15212] AH00524: Handler for application/x-httpd-ea-php82 returned invalid result code 70014
    [Mon Apr 28 10:25:54.070681 2025] [core:error] [pid 1512709:tid 1512709] [client 164.92.175.251:22402] AH00524: Handler for application/x-httpd-ea-php82 returned invalid result code 70014
    [Mon Apr 28 10:25:54.153893 2025] [core:error] [pid 1517719:tid 1517719] [client 157.230.20.154:20178] AH00524: Handler for application/x-httpd-ea-php82 returned invalid result code 70014
    [Mon Apr 28 10:25:54.155066 2025] [core:error] [pid 1519335:tid 1519335] [client 64.226.88.66:51724] AH00524: Handler for application/x-httpd-ea-php82 returned invalid result code 70014
    [Mon Apr 28 10:25:54.163289 2025] [mpm_prefork:emerg] [pid 1512676:tid 1512676] (22)Invalid argument: AH00146: couldn't release the accept mutex
    [Mon Apr 28 10:25:54.164866 2025] [mpm_prefork:emerg] [pid 1518899:tid 1518899] (22)Invalid argument: AH00146: couldn't release the accept mutex
    [Mon Apr 28 10:25:54.173360 2025] [mpm_prefork:emerg] [pid 1512709:tid 1512709] (22)Invalid argument: AH00146: couldn't release the accept mutex
    [Mon Apr 28 10:25:54.191124 2025] [mpm_prefork:emerg] [pid 1519894:tid 1519894] (22)Invalid argument: AH00146: couldn't release the accept mutex
    [Mon Apr 28 10:25:54.201331 2025] [mpm_prefork:emerg] [pid 1517719:tid 1517719] (22)Invalid argument: AH00144: couldn't grab the accept mutex
    [Mon Apr 28 10:25:54.202531 2025] [mpm_prefork:emerg] [pid 1519335:tid 1519335] (22)Invalid argument: AH00144: couldn't grab the accept mutex
    [Mon Apr 28 10:25:54.211006 2025] [mpm_prefork:emerg] [pid 1518720:tid 1518720] (22)Invalid argument: AH00146: couldn't release the accept mutex
    [Mon Apr 28 10:25:54.228611 2025] [mpm_prefork:emerg] [pid 1516040:tid 1516040] (22)Invalid argument: AH00146: couldn't release the accept mutex
    [Mon Apr 28 10:25:54.245878 2025] [mpm_prefork:emerg] [pid 1519006:tid 1519006] (22)Invalid argument: AH00146: couldn't release the accept mutex
    [Mon Apr 28 10:25:54.262816 2025] [mpm_prefork:emerg] [pid 1517827:tid 1517827] (22)Invalid argument: AH00146: couldn't release the accept mutex
    [Mon Apr 28 10:25:54.280742 2025] [mpm_prefork:emerg] [pid 1518321:tid 1518321] (22)Invalid argument: AH00146: couldn't release the accept mutex
    [Mon Apr 28 10:25:55.020482 2025] [core:alert] [pid 1512671:tid 1512671] AH00050: Child 1512676 returned a Fatal error... Apache is exiting!
    [Mon Apr 28 10:25:55.020516 2025] [:emerg] [pid 1512671:tid 1512671] AH02818: MPM run failed, exiting

    Csf is installed and running. Modsec is also running with a rule for xmlrpc.php and there are 'access denied' errors reported for this from different locations. The rate of these errors varies between none for a some minutes to around 20 per minute. These are rarely from the same IP so aren't usually blocked in csf. Example which was blocked in csf: entry in error_log as follows:
    [Fri Apr 25 13:56:45.840738 2025] [security2:error] [pid 672572:tid 672572] [client 94.23.61.165:53994] [client 94.23.61.165] ModSecurity: Access denied with code 403 (phase 2). Pattern match "xmlrpc.php" at REQUEST_FILENAME. [file "/etc/apache2/conf.d/modsec/modsec2.user.conf"] [line "11"] [id "193837"] [msg "xmlrpc access denied"] [severity "CRITICAL"] [hostname "domain.com"] [uri "/xmlrpc.php"] [unique_id "aBuHjbJQticDmsPD6FS3mgABAAU"], referer: http://domain.com

    Increasing the Max Request Workers to 250 from the default 150 hasn't helped.

