# Dreamhost problem **URL:** \ **Category:** Rails\ **Created:** [July 25, 2007, 8:09pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/dreamhost-problem/110365 "2007-07-25T20:09:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sunny\_beach](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@sunny\_beach](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/sunny_beach)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2007, 8:09pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/dreamhost-problem/110365/1 "2007-07-25T20:09:48Z")
This is my first post here and I am somewhat of a rookie but I have been practcing… I recently started having problems with a Dreamhost rails site that was working fine up until a weeks ago. I created a test site and am having the same problem. The browser is either pulls the 500 error from public/.htaccess or from public/500.html. Mostly from .htaccess. The test site is below. There is only one model. [http://www.test.sunnybeachdesign.com/](http://www.test.sunnybeachdesign.com/) The error log file reads: [Wed Jul 25 10:48:38 2007] [error] [client 207.75.xxx.XXX] FastCGI: comm with (dynamic) server “/home/sbeach/test.sunnybeachdesign.com/public/dispatch.fcgi” aborted: (first read) idle timeout (60 sec) [Wed Jul 25 10:48:38 2007] [error] [client 207.75.xxx.XXX] FastCGI: incomplete headers (0 bytes) received from server “/home/sbeach/test.sunnybeachdesign.com/public/dispatch.fcgi” I have been looking though list archives, wikis, etc but have not found anything that brings the original one back to life or makes the new one work. An initial email to their support was not helpful… (fix your own app) but as my attempts continue to fail I tend to think it is on their end. Does anyone have any advice or recommendations? ---
**Author:** ![sunny\_beach](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@sunny\_beach](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/sunny_beach)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2007, 9:53pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/dreamhost-problem/110365/2 "2007-07-25T21:53:19Z")
If you want great and reliable rails hosting, the best one is probably railsplayground that costs around $9/Month. Its alot better than Dreamhost ---
**Author:** ![sunny\_beach](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@sunny\_beach](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/sunny_beach)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2007, 10:28pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/dreamhost-problem/110365/3 "2007-07-25T22:28:04Z")
Check the first line in the dispatch.fcgi file. It should read #!/usr/bin/env ruby and not #!/usr/bin/ruby1.8 . Dreamhost is not that bad, but most of the solutions to the problems can solved by looking through the wiki. On 7/25/07, Matthew L. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > > – Richard J Hancock Developer/System A. ---
**Author:** ![sunny\_beach](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@sunny\_beach](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/sunny_beach)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2007, 10:28pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/dreamhost-problem/110365/4 "2007-07-25T22:28:11Z")
I had that problem. I had to contact Dreamhost a few times to get it resolved. They never explained what it was. One thing that you could try is disabling fastcgi for that domain, and then re-enable it about 5 hours later. That sometimes fixes that error. Dreamhost is great and cheap, and works nice when it works, but when you have problems, it’s terrible. +1 on [RailsPlayground.com](http://RailsPlayground.com). ---
**Author:** ![sunny\_beach](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@sunny\_beach](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/sunny_beach)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2007, 4:27am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/dreamhost-problem/110365/5 "2007-07-28T04:27:33Z")
Just wanted to say thanks for the replies. I got the app working again with Dreamhost. They promised that they did not touch the server… but a couple emails to them seemed to help. Maybe it was just the passage of time. The only substantial change was to config/environment.rb. I added “unless defined? RAILS\_GEM\_VERSION” to line 8 so it now reads “RAILS\_GEM\_VERSION = ‘1.2.3’ unless defined? RAILS\_GEM\_VERSION” For Richard, dispatch.fcgi is currently cooperating with #!/usr/bin/ruby1.8 as the first line. I did try your solution along with a few others I found online. Overall I like Dreamnost and would recommend them. If I ever get to the point where my apps are critical, it will be time to upgrade. Sunny PS. Apologies for the poor English in the first post… I was a little frustrated at that point. ---
**Author:** ![sunny\_beach](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@sunny\_beach](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/sunny_beach)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2007, 7:16am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/dreamhost-problem/110365/6 "2007-07-28T07:16:41Z")
Also keep in mind that the servers take about 5-10 mins to restart after a change has been made. On 7/27/07, sunny beach [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > frustrated at that point. > > > > [snip] Dreamhost is great and cheap, and works nice when it works, but > > > when you have problems, it’s terrible. [/snip] > > > > > > > > – Richard J Hancock Developer/System A. ---
**Author:** ![sunny\_beach](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@sunny\_beach](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/sunny_beach)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2007, 1:45pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/dreamhost-problem/110365/7 "2007-07-26T13:45:43Z")
That kind of logic applies to everything. Even the blessed Rails! 😉 RSL On 7/25/07, Brian H. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: [snip] Dreamhost is great and cheap, and works nice when it works, but when