Frontend down since updates to J3.9 and PHP7.2 Topic is solved

[Marvin_Martiano]

Hello, I've run through my limited book of tricks and am stumped: Beyond restoring from backup and hoping for the best I don't know.

Since update to J3.9 (from J3.8.13) and PHP7.2 (from 7.0), frontend just shows error message quoted below, while backend works as usual. No previous problems, no other changes, and simple site using few nonstandard extensions. This is my only site on BlueHost so cannot compare.

Warning: session_start(): Failed to read session data: user (path: /tmp) in /home3/ishpssbo/public_html/libraries/joomla/session/handler/native.php on line 260 Error: Failed to start application: Failed to start the session

[09-Nov-2018 09:38:47 UTC] PHP Warning: PHP Startup: Unable to load dynamic library 'oauth.so' (tried: /opt/cpanel/ea-php70/root/usr/lib64/php/modules/oauth.so (/opt/cpanel/ea-php70/root/usr/lib64/php/modules/oauth.so: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory), /opt/cpanel/ea-php70/root/usr/lib64/php/modules/oauth.so.so (/opt/cpanel/ea-php70/root/usr/lib64/php/modules/oauth.so.so: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory)) in Unknown on line 0

Used Akeeba Admin Tools to fix permission etc, cleared cache, etc; no effect. Read Forums without clear lead. Turned PHP to 7.1 as works on other sites.

Joomla! Instance :: Joomla! 3.9.0-Stable (Amani) 30-October-2018
Joomla! Platform :: Joomla Platform 13.1.0-Stable (Curiosity) 24-Apr-2013
Joomla! Configured :: Yes | Writable (644) | Owner: --protected-- . (uid: /gid: ) | Group: --protected-- (gid: ) | Valid For: 3.9
Configuration Options :: Offline: false | SEF: true | SEF Suffix: false | SEF ReWrite: true | .htaccess/web.config: Yes | GZip: false | Cache: true | CacheTime: 60 | 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: 1 | Unicode Slugs: false | dbConnection Type: mysqli | PHP Supports J! 3.9.0: Yes | Database Credentials Present: Yes |

Host Configuration :: OS: Linux | OS Version: 3.10.0-693.11.6.1.ELK.el6.x86_64 | Technology: x86_64 | Web Server: Apache | Encoding: gzip, deflate | Doc Root: --protected-- | System TMP Writable: Yes | Free Disk Space : 1271.46 GiB |

PHP Configuration :: Version: 7.2.11 | PHP API: cgi-fcgi | Session Path Writable: Yes | Display Errors: 1 | Error Reporting: 32759 | Log Errors To: error_log | Last Known Error: 09th November 2018 03:42:59. | Register Globals: | Magic Quotes: | Safe Mode: | Open Base: | Uploads: 1 | Max. Upload Size: 64M | Max. POST Size: 64M | Max. Input Time: 60 | Max. Execution Time: 30 | Memory Limit: 256M

Database Configuration :: Connection Error: : Database Credentials Present? in Configuration...

PHP Extensions :: Core (7.2.11) | date (7.2.11) | libxml (7.2.11) | openssl (7.2.11) | pcre (7.2.11) | zlib (7.2.11) | filter (7.2.11) | hash (1.0) | pcntl (7.2.11) | readline (7.2.11) | Reflection (7.2.11) | SPL (7.2.11) | session (7.2.11) | standard (7.2.11) | cgi-fcgi () | ionCube Loader () | Zend Engine (3.2.0) |
Potential Missing Extensions :: xml | zip | curl | iconv | mbstring | mysqli | pdo_mysql |
Disabled Functions :: dl |

Switch User Environment (Experimental) :: PHP CGI: Yes | Server SU: Yes | PHP SU: Yes | Custom SU (LiteSpeed/Cloud/Grid): No
Potential Ownership Issues: Maybe

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) ::

