HTTP Error 500.0 - Internal Server Error

[luther]

Relevant Info:
Windows Vista 32 bit
200 GB disk free space
3 GB memory
Server: Windows IIS7, local host
Zen Cart Version: 1.3.8a
Fresh Zen Cart Install
No add ons.
Currently using ArkiTEC-HD Black Template, but I have repeated this incident using Classic, and other templates.
The site is on local host, so I cannot post it. my intent is to upload the site when I solve this issue.
I checked the Internet and Zen FAQs areas, the most plausible answer seems to be:
"Sometimes the error may appear as a "500 Internal Server Error" or "406" error etc.
Cause:
Many servers nowadays use a tool in their Apache Web server software configuration called "mod_security" in order to prevent against hack attempts on the server. This tool monitors the content of words/data submitted in forms on web pages, and if certain keywords are found, it flags the entire form-submission as at-risk, and prevents the entered data from being saved.

Common keywords which may get flagged include: INSERT or LYNX or UPDATE and other commonly-used SQL commands"

I doubt that this is the problem because I am on Windows, but I cannot find other reasons that it happens. So long as I do not modify my \includes\meta_tags file, everything remains fine. So it may be a bug, but I am not sure. I need someone with more experience to advise on this. Is anyone else having this problem?
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This problem began Sunday afternoon when I modified text in the file meta_tags, located in zencart\includes\languages\english\. I search extensively via the Internet for solutions, but found a paucity of information with respect to this error relating to local hosting. I tried several different suggestions received over the Internet, then I just re-installed Zen Cart by running zc_install, which I plan to do again.


I use Notepad++ to edit the file and save it again as a php file. When I use Zen Admin to move to the Catalog store, I get the error. I have found no work around except to re-install and leave met_tags alone.
Each time I edit this file, my local host server sends me an error code 500 - internal server error. My changes to the code are "define('SITE_TAGLINE', 'Monterey Bay Imaging's E-Commerce Solution');".

I do not think this would affect module security within Zen Cart, but I really do not know. So, now I am seeking help as I will eventually want to modify the tagline.

[kuroi]

Scroll down to the bottom of this page and you'll find a list of possible causes. First time I've heard of it happening on somebodies local machine though (if that's what you mean by localhost).

Also, are you running a windows server or an Apache server on a windows machine?

[luther]

Scroll down to the bottom of this page and you'll find a list of possible causes. First time I've heard of it happening on somebodies local machine though (if that's what you mean by localhost).

Also, are you running a windows server or an Apache server on a windows machine?

I am running a Windows Server using IIS7. Localhost means running on a local machine. It is also possible that there is a problem on the localhost server. I am working on this and so far I have had problems during set up writing back to my configuration file. I checked the permission and the permission are properly set. I may have to re-install IIs7 and Zen Cart and start all over again. I can consistently produce the problem and that bothers me. I do not want to walk away from it without knowing fuly the issues that are causing the probelm. Thanks for your response. I am getting back to your reply now so that I may continue working on this.

[luther]

I downloaded and re-installed Zen Cart into the same directory without any modifications to IIS7. I think that I got too comfortable with basic installation and misssed some key areas with respect to the configuration files.

My recommendation is to strictly follow the directions to the letter to avoid hours of misery. This has been a lesson learned. Corrupted config files seem to cascade, because it caused soem issues with what is called the web configuration file that is included with virtual directories in Windows. Thanks for responding and I hope my experinces help others.

[kuroi]

It's easy after several hundred installations to forget how easy it can be to stray slightly off the intended path. So I hang resolutely onto the memory of the utter disaster that was my first attempt to install Zen Cart. Helps to stop me getting complacent about the installation process. Hopefully somewhere down the road you'll be able to derive some value from the experience too.

One thing that I would recommend considering though is to switch to from IIS to Apache. Although Zen Cart should run fine on IIS there are some minor variations and occasional work arounds needed to achieve that, usually due not to Zen Cart, but to issues between PHP and windows. The PHP function set is slightly less developed in Windows so it's more prone to issues and both the PHP and Zen Cart teams (like most other open source projects) pay more attention to identifying and dealing with problems on the Apache O/S, before mopping the IIS specific-issues.

[DrByte]

define('SITE_TAGLINE', 'Monterey Bay Imaging's E-Commerce Solution');".

You've inserted an extra single-quote/apostrophe, thus making the quotes be mismatched, thus creating a syntax error.

Either use different quotes or escape your added quote.

Semi-related FAQ: https://www.zen-cart.com/tutorials/index.php?article=87