Plesk interface is not accessible with a 500 Internal Server error: Handler "PleskEngine-FastCGI-php" has a bad module "FastCgiModule" in its module list

Symptoms

• Plesk interface is not accessible with the error:

  500 Internal Server error

• After temporary renaming web.config file in %plesk_dir%admin\htdocs, Plesk starts to load with this error message locally on the server:

  HTTP Error 500.21 - Internal Server Error
  Handler "PleskEngine-FastCGI-php" has a bad module "FastCgiModule" in its module list

Cause

FastCgiModule is absent in Modules in the server-wide IIS settings.

Resolution

1. Connect to the server via RDP
2. Start IIS Manager at Windows Start > Windows Administrative Tools > Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager.
3. In IIS Manager, click on SERVERNAME > Modules (in IIS section).

4. In the Actions panel on the right, click Configure Native Modules... and select FastCgiModule.

   Note: If FastCgiModule is absent in the list, click Register and fill in the fields:

   • Name: FastCgiModule
   • Path: %windir%\System32\inetsrv\iisfcgi.dll

   

5. Click OK.

   Note: Restore web.config file in %plesk_dir%admin\htdocs, if it has been renamed.

If the issue persists, add the module manually:

1. Connect to the server via RDP

2. Add the following to file C:\Windows\System32\inetsrv\Config\applicationHost.config:

   <add name="FastCgiModule" lockItem="true" />