Components :: SITE ::
Core :: com_mailto (3.0.0) | com_wrapper (3.0.0) |
3rd Party:: WF_CLEANUP_TITLE (2.6.33) | WF_VISUALCHARS_TITLE (2.6.33) | WF_CONTEXTMENU_TITLE (2.6.33) | WF_SPELLCHECKER_TITLE (2.6.33) | WF_TEXTCASE_TITLE (2.6.33) | WF_FONTSELECT_TITLE (2.6.33) | WF_XHTMLXTRAS_TITLE (2.6.33) | WF_PREVIEW_TITLE (2.6.33) | WF_ARTICLE_TITLE (2.6.33) | WF_ANCHOR_TITLE (2.6.33) | WF_HR_TITLE (2.6.33) | WF_IMGMANAGER_TITLE (2.6.33) | WF_INLINEPOPUPS_TITLE (2.6.33) | WF_EMOTIONS_TITLE (2.6.33) | WF_MEDIA_TITLE (2.6.33) | WF_FONTCOLOR_TITLE (2.6.33) | WF_STYLESELECT_TITLE (2.6.33) | WF_FULLSCREEN_TITLE (2.6.33) | WF_FORMATSELECT_TITLE (2.6.33) | WF_SOURCE_TITLE (2.6.33) | WF_KITCHENSINK_TITLE (2.6.33) | WF_VISUALBLOCKS_TITLE (2.6.33) | WF_AUTOSAVE_TITLE (2.6.33) | WF_DIRECTIONALITY_TITLE (2.6.33) | WF_SEARCHREPLACE_TITLE (2.6.33) | WF_NONBREAKING_TITLE (2.6.33) | WF_BROWSER_TITLE (2.6.33) | WF_PRINT_TITLE (2.6.33) | WF_TABLE_TITLE (2.6.33) | WF_STYLE_TITLE (2.6.33) | WF_LINK_TITLE (2.6.33) | WF_LAYER_TITLE (2.6.33) | WF_LISTS_TITLE (2.6.33) | WF_CHARMAP_TITLE (2.6.33) | WF_CLIPBOARD_TITLE (2.6.33) | WF_FONTSIZESELECT_TITLE (2.6.33) | WF_FILESYSTEM_JOOMLA_TITLE (2.6.33) | WF_LINK_SEARCH_TITLE (2.6.33) | WF_POPUPS_WINDOW_TITLE (2.6.33) | WF_POPUPS_JCEMEDIABOX_TITLE (2.6.33) | WF_AGGREGATOR_VIMEO_TITLE (2.6.33) | WF_AGGREGATOR_[youtube]_TITLE (2.6.33) | WF_AGGREGATOR_DAILYMOTION_TITL (2.6.33) | WF_AGGREGATOR_VINE_TITLE (2.6.33) | WF_LINKS_JOOMLALINKS_TITLE (2.6.33) |

Components :: ADMIN ::
Core :: com_categories (3.0.0) | com_menus (3.0.0) | com_login (3.0.0) | com_tags (3.1.0) | com_contenthistory (3.2.0) | com_redirect (3.0.0) | com_fields (3.7.0) | com_plugins (3.0.0) | com_search (3.0.0) | com_media (3.0.0) | com_cache (3.0.0) | com_postinstall (3.2.0) | com_joomlaupdate (3.6.2) | com_modules (3.0.0) | com_templates (3.0.0) | com_finder (3.0.0) | com_cpanel (3.0.0) | com_associations (3.7.0) | com_installer (3.0.0) | com_languages (3.0.0) | com_checkin (3.0.0) | com_newsfeeds (3.0.0) | com_admin (3.0.0) | com_privacy (3.9.0) | com_messages (3.0.0) | com_banners (3.0.0) | com_content (3.0.0) | com_config (3.0.0) | com_actionlogs (3.9.0) | com_users (3.0.0) | com_ajax (3.2.0) |
3rd Party:: Admintools (5.1.4) | COM_JCE (2.6.33) | Akeeba (6.2.1) |

Modules :: SITE ::
Core :: mod_articles_news (3.0.0) | mod_finder (3.0.0) | mod_articles_category (3.0.0) | mod_breadcrumbs (3.0.0) | mod_banners (3.0.0) | mod_related_items (3.0.0) | mod_feed (3.0.0) | mod_custom (3.0.0) | mod_articles_latest (3.0.0) | mod_footer (3.0.0) | mod_articles_archive (3.0.0) | mod_tags_similar (3.1.0) | mod_syndicate (3.0.0) | mod_tags_popular (3.1.0) | mod_articles_categories (3.0.0) | mod_articles_popular (3.0.0) | mod_users_latest (3.0.0) | mod_menu (3.0.0) | mod_search (3.0.0) | mod_whosonline (3.0.0) | mod_languages (3.5.0) | mod_random_image (3.0.0) | mod_login (3.0.0) | mod_wrapper (3.0.0) | mod_stats (3.0.0) |
3rd Party::

