One last issue to solve after migrating osTicket to windows Container

nannomous

Hi everyone,

We are looking into migrating most of our apps to containers, osticket being one of them.
I am in the midst of testing ,and after a long week of trial and error I am now close to finishing.
There is one last issue though that I haven't been able to solve on my own.

After pressing the install now button and the popup appears, approximately 90 seconds later it times out
with error 500.
Things I have tried:
increasing php execution time to 300
increasing iis execution time to 300
doubling VM resources
using local mysql installation instead of mysql hosted on separate container
swapping out php versions and trying different osticket versions as well.

Current setup:
osticket 1.17.3
php 8.1.18
zend engine 4.1.18
mysql: 8.0.31, on a separate windows container

my php.ini contains the following:
max_execution_time = 300
extension_dir = "ext"
log_errors = On
error_log = C:\php\php-errors.log
cgi.force_redirect = 0
cgi.fix_pathinfo = 1
fastcgi.impersonate = 1
fastcgi.logging = 0

php error logs do not contain anything after this timeout occurs
the IIS logs dont say anything helpful:
2023-04-29 06:41:55 10.10.10.100 POST /osticket/setup/install.php - 80 - 192.168.77.176 Mozilla/5.0+(Windows+NT+10.0;+Win64;+x64)+AppleWebKit/537.36+(KHTML,+like+Gecko)+Chrome/112.0.0.0+Safari/5
37.36 http://192.168.77.240:8080/osticket/setup/ 500 0 258 95607

The dockerfile for osticket if interested:

FROM mcr.microsoft.com/windows/servercore/iis

#enable cgi feature for iis
RUN powershell dism.exe /Online /Enable-Feature /FeatureName:IIS-CGI /All

RUN powershell -NoProfile -Command Remove-Item -Recurse C:\inetpub\wwwroot*

WORKDIR C:\

COPY osTicket.zip .

COPY php.zip .

#script that adds php to PATH
COPY addpath.ps1 .

RUN powershell -NoProfile -Command Expand-Archive -LiteralPath .\osticket.zip -DestinationPath C:\osticket_expanded

RUN powershell -NoProfile -Command Expand-Archive -LiteralPath C:\php.zip -DestinationPath C:\php

#php dependency
RUN powershell -NoProfile -Command Invoke-WebRequest 'https://aka.ms/vs/17/release/vc_redist.x64.exe' -UserAgent '' -OutFile C:\vc_redist-x64.exe

RUN powershell -NoProfile -Command New-Item -Type Directory C:\inetpub\wwwroot\osticket

RUN powershell -NoProfile -Command cp -Recurse C:\osticket_expanded* C:\inetpub\wwwroot\osticket

RUN powershell -NoProfile -Command cp -Recurse C:\inetpub\wwwroot\osticket\upload* C:\inetpub\wwwroot\osticket

RUN powershell -NoProfile -Command rm -Recurse C:\inetpub\wwwroot\osticket\scripts

RUN powershell -NoProfile -Command rm -Recurse C:\inetpub\wwwroot\osticket\upload

RUN powershell -NoProfile -Command Remove-Item -Recurse C:\osticket_expanded

#configure handler mappings and php-cgi for IIS
RUN C:\Windows\System32\InetSrv\appcmd.exe set config /section:system.webServer/fastCGI /+"[fullPath='c:\php\php-cgi.exe']"

RUN C:\Windows\System32\InetSrv\appcmd.exe set config /section:system.webServer/handlers /+"[name='PHP-FastCGI',path='.php',verb='',modules='FastCgiModule',scriptProcessor='c:\php\php-cgi.exe',resourceType='Either']"

RUN C:\Windows\System32\InetSrv\appcmd.exe set config /section:system.webServer/fastCgi /+[fullPath='c:\php\php-cgi.exe'].environmentVariables.[name='PHPRC',value='C:\php']

RUN C:\Windows\System32\InetSrv\appcmd.exe set config /section:defaultDocument /enabled:true /+files.[value='index.php']

RUN C:\vc_redist-x64.exe /quiet /install

COPY php.ini C:\php

RUN powershell -NoProfile -Command Copy-Item -Path C:\inetpub\wwwroot\osticket\include\ost-sampleconfig.php -Destination C:\inetpub\wwwroot\osticket\include\ost-config.php

RUN powershell -NoProfile -Command icacls C:\inetpub\wwwroot\osticket\include\ost-config.php /grant 'Everyone:F'

RUN powershell -NoProfile -Command rm C:\php\php.ini-production

RUN powershell -NoProfile -Command rm C:\php\php.ini-development

#i like having chocolatey in all containers for conveniency
RUN powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy unrestricted -Command "iex ((new-object net.webclient).DownloadString('http://chocolatey.org/install.ps1'))"

RUN powershell -NoProfile -Command .\addpath.ps1

COPY url_rewrite.msi .

