The 500 Internal Server is a pretty generic HTTP Error code. It basically means that something has gone wrong on the server side of the request. It is not a very specific error, and even the server may not be sure exactly why the error has occurred.
Once again, this is a page that can be customized by the webmaster. That means you may not see the exact same 500 Internal Server message from one server to the next. There are some generic,pre-canned ones available for each web server software package. But, again, the webmaster can custom tailor these messages for their environment. Nevertheless, here are a few examples of 500 Internal Server Error messages you may receive:
- HTTP Error 500
- HTTP 500 Internal Error
- HTTP 500 – Internal Server Error
- 500 Internal Server Error
These can be generated in any browser or operating system you use because it is created by the server. You will even see these in mobile devices if the server encounters the error.
What Causes HTTP 500 Errors?
Again, this error is typically caused on the server side and it just means something is wrong. It could be an issue with the say the site or page was coded, for example.
The error information will be presented inside a webpage. So, read the page to see if you can get a more specific idea of what the error actually is.
How to Correct the 500 Internal Server Error
Keep in mind that this is a server side error so there may not be a lot you can do on your end to make the error go away. However, there are still a few troubleshooting steps you can go through to see if the problem will correct itself.
- See if you can refresh the page and get it to show correctly. It may just be a case of bad timing that you got the error. Just hit F5 on your keyboard to refresh the page and see if it loads correctly the next time around.
- If the problem continues, you can try to clear the cache in your browser. There are times where an incorrect version of a page may be stored and your computer is trying to load it. At times, clearing the browser cache may correct this issue if you have been to the page before.
- Furthermore, if the first two fixes did not work, you can try to clear the cookies in your browser. Once you clear the cookies, restart your browser and try again.
- If the problem still occurs, you may need to contact the webmaster and alert them of the problem. Chances are they already know, but it can’t hurt to try yourself. Many times you can find the contact information on the home page of the website. However, if you have problems even getting to the homepage, try sending an email to webmaster@domain.com and replace domain.com with the actual domain of the website.
- If all else fails, you may just need to wait it out. There is a good chance the webmaster is working on the issue and the problem will be rectified shortly. Rather than trying to troubleshoot something out of your control, just come back later and see if it is working.
500 Internal Server errors can be frustrating because they are out of your control and there is nothing you can do about them for the most part. However, these few troubleshooting steps may help you get around the error or at least provide enough information to know when it is best to just wait it out.