Warning: exec(): Unable to fork in PHP

Question

I'm using php 5 apache on windows server 2008, I have disabled IIS.

I m using exec command in my PHP script and it was working fine but today I got an error:

Warning: exec(): Unable to fork 

I gave permissions to cmd.exe in C:\Windows\System32 folder but this did not fix the problem.

Answer 1

Specifically which permissions did you give to who? Probably not to the right user..

Run this php script:

echo 'Script is executed by: ' . get_current_user() . getmygid();

It will tell you which user is running the PHP scripts and therefore which user to grant permissions to cmd.exe.

Answer 2

In 64-bit windows (e.g server 2008), theres a folder named c:\windows\syswow64, that contains all executables/dll, that are required by a 32 bit app. installed on your 64-bit machine. Make sure your required 32-bit .exe/dll etc is placed in that folder. if you cant find it there you will have to put a 32-bit version of the required .exe/dll there.So this can used by yopur app/process.

Now when your 32-bit application/process executes, windows will automatically redirect your process to execute required app in syswow64 folder.

Hopefully that should resolve your compatibility issue.