session_start(): Failed to read session data Topic is solved

[mmurray]

I receive the above message even though the temp directory is writable and required PHP modules are installed.
This happened on a local copy of a site (in Xampp) that I just upgraded PHP from 7.3 to 7.4.

Site giving session_start() error even though directory is writable

Warning: session_start(): Failed to read session data: user (path: C:\xampp74\tmp) in C:\xampp74\htdocs\ypp\libraries\joomla\session\handler\native.php on line 260 Error: Failed to start application: Failed to start the session

[16-Aug-2022 11:16:11 Europe/Berlin] PHP Warning: Division by zero in C:\xampp74\htdocs\ypp\fpa-en.php on line 7619

checked that required modules are running, checked directory privileges

Joomla! Instance :: Joomla! 3.10.10-Stable (Daraja) 18-June-2022
Joomla! Platform :: Joomla Platform 13.1.0-Stable (Curiosity) 24-Apr-2013
Joomla! Configured :: Yes | Writable (666) |
Configuration Options :: Offline: false | SEF: true | SEF Suffix: false | SEF ReWrite: true | .htaccess/web.config: Yes | GZip: false | Cache: false | CacheTime: 15 | CacheHandler: file | CachePlatformPrefix: false | FTP Layer: false | Proxy: false | LiveSite: | Session lifetime: 15 | Session handler: database | Shared sessions: false | SSL: 2 | Error Reporting: default | Site Debug: false | Language Debug: false | Default Access: Public | Unicode Slugs: false | dbConnection Type: mysqli | PHP Supports J! 3.10.10: Yes | Database Supports J! 3.10.10: Yes | Database Credentials Present: Yes |

Host Configuration :: OS: Windows NT | OS Version: 10.0 | Technology: AMD64 | Web Server: Apache/2.4.53 (Win64) OpenSSL/1.1.1n PHP/7.4.29 | Encoding: gzip, deflate, br | System TMP Writable: Yes | Free Disk Space : 276.85 GiB |

PHP Configuration :: Version: 7.4.29 | PHP API: apache2handler | Session Path Writable: Yes | Display Errors: 0 | Error Reporting: 22527 | Log Errors To: C:\xampp74\php\logs\php_error_log | Last Known Error: 16th August 2022 11:16:50. | Register Globals: | Magic Quotes: | Safe Mode: | Allow url fopen: 1 | Open Base: | Uploads: 1 | Max. Upload Size: 40M | Max. POST Size: 40M | Max. Input Time: 60 | Max. Execution Time: 120 | Memory Limit: 512M

Database Configuration :: Version: 5.5.5-10.4.24-MariaDB (Client:mysqlnd 7.4.29) | Database Size: 32.21 MiB | #of Tables with config prefix:  105 | #of other Tables:  0 | User Privileges : GRANT SELECTUser Privileges : INSERTUser Privileges : UPDATEUser Privileges : DELETEUser Privileges : CREATEUser Privileges : DROPUser Privileges : RELOADUser Privileges : SHUTDOWNUser Privileges : PROCESSUser Privileges : FILEUser Privileges : REFERENCESUser Privileges : INDEXUser Privileges : ALTERUser Privileges : SHOW DATABASESUser Privileges : SUPERUser Privileges : CREATE TEMPORARY TABLESUser Privileges : LOCK TABLESUser Privileges : EXECUTEUser Privileges : REPLICATION SLAVEUser Privileges : REPLICATION CLIENTUser Privileges : CREATE VIEWUser Privileges : SHOW VIEWUser Privileges : CREATE ROUTINEUser Privileges : ALTER ROUTINEUser Privileges : CREATE USERUser Privileges : EVENTUser Privileges : TRIGGERUser Privileges : CREATE TABLESPACE ON *.* TO `ct_yppu_lcjxg`@`%` IDENTIFIED BY PASSWORD '*588D8B69EE191A1C54B6EA9A3D411CD16F7246F0' WITH GRANT OPTION

