[Plugin: W3 Total Cache] eAccelerator installed but not showing in dropdown

Unfortunately I see this a lot. eAccelerator behaves very differently on every server I’ve seen and many have trouble getting it running. The way W3TC works is it tries to call one of the functions used to save data in eAccelerator and if that call fails, it disables the option. So, there is an issue with the installation because all W3TC tries to do is start caching things and the call failed. If it eAccelerator worked you could simply refresh the General Settings page and see it working. Ask your host to prove to you that it is working by getting the control panel page going etc.

Last night I tried installing ACP (I’m not a linux guru) and didn’t get anywhere. I noticed eAccelerator as one of the options in WHM so thought I’d give it a go this morning and went through the process of compiling it (using WHM eather than command line).

Only once it had finished did I notice that you provide step by step instructions under the ‘Installation’ link on the plugin page.

It probably makes sense to recompile Apache without eAccelerator and then follow your instructions to see if I can get ACP installed. ACP seems to be optioned mentioned by so many so it seems I should go ‘the ACP route’. Just started recompiling now so hopefully it doesn’t take too long.

Thanks for your help so far.

@zestylemon
The eaccelerator version that comes with whm/cpanel is 0.9.6 which does not support opcode caching. If you want to use eaccel with w3 you have to use 0.9.5.3

To get APC to work with WHM/Cpanel make sure you disable the Zend optimizer by commenting it out in your php.ini

Also after you finish compiling choose the DSO or Fast-CG
I option without suexec or suPHP.

I had a lot of problems getting APC to work on one of my servers that has WHM/Cpanel. But I finally fixed it and it runs great even before activating w3 total. If you get internal server errors just go back into php.ini and comment out exentension=apc.so restart apache and adjust your settings till you get it right.

(Only after posting this have I spotted c3mdigital’s post)

Several hours on and sadly I don’t seem to be getting anywhere.

Under the ‘server preparation’ section:
# yum install php-pear
# yum install php-devel
# yum install httpd-devel
Each of these return a ‘No package xxx available’ message (where xxx = php-pear etc).
WHM reports that Pear 1.9.1 is an already installed module.

# yum install gcc make
# yum install zlib-devel
These are both apparently up to date.

Your instructions continue with a number of sections:
Memcached (Daemon) Installation
PECL Memcache Module Installation
PECL Alternative PHP Cache (APC) Installation (Recommended)
XCache Installation

Am I correct to assume I choose 1 of these?

I’ve tried following the instructions for PECL APC but get nowhere.
running: pecl install apc
returns the following:

# pecl install apc
downloading APC-3.0.19.tgz …
Starting to download APC-3.0.19.tgz (115,735 bytes)
…………………….done: 115,735 bytes
47 source files, building
running: phpize
Configuring for:
PHP Api Version: 20090626
Zend Module Api No: 20090626
Zend Extension Api No: 220090626
Use apxs to set compile flags (if using APC with Apache)? [yes] : yes
building in /var/tmp/pear-build-root/APC-3.0.19
running: /root/tmp/pear/APC/configure –with-apxs
checking for egrep… grep -E
checking for a sed that does not truncate output… /bin/sed
checking for cc… cc
checking for C compiler default output file name… a.out
checking whether the C compiler works… configure: error: cannot run C compiled programs.
If you meant to cross compile, use `–host’.
See `config.log’ for more details.
ERROR: `/root/tmp/pear/APC/configure –with-apxs’ failed
root@host01 [/]#

I’ve done a lot of googling on various error messages and tried some of the reccomendations I’ve come across. None of it seems to be of help, just scared now that I’ve going to do more harm than good.

@c3mdigital I’ve commented out Zend in php.ini. I’ve
DSO is selected
suexec / suPHP is ‘no’

I assume I need to recompile Apache – starting that now.

Now that I’ve recompiled Apache this line has been re-added to php.ini
zend_extension=”/usr/local/IonCube/ioncube_loader_lin_5.3.so”

Now that I’ve uncommented this line what do I need to do to get APC installed?

@zesty

You don’t have to recompile Apache. If the modules are commented out then they won’t load.

You will have to follow the install instructions in the plugin to compile from source with a few changes which I will outline here.

cd /usr/local/src && wget https://pecl.php.net/get/APC-3.0.19.tgz && tar -xzf APC-3.0.19.tgz && cd APC-3.0.19

Now you will have APC downloaded untarred and you will be in the configure directory.

phpize && ./configure --enable-apc --enable-apc-mmap --with-apxs=/usr/local/apache/bin/apxs --with-php-config=/usr/local/bin/php-config && make && make install

This will configure APC and install it in your extension directory.

cd /usr/local/lib/php/extensions/no-debug-non-zts-20090626

dir

You should see a file named apc.so in that directory

If there are no errors listed and apc.so exist in the right directory then nano /usr/local/lib/php.ini
you should see extension=apc.so somewhere. If not add it then copy the settings from wp-content/plugins/w3-total-cache/ini/apc.ini and add them below extension=apc.so control x and save php.ini then service httpd restart

php -r 'phpinfo();' | grep 'apc'

If you get output from that last command then it is installed and working and you can go to one of your web pages and make sure it loads.

