installing magento on ubuntu error 500 Internal Server Error

[tonysar]

Hello. 

Trying to install magento 2.2.1 on Ubuntu Linux vps. I had to reinstall OS from centos to ubuntu.

I have installed apache2, mysq, php7 and they seem to be working. added info.php to 

var/www/html.. and page loads fine and shows all the php info. 

created a Vhost for new domain and changed RootDirectory to /var/www/USER/public_html

added a test html page and using my domain , i can access it fine.

Added user to sudoer and www-data and changed file folder ownership to USER www-data

however, no php file gets executed. i get 500 internal server error. 

in apache2.conf i change AllowOverride from none to All , doing that i get the same error as mentioned above for my files, reverting back to none , html files work 

is there a step im missing ?

do i need to add something in my magento root directory ? 

any suggestion would be greatly appreciated 

[Damian Culotta]

Hi @tonysar,

CAn you check on your webserver error log which message you got by the error 500?

[tonysar]

Thank you for reply. @Damian Culotta

I don't know which log file i need to access. but interesting is that , if i change DocumentRoot back to original /var/www/html 

i can load my info.php file that i put there during php installation . .so this means my php dose work indeed.. 

i think in order to use /var/www/USER/public_htlm i need to do something with php.ini ??

Thanks

[tonysar]

Additionl info.

in apache2.conf document root set to /var/www

looking at php.info Apache Environment section

Documentroot points to /var/www/html

im not sure if this helps. 

[tonysar · Accepted solution]

Ok go things working now. 

I did manage to setup /var/www/USER/public_html

i missed a stet in enabling Vhost for new domain by using 

a2ensite domain.com.conf

this command enables the vhost for the domain. and now php is working. 

Thanks.