#install the URL rewrite IIS module, needed for the app
RUN msiexec /i C:\url_rewrite.msi /quiet /norestart

The connection to the database works, as tables are created in the database after pressing the install now button

If I missed any relevant info, please let me know

Thanks!

nannomous

forgot to mention: php.ini also contains the mysqli extension, so thats not the issue

KevinTheJedi

nannomous

Look at your logs (general server logs, webserver error logs, PHP error logs, MySQL/MariaDB error logs, osTicket System Logs, Browser Console logs, etc.) for any related errors.

Cheers.

nannomous

KevinTheJedi Well thats the issue. So far the dozens of errors that I have encountered I was able to fix by looking at logs. But for this, there's nothing I can find. IIS's logs are terse and unhelpful (included in the original post), php is not logging any error for this particular error, and mysql is not loggin anything either. Even viewer on the container does not contain any errors relevant either. I'm completely stuck because of this, but I thought I might be missing something simple, that you might know through sheer experience. Do you then perhaps know of a way to force IIS to provide more detailed errors and not just the generic "500 - Internal server error.
There is a problem with the resource you are looking for, and it cannot be displayed." page? Or do you know someone who has managed to containerize osticket on windows container, and perhaps still has the dockerfile? Anything could help me at this point. Thanks again

KevinTheJedi

nannomous

You can make sure PHP is configured to log errors and make sure you are checking the correct error log file. Sometimes there is a main error log and then a site specific error log. You can also edit your bootstrap.php from osTicket and set display_errors and display_startup_errors to 1, restart the webserver and PHP-FPM (if you’re running it) to clear any file cache, and retry. This should show any PHP errors on screen.

I do not have much experience with IIS but there are many helpful guides online that can better explain how to enable verbose logging.

Cheers.

nannomous

KevinTheJedi Update: I tried making this configuration change, but no extra errors have been logged.really the only log I have of the error is the very brief one from the IIS logs, every other component (php, mysql, OS) are not producing any errors whatsoever. The mysql database even gets populated with 71 tables after the fact, so I know its not that. I assume it is an IIS related issue, just not sure what. I will swap it for apache and see how that goes. I prefer apache over it anyway. Will keep this thread updated in case it might help someone at some point. Thanks again!

Tinnitus

Hello,
I am a moderator in German forum of osTicket (modified version of osTicket so that it can be used in Germany (DSGVO compliant)) and we had a similar problem before in German forum.

Unfortunately there are almost no instructions in internet which show the correct way how to install osTicket on a Windows server. (Most of them are unfortunately outdated)

Also the official instructions in the documentation and the video are not usable anymore, because the web platform installer was discontinued by Microsoft.
Since some time additional steps are required to get PHP and osTicket running on Windows.

I would attach the instructions to them and they look through to see if everything was installed in container like this.

Even if the instructions don't quite fit your environment, I hope they give you a hint as to where the problem lies.

Important:
The German project is released for PHP 8.2 the original version is not so please use PHP 8.1 only.

Instruction:
1) Download the files:
1.1) Download and unzip all files (See links below).

2a) Install IIS (Server):
2.1) Start "Server Manager
2.2) Click on "Manage" > "Add Roles and Features
2.3) select "Role-based or feature-based installation
2.6) under Server Roles select "Web Server (IIS)" and additionally under "Web Server" --> "Application Development" select "CGI
2.7) select "Add Features
2.8) then simply click "next" to go through everything
2.9) install "URL Rewrite Module
2.10) install "Visual C++
2.11) Restart Windows

2b) Install IIS (Client Windows 10/11):
2.1) Call Win + R enter "Appwiz.cpl
2.3) Select "Enable and disable Windows feature" (links as link)
2.4) select "Internet Information Services" and additionally select and install "CGI" under "WWW Services" --> "Application Development Features
2.5) Install "URL Rewrite Module" easily
2.6) Install "Visual C++
2.7) Restart Windows