Also some good instructions for installing APC on a WHM/Cpanel server are here: https://www.brettbrewer.com/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=70

@c3mdigital thanks for your detailed reply.

First off, these two lines are commented out in /usr/local/lib/php.ini:
;zend_extension=”/usr/local/IonCube/ioncube_loader_lin_5.3.so”
;zend_extension_ts = “/usr/local/IonCube/ioncube_loader_lin_5.2_ts.so”

This is the php.ini file that’s mentioned in the results when I run phpinfo.php in a browser.

Even though these 2 lines are commented out phpinfo.php still makes reference to Zend. First off the Zend logo is still displayedand details the following:
This program makes use of the Zend Scripting Language Engine:
Zend Engine v2.3.0

On the server command line when I enter ‘php -v’ the following is returned:
PHP 5.3.2 (cli) (built: Jul 24 2010 21:09:53)
Copyright (c) 1997-2010 The PHP Group
Zend Engine v2.3.0, Copyright (c) 1998-2010 Zend Technologies

So it looks like Zend is still running. I saw in your most you mentioned “php -r ‘phpinfo();’ | grep ‘apc'” so it tried “php -r ‘phpinfo();’ | grep ‘zend'” and got the following back:

php -r ‘phpinfo();’ | grep ‘zend’
report_zend_debug => Off => Off
zend.enable_gc => On => On

I’ll have to Google and see if I can uncover anything on disabling Zend on WHM / Cpanel. It’s late now so will pick this up again tomorrow.

Zend is ok it’s part of the scripting language. Zend Optimizer is what causes the problems.

Remove the pecl install apc and try compiling from source using the instructions in my above post.

To uninstall the pecl apc #pecl uninstall apc

Following on from your last post I used the command you suggested:
# pecl uninstall apc
pecl/apc not installed

I then procceded with your previous instructions:
phpize && ./configure –enable-apc –enable-apc-mmap –with-apxs=/usr/local/apache/bin/apxs –with-php-config=/usr/local/bin/php-config && make && make install

Here’s the last couple of lines of output when it terminated unexpectedly:
creating libtool
appending configuration tag “CXX” to libtool
configure: creating ./config.status
config.status: creating config.h
config.status: config.h is unchanged
/bin/sh /usr/local/src/APC-3.0.19/libtool –mode=compile cc -I. -I/usr/local/src/APC-3.0.19 -DPHP_ATOM_INC -I/usr/local/src/APC-3.0.19/include -I/usr/local/src/APC-3.0.19/main -I/usr/local/src/APC-3.0.19 -I/usr/local/include/php -I/usr/local/include/php/main -I/usr/local/include/php/TSRM -I/usr/local/include/php/Zend -I/usr/local/include/php/ext -I/usr/local/include/php/ext/date/lib -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -g -O2 -c /usr/local/src/APC-3.0.19/php_apc.c -o php_apc.lo
cc -I. -I/usr/local/src/APC-3.0.19 -DPHP_ATOM_INC -I/usr/local/src/APC-3.0.19/include -I/usr/local/src/APC-3.0.19/main -I/usr/local/src/APC-3.0.19 -I/usr/local/include/php -I/usr/local/include/php/main -I/usr/local/include/php/TSRM -I/usr/local/include/php/Zend -I/usr/local/include/php/ext -I/usr/local/include/php/ext/date/lib -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -g -O2 -c /usr/local/src/APC-3.0.19/php_apc.c -fPIC -DPIC -o .libs/php_apc.o
/usr/local/src/APC-3.0.19/php_apc.c:959: error: duplicate astatica
make: *** [php_apc.lo] Error 1
root@host01 [/usr/local/src/APC-3.0.19]#

I googled on this error message. One of the discussion threads I came across someone suggested downgrading PHP 5.3.2 to 5.2.13 “because the problem is not your apache build but something to do with files being missing in 5.3 that apc needs”. The person having the problem did this and was able to sucessfully install APC.