    There seems to be a current 'cPanel known issue' - case number is ZC-12790 (https://support.cpanel.net/hc/en-us/articles/31657745396631-Apache-crashing-with-Mutex-errors-for-the-Prefork-MPM). Easy Apache has not been changed to use a different MPM to prefork because prefork is the default and unsure sure which other MPM to select. Also not comfortable updating the default templates on the command line: point 2 seems s bit vague; and concerns re how this might affect Easy Apache going forward.

    Any recommended actions are most welcome.

    0
  • FredQ

    Since my previous the following has appeared in the logs:
    [Mon Apr 28 14:01:11.961368 2025] [core:error] [pid 1562829:tid 1562829] [client 34.41.52.0:56222] AH00524: Handler for application/x-httpd-ea-php82 returned invalid result code 70014
    [Mon Apr 28 14:01:12.161727 2025] [core:error] [pid 1562701:tid 1562701] [client 34.41.52.0:56226] AH00524: Handler for application/x-httpd-ea-php82 returned invalid result code 70014
    [Mon Apr 28 14:01:12.359768 2025] [core:error] [pid 1562673:tid 1562673] [client 34.41.52.0:56234] AH00524: Handler for application/x-httpd-ea-php82 returned invalid result code 70014
    [Mon Apr 28 14:01:12.560442 2025] [core:error] [pid 1561175:tid 1561175] [client 34.41.52.0:56244] AH00524: Handler for application/x-httpd-ea-php82 returned invalid result code 70014
    [Mon Apr 28 14:01:13.098430 2025] [core:error] [pid 1561177:tid 1561177] [client 34.41.52.0:56246] AH00524: Handler for application/x-httpd-ea-php82 returned invalid result code 70014

    AND Apache didn't crash...

    Therefore the 'returned invalid result code 70014' logs appear to be unrelated to the issue with Apache crashing.

    0
  • cPRex Jurassic Moderator

    Hey there!  It sounds like you're affected by this issue:

    https://support.cpanel.net/hc/en-us/articles/31657745396631-Apache-crashing-with-Mutex-errors-for-the-Prefork-MPM

    Our team has a fix they are currently testing so this should be resolved soon, but there is also a workaround presented in that support article.

    Let me know if that helps!

    0
  • FredQ

    Hi Rex,

    Thanks for your response and yes that looks to be the issue - case number is ZC-12790.

    Of the two workarounds, updating Easy Apache 4 to use an alternative MPM looks most future proof.

    But what's your recommendation - it seems like 'event' is best or would 'worker' be your preference?

    Also, as prefork is the default, would you recommend switching Easy Apache 4 back to prefork as soon as your colleagues have fixed it?

    0
  • cPRex Jurassic Moderator

    I don't really have a specific recommendation in this case.  The options are available so users can pick the best handler for their needs.  There wouldn't be a reason to switch back to a certain one after the fix is released unless you want to.

    0
  • siace

    Hi,

     

    It seems this happening again with ea-apache24-config-1.0-201.212.4

     

    Thanks

    0
  • cPRex Jurassic Moderator

    siace - the original issue was resolved in our April 30th release, so I wouldn't expect to see the same thing happening.  Are you able to create a ticket so this can be investigated?

    0
  • siace

    Hi, Thanks for the reply. My client doesn't allow connecting to his server.

    However, this is the output from the error log from last night when that happened:

     

    [bunch of more of the next two lines (about 50 lines)]...
    [Wed Jul 23 04:38:31.564897 2025] [mpm_prefork:emerg] [pid 660384:tid 660384] (43)Identifier removed: AH00144: couldn't grab the accept mutex
    [Wed Jul 23 04:38:31.565049 2025] [mpm_prefork:emerg] [pid 660372:tid 660372] (43)Identifier removed: AH00144: couldn't grab the accept mutex
    [Wed Jul 23 04:38:31.611551 2025] [core:alert] [pid 3973001:tid 3973001] AH00050: Child 655248 returned a Fatal error... Apache is exiting!
    [Wed Jul 23 04:38:31.611574 2025] [:emerg] [pid 3973001:tid 3973001] AH02818: MPM run failed, exiting

     

    Also we only have /var/cpanel/templates/apache2_4/ea4_main.default and we have the following mutex configs inside:

     

    and

     

     

    I might be able to open a ticket referring to this thread but again, would not be able to give server access.

     

    As the document suggested, we'll change the MPM worker later tonight when lower traffic hits the server but if possible would like to understand the issue more.

     

    Thanks

    0

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