3) Install PHP:
3.1) Copy the contents of the ZIP file to "C:\Program Files\PHP\" (folder PHP must be created if necessary)
3.2) Rename folder and give it a reasonable name (e.g. PHP 8.xxx)
3.3) Install "PHP-Manager
3.4) open "IIS-Manager" --> open "PHP Manager" "Register new PHP Version" and then select the path to the PHP directory and there the "php-cgi.exe
3.5) open unzipped APCu folder and copy "php_apcu.dll" and paste it under "C:\Program Files\PHP\Your name of PHP folder\ext

4) Adjust php.ini:
4.1) Open "IIS Manager" --> Open "PHP Manager" --> Select "Enable or Disable Extensions".
4.2) Enable the following modules (right click on the module and select "enable")
php_gd.dll
php_imap.dll
php_intl.dll
php_fileinfo.dll
php_ldap.dll
php_apcu.dll

4.3) The rest is done in the "PHP.ini", just select "Open php.ini" in PHP Manager on the right side.
4.4) Search for ;zend_extension=opcache and remove the ";".
4.5) In the "php.ini file" search for date.timezone and change the value to date.timezone = "Europe/Berlin".
4.6) Save the file

5) Install Maria DB
5.1) Start the installation and set a root password (leave everything as it is)
5.2) Start the program "HeidiSQL
5.3) if there is no DB connection, create a new one
5.3a) select "NEW" below and change the libary to "libmysql.dll", then enter the root PW and click save
5.3b) I would rename the connection to "osTicket" (right mouse button on the entry "rename")
5.4) Then click on "open
5.5) Create a new database (left click on the entry "osTicket" and then right click New --> Database)
5.6) Then we have to create a user for the database
5.6a) Tools --> User administration --> Set username and PW
5.7) Access "new object" "osTicket" and set all check marks
7) Install osTicket:
7.1) Open unzipped folder and copy all files from "Upload" folder.
7.2) under "C:\inetpub\wwroot\" create a new folder named "osTicket "and paste everything there
7.3) change to "C:\inetpub\wwroot\osTicket\include" and rename the "ost-sampleconfig.php" to "ost-config.php
7.4) Right click on the file and select "properties" and in the first tab select "allow" and under security grant "full access" to the file for "user" and "IISUSER".

8 Completing the basic installation:
7.1) Open web browser and navigate to http:\localhost\osTicket, then follow the installer.
7.2) If another language is needed, download the ".Phar" file and copy it to "C:\inetpub\wwroot\osTicket\include\i18n".
7.3) Then select the language in the "dropdown menu", so that the texts are also stored in the correct language in the DB (If this happens after the installation, the texts must be translated manually)

9) Final work after the installation:
9.1) Delete folder "C:\inetpub\wwroot\osTicket\Setup".
9.2) remove write permissions on the "ost-config.php" file
9.2a) navigate to "C:\inetpub\wwroot\osTicket\include\" and then right click on the file "ost-config.php" select "properties" and under security remove all permissions except "read" and "read and execute" (user and IISUSER)

Links:
1) MariaDB
2) PHP
4) PHP-Manager
4) APCU for PHP
5) osTicket German project page
6) URL Rewrite Module
7) Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio 2015-2019

nannomous

Tinnitus from what I can tell I did all of the steps that you listed, which are relveant for my environment. I will attempt KevinTheJedi's sugestion to turn on error displaying in php. If this does not work, I will assume its IIS's fault and will try to replace IIS with apache to see if that fixes it. Thanks!

KevinTheJedi

nannomous

Disclaimer:
The German version referenced above is not associated/affiliated with core osTicket in any way, shape, or form. It is a modded version that we do not support. Also, @Tinnitus is not a part of osTicket team in any way; just a community member.

Tinnitus

Hello,
what else you can try is to use PHP in the NTS version.
If you use plug-ins or language packs, then install the system without.
My information is that e.g. the German language pack (the original one) in the latest version also generates an error during installation.

nannomous

UPDATE: so, randomly... during one of my tests I actually managed to successfully install the app.The one thing that was different during the successful run was the IIS's web.config file, which included 2 additional lines:
<customErrors mode="Off"/>
<compilation debug="true"/>
for debugging purposes. After adding these 2 lines I reset IIS, the container, reset the database and tried the install, and it actually worked lmao. Anyway it's inconclusive because I am not able to repeat this result on subsequent runs (with the same exact configuration). I think IIS is just being dumb, and I will swap it out for apache. Will return with the results then.

nannomous

UPDATE: I can confirm IIS was the issue. Everything worked without a hitch when using apache
Thanks everyone!