First install: 500 server error

ℹ️ Support
1

Hi all
I’m installing Nextcloud for the first time; I have no experience with it. I seem to be running into a recurring problem: after installation I’m completely blocked.

The Basics

  • Nextcloud Server version (e.g., 29.x.x):
    • NextcloudPi 1.57
  • Operating system and version (e.g., Ubuntu 24.04):
    • Debian GNU/Linux 12 (bookworm). 6.17.2-1-pve (x86_64)
  • Web server and version (e.g, Apache 2.4.25):
    • default?
  • Reverse proxy and version _(e.g. nginx 1.27.2)
    • none yet, planning nginx latest
  • PHP version (e.g, 8.3):
    • default?
  • Is this the first time you’ve seen this error? (Yes / No):
    • yes
  • When did this problem seem to first start?
    • after installation
  • Installation method (e.g. AlO, NCP, Bare Metal/Archive, etc.)
    • LXC template from NextCloudpi github releases
  • Are you using CloudfIare, mod_security, or similar? (Yes / No)
    • no

Summary of the issue you are facing:

I’ve been trying the helper script, as well as installing nextcloud directly on a freshly made LXC.

After running the ncp-config command and turning the webui on.

if I go to the IP directly; it will throw an error 500

[Thu May 21 21:03:41.219524 2026] [authnz_external:error] [pid 346:tid 400] [remote 10.0.3.241:36691] Invalid AuthExternal keyword (pwauth)

PasteBin

ncp-report

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Configuration

Nextcloud

The output of occ config:list system or similar is best, but, if not possible, the contents of your config.php file from /path/to/nextcloud is fine (make sure to remove any identifiable information!):

root@nextcloud:~# occ config:list system 
-bash: occ: command not found
You have mail in /var/mail/root

2

Try:
ncc config:list system
… and than you may try starting with ncp 1.56.x, setting it up and do the updates, but that is only a workaround.

3

root@nextcloud:~# ncc config:list system
{
“system”: {
“passwordsalt”: “REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE”,
“secret”: “REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE”,
“trusted_domains”: {
“0”: “localhost”,
“7”: “nextcloudpi”,
“5”: “nextcloudpi.local”,
“8”: “nextcloudpi.lan”,
“3”: “nextcloudpi”,
“11”: “84.196.82.106”,
“1”: “10.0.3.188”,
“14”: “nextcloud.local”
},
“datadirectory”: “REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE”,
“dbtype”: “mysql”,
“version”: “33.0.2.2”,
“overwrite.cli.url”: “https://nextcloudpi/”,
“dbname”: “REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE”,
“dbhost”: “REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE”,
“dbtableprefix”: “oc_”,
“mysql.utf8mb4”: true,
“dbuser”: “REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE”,
“dbpassword”: “REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE”,
“instanceid”: “REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE”,
“installed”: true,
“memcache.local”: “\OC\Memcache\Redis”,
“memcache.locking”: “\OC\Memcache\Redis”,
“redis”: {
“host”: “REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE”,
“port”: 0,
“timeout”: 0,
“password”: “REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE”
},
“tempdirectory”: “/opt/ncdata/data/tmp”,
“mail_smtpmode”: “sendmail”,
“mail_smtpauthtype”: “LOGIN”,
“mail_from_address”: “REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE”,
“mail_domain”: “REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE”,
“preview_max_x”: “2048”,
“preview_max_y”: “2048”,
“jpeg_quality”: “60”,
“serverid”: 998,
“overwriteprotocol”: “https”,
“maintenance”: false,
“logfile”: “/opt/ncdata/data/nextcloud.log”
}
}

4

Last time I tried setting up ncp 1.57.1 with community scripts i ended with an instance I was not able to activate.
I stand at my propsal to start with an older ncp version, but add another proposal, upload ncp lxc image to proxmox and start a container from it as template.

5

Claude solved it for my:
DefineExternalAuth needs to be at the top of ncp.conf, outside <VirtualHost>, otherwise the NCP panel returns 500.

I still had to fight quite a lot to get the Nextcloud user login, but it seems to be working. I’m still debating how much trust I put in it; if I’m not capable of administrating it, and it fails, then i"m worse off.

6

Of course, back up your data is essentially as ever, have fun. :smiley: