Web Server Failed to Restart After Switch

Changing the web server type (e.g., from Apache to LiteSpeed) usually requires a seamless transition of the orchestration containers. However, if the new web server fails to start—often due to an invalid license key, port conflicts, or configuration syntax errors—you may lose access to the control panel UI.

Emergency CLI Recovery

If you are locked out of the dashboard because the web server is offline, you can force the platform to revert to a stable web server (Apache) using the appcd-cli tool via SSH.

Recovery Command

Run the following command as root to immediately switch the local web server role back to Apache: 

appcd-cli 127.0.0.1 change-webserver apache

Why the switch might fail:

  • LiteSpeed Enterprise: Ensure your serial key is valid and has not exceeded its activation limit.
  • Custom Includes: If you have custom global Apache or OpenLiteSpeed includes with syntax errors, the new binary may fail its initial pre-flight check.
  • Port Bindings: Ensure no third-party processes are manually bound to ports 80 or 443.
Post-Recovery Step

Once the command completes, the orchd service will pull the necessary Apache images and restart the web services. You should be able to log back into your control panel within 60 seconds.

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