PHP Extensions :: Core (7.4.29) | bcmath (7.4.29) | calendar (7.4.29) | ctype (7.4.29) | date (7.4.29) | filter (7.4.29) | hash (7.4.29) | iconv (7.4.29) | json (7.4.29) | SPL (7.4.29) | pcre (7.4.29) | readline (7.4.29) | Reflection (7.4.29) | session (7.4.29) | standard (7.4.29) | mysqlnd (mysqlnd 7.4.29) | tokenizer (7.4.29) | zip (1.15.6) | zlib (7.4.29) | libxml (7.4.29) | dom (20031129) | PDO (7.4.29) | bz2 (7.4.29) | SimpleXML (7.4.29) | xml (7.4.29) | xmlreader (7.4.29) | xmlwriter (7.4.29) | apache2handler (7.4.29) | openssl (7.4.29) | curl (7.4.29) | fileinfo (7.4.29) | gd (7.4.29) | gettext (7.4.29) | mbstring (7.4.29) | exif (7.4.29) | mysqli (7.4.29) | pdo_mysql (7.4.29) | pdo_sqlite (7.4.29) | Phar (7.4.29) | ftp (7.4.29) | Zend Engine (3.4.0) |
Potential Missing Extensions ::

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

Apache Modules :: core | mod_win32 | mpm_winnt | http_core | mod_so | mod_access_compat | mod_actions | mod_alias | mod_allowmethods | mod_asis | mod_auth_basic | mod_authn_core | mod_authn_file | mod_authz_core | mod_authz_groupfile | mod_authz_host | mod_authz_user | mod_autoindex | mod_cgi | mod_dav_lock | mod_dir | mod_env | mod_headers | mod_include | mod_info | mod_isapi | mod_log_config | mod_cache_disk | mod_mime | mod_negotiation | mod_proxy | mod_proxy_ajp | mod_rewrite | mod_setenvif | mod_socache_shmcb | mod_ssl | mod_status | mod_version | mod_php7 | Apache/2.4.53 (Win64) OpenSSL/1.1.1n PHP/7.4.29 |
Potential Missing Modules :: mod_expires | mod_deflate |

Core Folders :: images/ (Writable) | components/ (Writable) | modules/ (Writable) | plugins/ (Writable) | language/ (Writable) | templates/ (Writable) | cache/ (Writable) | logs/ (Writable) | tmp/ (Writable) | administrator/components/ (Writable) | administrator/modules/ (Writable) | administrator/language/ (Writable) | administrator/templates/ (Writable) | administrator/logs/ (Does Not Exist) |

Database statistics :: Uptime: 317 | Threads: 6 | Questions: 36 | Slow queries: 0 | Opens: 44 | Flush tables: 1 | Open tables: 37 | Queries per second avg: 0.113 |