I could recompile Apache to use PHP 5.2.14 (as 5.2.13 isn’t in the WHM list (using the WHM web interface) of available versions) – is it OK to do that? I ask that as I wouldn’t want to be changing to a PHP version that some might consider ‘to buggy’. After having typed that I thought to have a look at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PHP and see that PHP 5.2.14 and 5.3.3 to be a ‘bug and security fix’ release that were both released released a few days ago on 22nd July.

PHP 5.3.3 is also available (newer than the 5.3.2 I’m currently running) – one would expect that with this being a newer version the files that APC needs won’t be missing.

Whilst I’m at it… I’m currently ruuning Apache 2.0 – should I upgarde to Apache 2.2 or stick with 2.0?

PHP 5.3.3 and 5.2.14 was only released 5 days ago. My suggestion is to go with 5.2.14 and upgrade Apache to 2.2

Make sure you delete: rm -rf /usr/local/src/APC-3.0.19 then
whereis apc* and delete everything it finds before you try and reinstall.

Also when you downgrade PHP it will create a new extension directory. You can delete this directory after your up and running to avoid any conflicts.

rm -rf /usr/local/lib/php/extensions/no-debug-non-zts-20090626

If you want to see my easyapache build file for the server I have running APC let me know and I will put in on Pastbin for you.

Thanks for all of your advice! ??

Before I start the complile I thought I’d take a look to see what’s in /usr/local/lib/php/extensions/
There’s 2 directories in there:
no-debug-non-zts-20060613/ & no-debug-non-zts-20090626/

no-debug-non-zts-20090626/ contains eaccelerator.so* & memcache.so

At some point in the last 2 days I managed to get Memcache working. When I recompile should I include Memcache or not?

Your easyapache build file; yes please. I’m sure that’ll come in handy.

The 20090626 extension directory is for php 5.3 and the 20060613 is for php 5.2

It wouldn’t hurt to keep memcache because it does not conflict with APC then you could test each one with w3-total and what gives you the best performance. I used memcache for a while but it used to much memory. My VPS only has 768M.

Here is the profile from my build: https://pastebin.com/yr1ywiWc

I’ve glad that I’m able to report some progress ??

Following your earlier instructions entered this:
phpize && ./configure –enable-apc –enable-apc-mmap –with-apxs=/usr/local/apache/bin/apxs –with-php-config=/usr/local/bin/php-config && make && make install

Here’s the last couple of lines of output:
Libraries have been installed in:
/usr/local/src/APC-3.0.19/modules
Build complete.
Don’t forget to run ‘make test’.

Following on with your instructions you said:
This will configure APC and install it in your extension directory.
cd /usr/local/lib/php/extensions/no-debug-non-zts-20090626
dir
You should see a file named apc.so in that directory

apc.so is not in this directory, but can confirm that it’s in /usr/local/src/APC-3.0.19/modules as per the last couple of lines of output I detailed above.

I’m not sure if this creates a problem for me or not. tT this point I’ve looked through the rest of your earlier instructions…
nano /usr/local/lib/php.ini
you should see extension=apc.so somewhere. If not add it then copy the settings from wp-content/plugins/w3-total-cache/ini/apc.ini and add them below extension=apc.so

There’s absolutley no mention of ‘apc’ anywhere in php.ini
so I’ve added ‘extension = apc.so’ and the contents of the the apc.ini file you mentiond. I then restarted the httpd service.

Going to the W3 Total Cache plugin admin… APC appears in the dropdown list. I can’t believe it!! ??

Given the different directory name (as I mentioned above) I’m hoping that everything is working as it should be – my website is serving pages so on the surface all appears to be OK. I hope the same goes for ‘under the hood’.

You’ve been a massive help, I really do appreciate it!! Thanks for sticking by and offering me support and step by step instructions right to the end. It’s been a massive help and I’ve learnt quite a bit. Thank you. A very big thank you! ??

Is there any kind of Dummies Guide to tweaking the APC settings in php.ini to get W3 Total Cache running at it’s best?

The reason it is not in /usr/local/lib/php/extensions/no-debug-non-zts-20090626 is because you downgraded php. The extension directory for your version of php will show up in your phpinfo listed under extension directory or you can do phpize and add the Zend Module Api No to the end of /usr/local/lib/php/extensions/no-debug-non-zts-xxxxxxxx.

If you want to see how it is working move the the apc.php file from /usr/local/src/APC-3.0.10/acp.php somewhere in your /public_html and you can access it from a browser.

Open up apc.php and change the lines at the top to set a username and password.

defaults('ADMIN_USERNAME','apc');
defaults('ADMIN_PASSWORD','password');

I am glad I could help. I went through some of the same problems you did a few weeks ago and I am working on tutorial for my blog on how to install APC on a Cpanel/WHM server.

APC on its own actually improves WordPress performance even if you don’t have a caching plugin installed.