.. title: Apache not serving static files correctly?
.. slug: apache_enablesendfile
.. date: 2006-11-15 23:35:44
.. tags: computers, bluesock, debian

<p>
  I innocently did an <code>apt-get dist-upgrade</code> today and suddenly
  Apache wouldn't serve any static files, but anything generated by
  CGI scripts worked super!  Apache would send the headers for static
  files complete with a Content-Length correctly but wouldn't send
  any data in the HTTP response (even for an HTTP 200).
</p>
<p>
  I spent hours trying to figure out what was going on under the assumption
  that I did a bad upgrade.  I skimmed documentation, made sure my conf
  files were ok, did dozens of Google searches and then finally gave up
  and walked away for a couple of hours.
</p>
<p>
  Long story short I finally hit gold with the right mantra of search
  terms and bumped into the
  <a href="http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.2/mod/core.html#enablesendfile">EnableSendFile
  directive</a>.  I added:
</p>
<pre class="code">
EnableSendFile Off
</pre>
<p>
  to my Apache conf file and it works fine now.
</p>
<p>
  I mention it in case someone else does a dist-upgrade with Debian testing on
  or around November 15th, 2006 and discovers themselves in the same boat.
</p>