Site won't load after php upgrade but FPA output looks clean

[betheart]

I upgraded my Joomla site from 7.1 to 7.3.26 (after making sure Joomla and all modules were up-to-date), and now I get the following error:
Error: Failed to start application: Failed to start the session
I ran the Forum Post Assistant, and I can't spot any errors. Can you please help?
Here's the FPA output:

[14-Jan-2021 10:11:29 America/Chicago] PHP Warning: Version warning: Imagick was compiled against Image Magick version 1654 but version 1650 is loaded. Imagick will run but may behave surprisingly in Unknown on line 0

Joomla! Instance :: Joomla! 3.9.23-Stable (Amani) 24-November-2020
Joomla! Platform :: Joomla Platform 13.1.0-Stable (Curiosity) 24-Apr-2013
Joomla! Configured :: Yes | Writable (644) |
Configuration Options :: Offline: false | SEF: true | SEF Suffix: false | SEF ReWrite: false | .htaccess/web.config: Yes | GZip: false | Cache: false | CacheTime: 15 | CacheHandler: file | CachePlatformPrefix: N/A | FTP Layer: false | Proxy: false | LiveSite: | Session lifetime: 150 | Session handler: database | Shared sessions: N/A | SSL: 0 | Error Reporting: simple | Site Debug: false | Language Debug: false | Default Access: 1 | Unicode Slugs: false | dbConnection Type: mysqli | PHP Supports J! 3.9.23: Yes | Database Supports J! 3.9.23: Yes | Database Credentials Present: Yes |

Host Configuration :: OS: Linux | OS Version: 4.14.121-197.ELK.el6.x86_64 | Technology: x86_64 | Web Server: Apache | Encoding: gzip, deflate, br | System TMP Writable: Yes | Free Disk Space : 1196.79 GiB |

PHP Configuration :: Version: 7.3.26 | PHP API: cgi-fcgi | Session Path Writable: Yes | Display Errors: | Error Reporting: 32759 | Log Errors To: error_log | Last Known Error: 14th January 2021 10:12:31. | Register Globals: | Magic Quotes: | Safe Mode: | Allow url fopen: 1 | Open Base: | Uploads: 1 | Max. Upload Size: 256M | Max. POST Size: 260M | Max. Input Time: 60 | Max. Execution Time: 30 | Memory Limit: 256M

Database Configuration :: Version: 5.6.41-84.1 (Client:mysqlnd 5.0.12-dev - 20150407 - $Id: 7cc7cc96e675f6d72e5cf0f267f48e167c2abb23 $) | Database Size: 14.01 MiB | #of Tables with config prefix:  110 | #of other Tables:  99 | User Privileges : GRANT ALL

PHP Extensions :: Core (7.3.26) | date (7.3.26) | libxml (7.3.26) | openssl (7.3.26) | pcre (7.3.26) | zlib (7.3.26) | filter (7.3.26) | hash (7.3.26) | pcntl (7.3.26) | readline (7.3.26) | Reflection (7.3.26) | SPL (7.3.26) | session (7.3.26) | standard (7.3.26) | cgi-fcgi () | bcmath (7.3.26) | bz2 (7.3.26) | calendar (7.3.26) | ctype (7.3.26) | curl (7.3.26) | dom (20031129) | mbstring (7.3.26) | fileinfo (7.3.26) | ftp (7.3.26) | gd (7.3.26) | gettext (7.3.26) | gmp (7.3.26) | iconv (7.3.26) | imap (7.3.26) | intl (7.3.26) | json (1.7.0) | exif (7.3.26) | mysqlnd (mysqlnd 5.0.12-dev - 20150407 - $Id: 7cc7cc96e675f6d72e5cf0f267f48e167c2abb23 $) | odbc (7.3.26) | PDO (7.3.26) | pgsql (7.3.26) | Phar (7.3.26) | posix (7.3.26) | pspell (7.3.26) | SimpleXML (7.3.26) | soap (7.3.26) | sockets (7.3.26) | sqlite3 (7.3.26) | tidy (7.3.26) | tokenizer (7.3.26) | xml (7.3.26) | xmlwriter (7.3.26) | xsl (7.3.26) | zip (1.15.4) | mysqli (7.3.26) | pdo_mysql (7.3.26) | PDO_ODBC (7.3.26) | pdo_pgsql (7.3.26) | pdo_sqlite (7.3.26) | wddx (7.3.26) | xmlreader (7.3.26) | xmlrpc (7.3.26) | imagick (3.4.3) | SourceGuardian (11.4.1) | ionCube Loader (10.4.5) | Zend Engine (3.3.26) |
Potential Missing Extensions ::