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

Plugins :: SITE ::
Core :: plg_extension_joomla (3.0.0) | plg_user_joomla (3.0.0) | plg_user_terms (3.9.0) | plg_user_profile (3.0.0) | plg_user_contactcreator (3.0.0) | plg_search_categories (3.0.0) | plg_search_newsfeeds (3.0.0) | plg_search_tags (3.0.0) | plg_search_contacts (3.0.0) | plg_search_content (3.0.0) | plg_privacy_user (3.9.0) | plg_privacy_message (3.9.0) | plg_privacy_actionlogs (3.9.0) | plg_privacy_consents (3.9.0) | plg_privacy_content (3.9.0) | PLG_ACTIONLOG_JOOMLA (3.9.0) | PLG_INSTALLER_URLINSTALLER (3.6.0) | plg_installer_webinstaller (1.1.1) | PLG_INSTALLER_FOLDERINSTALLER (3.6.0) | plg_installer_packageinstaller (3.6.0) | plg_finder_categories (3.0.0) | plg_finder_newsfeeds (3.0.0) | plg_finder_tags (3.0.0) | plg_finder_contacts (3.0.0) | plg_finder_content (3.0.0) | plg_system_updatenotification (3.5.0) | plg_system_stats (3.5.0) | plg_system_log (3.0.0) | plg_system_logrotation (3.9.0) | plg_system_languagecode (3.0.0) | plg_system_privacyconsent (3.9.0) | plg_system_languagefilter (3.0.0) | plg_system_sef (3.0.0) | plg_system_sessiongc (3.8.6) | plg_system_remember (3.0.0) | plg_system_redirect (3.0.0) | plg_system_p3p (3.0.0) | plg_system_cache (3.0.0) | plg_system_highlight (3.0.0) | plg_system_logout (3.0.0) | PLG_SYSTEM_ACTIONLOGS (3.9.0) | plg_system_fields (3.7.0) | plg_system_debug (3.0.0) | plg_quickicon_joomlaupdate (3.0.0) | plg_quickicon_phpversioncheck (3.7.0) | plg_quickicon_extensionupdate (3.0.0) | plg_quickicon_privacycheck (3.9.0) | plg_twofactorauth_totp (3.2.0) | plg_twofactorauth_yubikey (3.2.0) | plg_captcha_recaptcha_invisibl (3.8) | plg_captcha_recaptcha (3.4.0) | plg_fields_editor (3.7.0) | plg_fields_user (3.7.0) | plg_fields_textarea (3.7.0) | plg_fields_url (3.7.0) | plg_fields_text (3.7.0) | plg_fields_calendar (3.7.0) | plg_fields_list (3.7.0) | plg_fields_media (3.7.0) | plg_fields_usergrouplist (3.7.0) | plg_fields_integer (3.7.0) | plg_fields_imagelist (3.7.0) | plg_fields_radio (3.7.0) | plg_fields_repeatable (3.9.0) | plg_fields_checkboxes (3.7.0) | plg_fields_sql (3.7.0) | plg_fields_color (3.7.0) | plg_editors-xtd_pagebreak (3.0.0) | plg_editors-xtd_article (3.0.0) | plg_editors-xtd_module (3.5.0) | plg_editors-xtd_readmore (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_authentication_ldap (3.0.0) | plg_authentication_joomla (3.0.0) | plg_authentication_cookie (3.0.0) | plg_authentication_gmail (3.0.0) | plg_content_pagebreak (3.0.0) | plg_content_emailcloak (3.0.0) | plg_content_vote (3.0.0) | plg_content_finder (3.0.0) | plg_content_joomla (3.0.0) | plg_content_pagenavigation (3.0.0) | plg_content_fields (3.7.0) | plg_content_loadmodule (3.0.0) | plg_content_confirmconsent (3.9.0) |
3rd Party:: plg_extension_jce (2.6.33) | plg_editors_tinymce (4.5.8) | plg_editors_jce (2.6.33) | plg_editors_codemirror (5.40.0) | plg_installer_jce (2.6.33) | plg_system_jce (2.6.33) | PLG_SYSTEM_BACKUPONUPDATE_TITL (3.7) | System - Admin Tools (5.1.4) | PLG_SYSTEM_AKEEBAUPDATECHECK_T (1.1) | plg_quickicon_jce (2.6.33) | plg_quickicon_akeebabackup (1.0) | plg_fields_mediajce (2.6.33) | plg_content_jce (2.6.33) |

Templates :: SITE :: beez3 (3.1.0) | ishstyle (1.0) | protostar (1.0) |
Templates :: ADMIN :: isis (1.0) | hathor (3.0.0) |

[Webdongle]

Fix your missing php extensions
Make sure your extensions are up to date (not all use Joomla's update notification)
Test with Protostar as default.

[Marvin_Martiano]

Thanks! You are absolutely right, the PHP is/was the problem. Reverting to PHP7.0 solved the problem (but gives me the security warning about ending support on the control panel).

Using PHP7.1 (which I run without problem on all other Joomla sites, but on other webhosts) gives me in the FPA, just like the PHP7.2 in my original post:

Potential Missing Extensions :: xml | zip | curl | iconv | mbstring | mysqli | pdo_mysql

So "Fix missing PHP extensions" seems to be out of my control --- the webhost allows for choosing PHP5.4/ 5.5/ 5.6/ 7.0/ 7.1/ 7.2, no fancier settings than that. I'll contact the webhost because it seems very weird that basic PHP extensions are missing? And thanks again!