Custom PHP.ini with FastCGI on DreamHost

This details the saga of why php.ini is not allowed with FastCGI

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Message from DreamHost

Message from support. (Dec 5th, 2006 - 13:19:43 / #9393533)

Hello, I'm really sorry but I had to disable the sites you had running under user $USER because that was the only way I could keep the associated processes from restarting themselves and making the server unstable. Please do not run these sites with a persistent php.cgi process with a php.ini file as an argument. This is causing problems on the server and we need to keep the server from crashing and thus impacting the other users who share the server. Thanks! Terri

Message from you

MY ENTIRE ROOT FOLDER GOT MOVED (Dec 5th, 2006 - 13:26:16 / #1624411)

I did a backup of my wordpress database on askapache.com, downloaded the file to my computer, and then when I tried to go to another page it started saying 404 error / not found. I logged in with my shell account and there was a new folder in my root folder $HOME called disabled-sites Normally all my webroots are in a folder in that same dir called sites. I looked inside both folders and all of my sites/* had been moved to a folder disabled-sites/* and then I tried to move them back to my sites folder and I got kicked from the connection! Now I can't login with shell or ftp my whole business is down??!!

Message from DreamHost

Re: MY ENTIRE ROOT FOLDER GOT MOVED (Dec 5th, 2006 - 13:48:52 / #9393703)

Hello, As I've notified you before, your sites as you are running them, daemonized, is impacting the performance of the server to the point where stability is a concern. Please do not run the sites so they are taking a php.ini as an argument or I will be forced to disable these sites permanently. Thanks! Terri

Message from you

RE: MY ENTIRE ROOT FOLDER GOT MOVED (Dec 5th, 2006 - 14:09:33 / #1624483)

Hello, As I've notified you before, your sites as you are running them, daemonized, is impacting the performance of the server to the point where stability is a concern. Please do not run the sites so they are taking a php.ini as an argument or I will be forced to disable these sites permanently. Thanks! Terri

Why the threats? That is so not cool! I sent that message to the SECURITY support BEFORE I got your email... Before I knew that my entire account was being taken offline. I happened to be logged into the server while someone was MOVING all of my files to a different folder, I thought I was under attack! I had NO IDEA that using a custom php.ini with my fast-cgi'd php.cgi would cause any harm.. I was just following the instructions on the wiki and using the fast-cgi option in the control panel. Now I am really panicking because you are saying that you will disable all my sites permanently? I mean it is going to take some time to manually go into each and every one of my domains and change them to not use fastcgi. And I have a few questions about what exactly is not allowed, but I don't want to waste time asking if there is a chance my whole account will be banned! *deep breaths* I very quickly went through and disabled the FAST-CGI php5-wrapper.fcgi wrapper that was wrapping the /dh/local/php5.cgi in the fast-cgi.. but can I use a custom php.ini If I am not using fast-cgi? I am really worried. Thanks, askApache

Message from DreamHost

RE: MY ENTIRE ROOT FOLDER GOT MOVED (Dec 5th, 2006 - 14:33:19 / #9394272)

The bottom line is we cannot support anything, whether it is in the wiki or not, if it is damaging the server. I appreciate the steps you've taken to help take the server load down. It could be that launching ALL of your websites in this manner was what was hurting the machine. We really cannot encourage the use of custom php.ini due to the security implications. Please keep in mind that if you do decide to move forward with the custom php.ini's, that we do reserve the right to disable anything that is hurting the server due to high load or security compromise. Thank you for your patience and understanding! Terri

1. http://wordpress.org/support/topic/105043
2. http://jayallen.org/journey/2006/10/dreamhost_movable_type_and_fastcgi
3. http://automatthias.wordpress.com/2006/12/01/django-on-dreamhost-incomplete-headers/
4. http://forum.textdrive.com/viewtopic.php?id=1614