Switch User Environment :: PHP CGI: Yes | Server SU: Yes | PHP SU: Yes | Potential Ownership Issues: No

Core Folders :: images/ (755) | components/ (755) | modules/ (755) | plugins/ (755) | language/ (755) | templates/ (755) | cache/ (755) | logs/ (755) | tmp/ (755) | administrator/components/ (755) | administrator/modules/ (755) | administrator/language/ (755) | administrator/templates/ (755) | administrator/logs/ (---) |

Elevated Permissions (First 10) ::

Database statistics :: Uptime: 13358866 | Threads: 3 | Questions: 2547381111 | Slow queries: 634 | Opens: 1913306 | Flush tables: 1 | Open tables: 20000 | Queries per second avg: 190.688 |

Components :: Site ::
Core :: com_wrapper (3.0.0) 1 | com_mailto (3.0.0) 1 |
3rd Party::

Components :: Admin ::
Core :: com_checkin (3.0.0) 1 | com_messages (3.0.0) 1 | com_contenthistory (3.2.0) 1 | com_redirect (3.0.0) 1 | com_config (3.0.0) 1 | com_categories (3.0.0) 1 | com_users (3.0.0) 1 | com_installer (3.0.0) 1 | com_fields (3.7.0) 1 | com_joomlaupdate (3.6.2) 1 | com_templates (3.0.0) 1 | com_search (3.0.0) 1 | com_actionlogs (3.9.0) 1 | com_plugins (3.0.0) 1 | com_weblinks (3.7.0) 1 | com_ajax (3.2.0) 1 | com_privacy (3.9.0) 1 | com_cache (3.0.0) 1 | com_admin (3.0.0) 1 | com_associations (3.7.0) 1 | com_modules (3.0.0) 1 | com_finder (3.0.0) 1 | com_content (3.0.0) 1 | com_newsfeeds (3.0.0) 1 | com_menus (3.0.0) 1 | com_languages (3.0.0) 1 | com_tags (3.1.0) 1 | com_cpanel (3.0.0) 1 | com_postinstall (3.2.0) 1 | com_banners (3.0.0) 1 | com_media (3.0.0) 1 | com_login (3.0.0) 1 |
3rd Party:: Categories (1.0.0) ? | FaLang (1.7.0) ? | com_falang (1.4.5) 1 | eXtplorer (2.1.6) ? | RokSprocket (2.1.28) 1 | RokCandy (2.0.4) 1 | Akeeba (7.4.0) 1 | RokGallery (2.46) 1 | COM_GANTRY (4.1.43) 1 | COM_FORMMAKER (3.5.4) ? |

Modules :: Site ::
Core :: mod_syndicate (3.0.0) 1 | mod_weblinks (3.7.0) 1 | mod_articles_categories (3.0.0) 1 | mod_articles_popular (3.0.0) 1 | mod_custom (3.0.0) 1 | mod_finder (3.0.0) 1 | mod_articles_category (3.0.0) 1 | mod_random_image (3.0.0) 1 | mod_languages (3.5.0) 1 | mod_related_items (3.0.0) 1 | mod_articles_archive (3.0.0) 1 | mod_banners (3.0.0) 1 | mod_tags_popular (3.1.0) 1 | mod_menu (3.0.0) 1 | mod_articles_latest (3.0.0) 1 | mod_search (3.0.0) 1 | mod_breadcrumbs (3.0.0) 1 | mod_whosonline (3.0.0) 1 | mod_feed (3.0.0) 1 | mod_login (3.0.0) 1 | mod_tags_similar (3.1.0) 1 | mod_footer (3.0.0) 1 | mod_users_latest (3.0.0) 1 | mod_wrapper (3.0.0) 1 | mod_stats (3.0.0) 1 | mod_articles_news (3.0.0) 1 |
3rd Party:: mod_falang (1.4.5) 1 | Custom Facebook Display (1.0.0) 1 | RokNavMenu (2.0.9) 1 | RokSprocket Module (2.1.28) 1 | Art Feature Carousel (1.9.3) 1 | RokGallery Module (2.46) 1 | RokAjaxSearch (2.0.6) 1 | Form Maker Module (3.5.4) 1 |

Modules :: Admin ::
Core :: mod_sampledata (3.8.0) 1 | mod_latest (3.0.0) 1 | mod_toolbar (3.0.0) 1 | mod_multilangstatus (3.0.0) 1 | mod_popular (3.0.0) 1 | mod_custom (3.0.0) 1 | mod_latestactions (3.9.0) 1 | mod_title (3.0.0) 1 | mod_logged (3.0.0) 1 | mod_menu (3.0.0) 1 | mod_version (3.0.0) 1 | mod_privacy_dashboard (3.9.0) 1 | mod_feed (3.0.0) 1 | mod_quickicon (3.0.0) 1 | mod_login (3.0.0) 1 | mod_status (3.0.0) 1 | mod_submenu (3.0.0) 1 | mod_stats_admin (3.0.0) 1 |
3rd Party::

