Table of Contents

Troubleshooting PHP Execution Errors

PHP Fatal error: session_start(): Failed to initialize storage module: files (path: )

Error:
[STDERR] PHP Fatal error: session_start(): Failed to initialize storage module: files (path: ) in /usr/share/phpmyadmin/libraries/session.inc.php on line 81

Solution:
The PHP session failed to start as the session could not be initiated. To fix this, modify the php.ini file and specify session.save_path ( for example: /tmp or any other directory the PHP process has permission to enter).

Too Many lsphp5 Processes/Pages Not Being Served

Error:
Too many lsphp5 processes (mostly in sleeping states) and pages not being served causing sites to become unavailable. Killing all lsphp5 processes fixes problem only temporarily.

Solution:
This problem is caused by a deadlock bug with Zend OpCache. By killing all lsphp5 processes, you are releasing these locks to temporarily fix the problem.

It is recommended to either turn off Zend OpCache or upgrade your PHP version in an attempt to avoid this bug. Only turn Zend OpCode cache back on after the bug has been confirmed fixed.

Note: If you are using PHP in Daemon mode this problem is made worse as all processes are sharing one opcode cache. Consider switching PHP to ProcessGroup mode, giving each user their own opcode cache memory block, as this will keep a deadlock problem from affecting other users.