Components :: Site ::
Core :: com_mailto (3.0.0) ? | com_wrapper (3.0.0) ? |
3rd Party:: WF_AGGREGATOR_DAILYMOTION_TITLE (2.6.9) ? | WF_AGGREGATOR_VIMEO_TITLE (2.6.9) ? | WF_AGGREGATOR_VINE_TITLE (2.6.9) ? | WF_AGGREGATOR_[youtube]_TITLE (2.6.9) ? | WF_FILESYSTEM_JOOMLA_TITLE (2.6.9) ? | WF_LINKS_JOOMLALINKS_TITLE (2.6.9) ? | WF_POPUPS_JCEMEDIABOX_TITLE (2.6.9) ? | WF_POPUPS_WINDOW_TITLE (2.6.9) ? | WF_LINK_SEARCH_TITLE (2.6.9) ? | WF_ANCHOR_TITLE (2.6.9) ? | WF_ARTICLE_TITLE (2.6.9) ? | WF_AUTOSAVE_TITLE (2.6.9) ? | WF_BROWSER_TITLE (2.6.9) ? | WF_CHARMAP_TITLE (2.6.9) ? | WF_CLEANUP_TITLE (2.6.9) ? | WF_CLIPBOARD_TITLE (2.6.9) ? | WF_CONTEXTMENU_TITLE (2.6.9) ? | WF_DIRECTIONALITY_TITLE (2.6.9) ? | WF_EMOTIONS_TITLE (2.6.9) ? | WF_FONTCOLOR_TITLE (2.6.9) ? | WF_FONTSELECT_TITLE (2.6.9) ? | WF_FONTSIZESELECT_TITLE (2.6.9) ? | WF_FORMATSELECT_TITLE (2.6.9) ? | WF_FULLSCREEN_TITLE (2.6.9) ? | WF_HR_TITLE (2.6.9) ? | WF_IMGMANAGER_TITLE (2.6.9) ? | WF_INLINEPOPUPS_TITLE (2.6.9) ? | WF_KITCHENSINK_TITLE (2.6.9) ? | WF_LAYER_TITLE (2.6.9) ? | WF_LINK_TITLE (2.6.9) ? | WF_LISTS_TITLE (2.6.9) ? | WF_MEDIA_TITLE (2.6.9) ? | WF_NONBREAKING_TITLE (2.6.9) ? | WF_PREVIEW_TITLE (2.6.9) ? | WF_PRINT_TITLE (2.6.9) ? | WF_SEARCHREPLACE_TITLE (2.6.9) ? | WF_SOURCE_TITLE (2.6.9) ? | WF_SPELLCHECKER_TITLE (2.6.9) ? | WF_STYLE_TITLE (2.6.9) ? | WF_STYLESELECT_TITLE (2.6.9) ? | WF_TABLE_TITLE (2.6.9) ? | WF_TEXTCASE_TITLE (2.6.9) ? | WF_VISUALBLOCKS_TITLE (2.6.9) ? | WF_VISUALCHARS_TITLE (2.6.9) ? | WF_XHTMLXTRAS_TITLE (2.6.9) ? |

Components :: Admin ::
Core :: com_actionlogs (3.9.0) ? | com_admin (3.0.0) ? | com_ajax (3.2.0) ? | com_associations (3.7.0) ? | com_banners (3.0.0) ? | com_cache (3.0.0) ? | com_categories (3.0.0) ? | com_checkin (3.0.0) ? | com_config (3.0.0) ? | com_content (3.0.0) ? | com_contenthistory (3.2.0) ? | com_cpanel (3.0.0) ? | com_fields (3.7.0) ? | com_finder (3.0.0) ? | com_installer (3.0.0) ? | com_joomlaupdate (3.10.1) ? | com_languages (3.0.0) ? | com_login (3.0.0) ? | com_media (3.0.0) ? | com_menus (3.0.0) ? | com_messages (3.0.0) ? | com_modules (3.0.0) ? | com_newsfeeds (3.0.0) ? | com_plugins (3.0.0) ? | com_postinstall (3.2.0) ? | com_privacy (3.9.0) ? | com_redirect (3.0.0) ? | com_search (3.0.0) ? | com_tags (3.1.0) ? | com_templates (3.0.0) ? | com_users (3.0.0) ? | com_weblinks (3.9.0) ? |
3rd Party:: Akeeba (3.7.10) ? | COM_JCE (2.6.9) ? | com_rsform (3.1.0) ? |

Modules :: Site ::
Core :: mod_articles_archive (3.0.0) ? | mod_articles_categories (3.0.0) ? | mod_articles_category (3.0.0) ? | mod_articles_latest (3.0.0) ? | mod_articles_news (3.0.0) ? | mod_articles_popular (3.0.0) ? | mod_banners (3.0.0) ? | mod_breadcrumbs (3.0.0) ? | mod_custom (3.0.0) ? | mod_feed (3.0.0) ? | mod_finder (3.0.0) ? | mod_footer (3.0.0) ? | mod_languages (3.5.0) ? | mod_login (3.0.0) ? | mod_menu (3.0.0) ? | mod_random_image (3.0.0) ? | mod_related_items (3.0.0) ? | mod_search (3.0.0) ? | mod_stats (3.0.0) ? | mod_syndicate (3.0.0) ? | mod_tags_popular (3.1.0) ? | mod_tags_similar (3.1.0) ? | mod_users_latest (3.0.0) ? | mod_weblinks (3.9.0) ? | mod_whosonline (3.0.0) ? | mod_wrapper (3.0.0) ? |
3rd Party:: BT Facebook LikeBox (1.5) ? | Vinaora Visitors Counter (2.5.1) ? | ZT Visitor Counter module (1.0.0) ? |