Libraries ::
Core ::
3rd Party:: RokCommon (3.1.11) 1 | file_fof30 (3.6.2) ? | Gantry (4.1.25) 1 |

Plugins ::
Core :: PLG_ACTIONLOG_JOOMLA (3.9.0) 1 | plg_quickicon_privacycheck (3.9.0) 1 | plg_quickicon_phpversioncheck (3.7.0) 1 | plg_quickicon_joomlaupdate (3.0.0) 1 | plg_quickicon_extensionupdate (3.0.0) 1 | plg_fields_radio (3.7.0) 1 | plg_fields_imagelist (3.7.0) 1 | plg_fields_list (3.7.0) 1 | plg_fields_repeatable (3.9.0) 1 | plg_fields_usergrouplist (3.7.0) 1 | plg_fields_textarea (3.7.0) 1 | plg_fields_sql (3.7.0) 1 | plg_fields_checkboxes (3.7.0) 1 | plg_fields_user (3.7.0) 1 | plg_fields_calendar (3.7.0) 1 | plg_fields_media (3.7.0) 1 | plg_fields_editor (3.7.0) 1 | plg_fields_color (3.7.0) 1 | plg_fields_integer (3.7.0) 1 | plg_fields_url (3.7.0) 1 | plg_fields_text (3.7.0) 1 | plg_editors-xtd_module (3.5.0) 1 | plg_editors-xtd_fields (3.7.0) 1 | plg_editors-xtd_pagebreak (3.0.0) 1 | plg_editors-xtd_menu (3.7.0) 1 | plg_editors-xtd_article (3.0.0) 1 | plg_editors-xtd_readmore (3.0.0) 1 | plg_editors-xtd_image (3.0.0) 1 | plg_editors-xtd_weblink (3.7.0) 0 | plg_content_confirmconsent (3.9.0) 0 | plg_content_joomla (3.0.0) 1 | plg_content_pagenavigation (3.0.0) 1 | plg_content_fields (3.7.0) 1 | plg_content_emailcloak (3.0.0) 1 | plg_content_pagebreak (3.0.0) 1 | plg_content_loadmodule (3.0.0) 1 | plg_content_finder (3.0.0) 0 | plg_content_vote (3.0.0) 1 | plg_system_highlight (3.0.0) 1 | plg_system_debug (3.0.0) 1 | plg_system_languagefilter (3.0.0) 1 | plg_system_logout (3.0.0) 1 | PLG_SYSTEM_ACTIONLOGS (3.9.0) 0 | plg_system_p3p (3.0.0) 1 | plg_system_cache (3.0.0) 0 | plg_system_updatenotification (3.5.0) 1 | plg_system_redirect (3.0.0) 1 | plg_system_fields (3.7.0) 1 | plg_system_privacyconsent (3.9.0) 0 | plg_system_sessiongc (3.8.6) 1 | plg_system_remember (3.0.0) 1 | plg_system_sef (3.0.0) 1 | plg_system_stats (3.5.0) 1 | plg_system_log (3.0.0) 1 | plg_system_weblinks (3.7.0) 0 | plg_system_logrotation (3.9.0) 1 | plg_system_languagecode (3.0.0) 0 | plg_search_contacts (3.0.0) 1 | plg_search_tags (3.0.0) ? | plg_search_content (3.0.0) 1 | plg_search_categories (3.0.0) 1 | plg_search_weblinks (3.7.0) 1 | plg_search_newsfeeds (3.0.0) 1 | plg_finder_contacts (3.0.0) 1 | plg_finder_tags (3.0.0) 1 | plg_finder_content (3.0.0) 1 | plg_finder_categories (3.0.0) 1 | plg_finder_weblinks (3.7.0) 1 | plg_finder_newsfeeds (3.0.0) 1 | plg_user_profile (3.0.0) 0 | plg_user_joomla (3.0.0) 1 | plg_user_terms (3.9.0) 0 | plg_user_contactcreator (3.0.0) 0 | plg_twofactorauth_totp (3.2.0) 0 | plg_twofactorauth_yubikey (3.2.0) 0 | plg_authentication_cookie (3.0.0) 1 | plg_authentication_ldap (3.0.0) 0 | plg_authentication_joomla (3.0.0) 1 | plg_authentication_gmail (3.0.0) 0 | plg_captcha_recaptcha_invisible (3.8) 0 | plg_captcha_recaptcha (3.4.0) 1 | plg_extension_joomla (3.0.0) 1 | plg_installer_packageinstaller (3.6.0) 1 | PLG_INSTALLER_URLINSTALLER (3.6.0) 1 | PLG_INSTALLER_FOLDERINSTALLER (3.6.0) 1 | plg_installer_webinstaller (2.1.2) 1 | plg_privacy_message (3.9.0) 1 | plg_privacy_actionlogs (3.9.0) 1 | plg_privacy_content (3.9.0) 1 | plg_privacy_consents (3.9.0) 1 | plg_privacy_user (3.9.0) 1 |
3rd Party:: PLG_ACTIONLOG_AKEEBABACKUP (7.4.0) 0 | plg_quickicon_akeebabackup (7.4.0) 1 | plg_editors_codemirror (5.56.0) 1 | RokPad (2.1.10) 1 | plg_editors_tinymce (4.5.12) 1 | Button - RokBox (2.0.15) 1 | Button - RokGallery (2.46) 1 | Button - RokCandy (2.0.4) 1 | Content - RokInjectModule (2.1.28) 1 | RokBox (2.0.15) 1 | Content - Html5 Player (1.0) 1 | Content - MooAccordion Show/Hide (i (1.0.4) ? | AllVideos (by JoomlaWorks) (6.1.0) 1 | AllVideos (by JoomlaWorks) (6.1.0) 1 | Content - Load Form Maker (3.5.4) 1 | PLG_SYSTEM_MODALS (5.2.1FREE) 1 | System - RokBox (2.0.15) 1 | System - RokCommon (3.2.9) 1 | System - Central Administrator (2.1.1) 1 | System - Gantry 4 (4.1.43) 1 | plg_system_falangdriver (1.4.5) 1 | System - RokExtender (2.0.0) 1 | PLG_SYSTEM_NNFRAMEWORK (15.1.6) 1 | System - RokGallery (2.46) 1 | System - StarLite Pretty Photo (1.2) 1 | Shadowbox Media Viewer (4.1) 1 | System - RokBooster (1.1.18) 0 | System - RokSprocket (2.1.28) 1 | PLG_SYSTEM_BACKUPONUPDATE (7.4.0) 1 | System - RokCandy (2.0.4) 1 | PLG_SYSTEM_AKEEBAUPDATECHECK (7.3.0) 0 | Installer - Central Administrator (1.0.0) 1 |

Templates :: Site :: protostar (1.0) 1 | rt_voxel_responsive (1.7) 1 | beez3 (3.1.0) 1 |
Templates :: Admin :: hathor (3.0.0) 1 | isis (1.0) 1 |

[toivo]

If the site still reports a session start error, double check the database credentials and the connection to the database server.

The FPA results show a few issues:

SEF ReWrite: false | .htaccess/web.config: Yes

The site has an .htaccess file but SEF ReWrite has not been enabled.

Error Reporting: simple

Edit the file configuration.php in the main Joomla folder and change the level of error reporting from 'Simple' to 'Maximum' while you are troubleshooting:

Code: Select all

	public $error_reporting = 'maximum';

PLG_SYSTEM_NNFRAMEWORK (15.1.6) 1

The NoNumber Framework has been replaced with the Regular Labs Library.

At least the following third party extensions are out of date:

FaLang (1.7.0) ? | com_falang (1.4.5) 1

Version 3.4.5 was released yesterday, 13 January 2021.

eXtplorer (2.1.6) ?

The latest version is 2.1.13, updated in July 2019.

[betheart]

If the site still reports a session start error, double check the database credentials and the connection to the database server.

I edited configuration.php and changed the $password parameter to some other value, and reran the FPA. The FPA's database section then showed the following:
Connect To Mysqli No, Error(s) Reported
Connection Error 1045:Access denied for user '(username_redacted)' (using password: YES)
I then put the correct password back in configuration.php, reran the FPA, and the error went away.
Connect To Mysqli Yes, Connected
Doesn't that mean the database credentials are correct?
As for the other issues you mentioned, I don't know how to upgrade components when I can't access the site, or the administrative interface. Both give me the same error:

Error: Failed to start application: Failed to start the session

How can I get past that error?

[sozzled]

Error: Failed to start application: Failed to start the session

How can I get past that error?

Different problem: the problem relates to how you've configured session handling/management.

You're using PHP 7.x; best practice when using PHP 7.x with J! 3.9 is to not use the database to handle sessions; let PHP handle sessions. It's good practice for better performance, too. Discussed many times on the forum: suggest that you search to forum for answers; there are a lot of good ideas and solutions for these things.