Modules :: Admin ::
Core :: mod_custom (3.0.0) ? | mod_feed (3.0.0) ? | mod_latest (3.0.0) ? | mod_latestactions (3.9.0) ? | mod_logged (3.0.0) ? | mod_login (3.0.0) ? | mod_menu (3.0.0) ? | mod_multilangstatus (3.0.0) ? | mod_popular (3.0.0) ? | mod_privacy_dashboard (3.9.0) ? | mod_quickicon (3.0.0) ? | mod_sampledata (3.8.0) ? | mod_stats_admin (3.0.0) ? | mod_status (3.0.0) ? | mod_submenu (3.0.0) ? | mod_title (3.0.0) ? | mod_toolbar (3.0.0) ? | mod_version (3.0.0) ? |
3rd Party:: Reset Hits module (3.2.0) ? |

Libraries ::
Core ::
3rd Party::

Plugins ::
Core :: PLG_ACTIONLOG_JOOMLA (3.9.0) ? | plg_authentication_cookie (3.0.0) ? | plg_authentication_gmail (3.0.0) ? | plg_authentication_joomla (3.0.0) ? | plg_authentication_ldap (3.0.0) ? | plg_captcha_recaptcha (3.4.0) ? | plg_captcha_recaptcha_invisible (3.8) ? | plg_content_confirmconsent (3.9.0) ? | plg_content_emailcloak (3.0.0) ? | plg_content_fields (3.7.0) ? | plg_content_finder (3.0.0) ? | plg_content_geshi (2.5.0) ? | plg_content_joomla (3.0.0) ? | plg_content_loadmodule (3.0.0) ? | plg_content_pagebreak (3.0.0) ? | plg_content_pagenavigation (3.0.0) ? | plg_content_vote (3.0.0) ? | plg_editors-xtd_article (3.0.0) ? | plg_editors-xtd_fields (3.7.0) ? | plg_editors-xtd_image (3.0.0) ? | plg_editors-xtd_menu (3.7.0) ? | plg_editors-xtd_module (3.5.0) ? | plg_editors-xtd_pagebreak (3.0.0) ? | plg_editors-xtd_readmore (3.0.0) ? | plg_editors-xtd_weblink (3.9.0) ? | plg_extension_joomla (3.0.0) ? | plg_fields_calendar (3.7.0) ? | plg_fields_checkboxes (3.7.0) ? | plg_fields_color (3.7.0) ? | plg_fields_editor (3.7.0) ? | plg_fields_imagelist (3.7.0) ? | plg_fields_integer (3.7.0) ? | plg_fields_list (3.7.0) ? | plg_fields_media (3.7.0) ? | plg_fields_radio (3.7.0) ? | plg_fields_repeatable (3.9.0) ? | plg_fields_sql (3.7.0) ? | plg_fields_text (3.7.0) ? | plg_fields_textarea (3.7.0) ? | plg_fields_url (3.7.0) ? | plg_fields_user (3.7.0) ? | plg_fields_usergrouplist (3.7.0) ? | plg_finder_categories (3.0.0) ? | plg_finder_contacts (3.0.0) ? | plg_finder_content (3.0.0) ? | plg_finder_newsfeeds (3.0.0) ? | plg_finder_tags (3.0.0) ? | plg_finder_weblinks (3.9.0) ? | PLG_INSTALLER_FOLDERINSTALLER (3.6.0) ? | plg_installer_packageinstaller (3.6.0) ? | PLG_INSTALLER_URLINSTALLER (3.6.0) ? | plg_installer_webinstaller (2.1.2) ? | plg_privacy_actionlogs (3.9.0) ? | plg_privacy_consents (3.9.0) ? | plg_privacy_content (3.9.0) ? | plg_privacy_message (3.9.0) ? | plg_privacy_user (3.9.0) ? | plg_quickicon_eos310 (3.10.0) ? | plg_quickicon_extensionupdate (3.0.0) ? | plg_quickicon_joomlaupdate (3.0.0) ? | plg_quickicon_phpversioncheck (3.7.0) ? | plg_quickicon_privacycheck (3.9.0) ? | plg_search_categories (3.0.0) ? | plg_search_contacts (3.0.0) ? | plg_search_content (3.0.0) ? | plg_search_newsfeeds (3.0.0) ? | plg_search_tags (3.0.0) ? | plg_search_weblinks (3.9.0) ? | PLG_SYSTEM_ACTIONLOGS (3.9.0) ? | plg_system_cache (3.0.0) ? | plg_system_debug (3.0.0) ? | plg_system_fields (3.7.0) ? | plg_system_highlight (3.0.0) ? | plg_system_languagecode (3.0.0) ? | plg_system_languagefilter (3.0.0) ? | plg_system_log (3.0.0) ? | plg_system_logout (3.0.0) ? | plg_system_logrotation (3.9.0) ? | plg_system_p3p (3.0.0) ? | plg_system_privacyconsent (3.9.0) ? | plg_system_redirect (3.0.0) ? | plg_system_remember (3.0.0) ? | plg_system_sef (3.0.0) ? | plg_system_sessiongc (3.8.6) ? | plg_system_stats (3.5.0) ? | plg_system_updatenotification (3.5.0) ? | plg_system_weblinks (3.9.0) ? | plg_twofactorauth_totp (3.2.0) ? | plg_twofactorauth_yubikey (3.2.0) ? | plg_user_contactcreator (3.0.0) ? | plg_user_joomla (3.0.0) ? | plg_user_profile (3.0.0) ? | plg_user_terms (3.9.0) ? |
3rd Party:: plg_content_articlehits (1.0) ? | plg_content_jce (2.6.9) ? | smartresizer (1.18 J25-30) ? | plg_editors_codemirror (5.60.0) ? | plg_editors_jce (2.6.9) ? | plg_editors_tinymce (4.5.12) ? | plg_extension_jce (2.6.9) ? | plg_installer_jce (2.6.9) ? | plg_installer_rsform (1.0.0) ? | PLG_JMONITORING_AKEEBABACKUP_TITLE (1.0) ? | plg_quickicon_jce (2.6.0-pro-bet) ? | plg_system_f90resethits (0.0.2) ? | plg_system_jce (2.6.9) ? | System - RSForm! Pro Delete Submiss (1.0.0) ? | System - RSForm! Pro reCAPTCHA v2 (3.1.0) ? | plg_vvisit_counter (2.5.0) ? | System - ZT Visitor Counter plugin (1.0.0) ? |

Templates :: Site :: atomic (2.5.0) ? | beez3 (3.1.0) ? | beez5 (2.5.0) ? | beez_20 (2.5.0) ? | moyoo blue dog (1.0) ? | moyoo blue dog (1.0) ? | protostar (1.0) ? | Yp Puppy (1.0) ? |
Templates :: Admin :: bluestork (2.5.0) ? | bluestork (2.5.0) ? | hathor (3.0.0) ? | isis (1.0) ? |

[mmurray]

Fixed:
I apologise if I have wasted anybody's time.
The problem was that there were several corrupt tables in the database.
I deleted the database and restored from backup and it is now okay.

thanks

[Per Yngve Berg]

Instead of a restore, you should have repaired the database table in phpmyadmin.

I will recommend to change the session handler from 'database' to 'php' in Global Configuration. That will offload the database with sessions and Increase performance.