Apache doesn't use DocumentRoot after upgrading to Ubuntu 13.10 (Uses default page that says "It works!") - apache

Question

I have various virtual hosts for my web development work, including
cnm. The
sites-available/cnm
my file says very simply:
<VirtualHost *:80>
ServerName cnm
DocumentRoot /var/www/cnm/public_html
</VirtualHost>
I upgraded to Ubuntu 13.10, and when I point my browser to cnm/, I see the
/var/www/index.html file that seems to be indicated in the default file
sites-available/000-default.conf
which says (among other things):
<VirtualHost *:80>
DocumentRoot /var/www
What do I need to do to get Apache to read my cnm document root when I browse to cnm/ ?
NOTES:
I already tried renaming my sites-available/cnm file to sites-available/cnm.conf and enabling it with a2ensite cnm and service apache2 reload. That is a good thing, but it changes nothing.
I already tried changing <VirtualHost *:80> to <VirtualHost cnm.localhost> or to <VirtualHost cnm>. That did nothing.

Answer 1

Ubuntu 13.10 uses apache 2.4, you should check all your apache configuration. But for this present case you should note that a2ensite and a2dissite commands won't be able to see your files in /etc/apache2/sites-available if it does not end with .conf, so rename it to sites-available/cnm.conf and run a2ensite cnm.
Then your Virtualhost definition is certainly better with *:80, it means this virtualhost is activated for all IP interfaces (*) on port 80. cnm.localhost or cnm are not valid values here, only IP numbers (Ip of your apache server) or * for all, and a port number.
Then check how you configuration is read by apache, running theses commands:
# load apache env
# be careful, there is a dot and a space
. /etc/apache2/envvars
# Check apache Virtualhosts config
apache2 -S
You should get something like:
VirtualHost configuration:
*:80 is a NameVirtualHost
default server something (/etc/apache2/sites-enabled/000-default.conf:1)
port 80 namevhost something (/etc/apache2/sites-enabled/000-default.conf:1)
port 80 namevhost cnm (/etc/apache2/sites-enabled/cnm.conf:4)
If it is ok, and if you have the right Ip in your hosts file for cnm, and you can test that with a ping, then using http://cnm/ should use the Virtualhost having cnm in the ServerName.
If you have an answer from the default Virtualhost then it means apache is not finding the name used in your Host header in the list of ServerName and ServerAlias available for that IP/port and fallbacks to the default Virtualhost. If you are really stuck (and you did not forgot to restart) you can always remove the default Virtualhost and keep only the one you are working on.

Answer 2

I found the answer to my issue. I needed to delete the files in /etc/apache2/sites-enabled.
Delete files in /etc/apache2/sites-enabled
Rename config files in /etc/apache2/sites-available to have a .conf ending
For each file in sites-available, run sudo a2ensite mysite.
Run sudo service apache2 reload

Answer 3

I couldn't find any step by step tutorial on how to make it work on my side. I gathered bits and pieces here and there, so for those who need all the steps to follow, here there are:
$ sudo cp /etc/apache2/sites-available/000-default.conf /etc/apache2/sites-available/local-mydefault.conf
$ sudo gedit /etc/apache2/sites-available/local-mydefault.conf
Paste the following into the local-mydefault.conf file (Change the path '/your/full/path' to where you want to have your files. And change username to your own username):
# ------------------------------------------------------
<VirtualHost *:80>
ServerName localhost
ServerAdmin webmaster#localhost
DocumentRoot /your/full/path
<Directory />
Options FollowSymLinks
AllowOverride None
</Directory>
<Directory /your/full/path>
DirectoryIndex index.php
Options Indexes FollowSymLinks MultiViews
AllowOverride None
Require all granted
allow from all
</Directory>
ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/error.log
CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/access.log combined
</VirtualHost>
User username
Group username
# ------------------------------------------------------
Then type the following commands
$ cd /etc/apache2/sites-available/
$ sudo a2ensite local-mydefault.conf
$ sudo a2dissite 000-default.conf
$ sudo /etc/init.d/apache2 restart

Answer 4

I found the answer to this issue:
When upgrading to Ubuntu 13.10, the DocumentRoot does not seem to make a difference.
This is because Apache 2.4 moved the Directory configuration somewhere else. Your old .conf files still have these lines:
DocumentRoot "/var/www/myVhost"
<Directory />
Options FollowSymLinks
AllowOverride None
</Directory>
<Directory "/var/www/myVhost">
Options Indexes FollowSymLinks MultiViews
AllowOverride All
Order allow,deny
allow from all
</Directory>
Remove (or comment out) the <Directory> directives so you only have:
DocumentRoot "/var/www/myVhost"
Now reload your settings: service apache2 reload and DocumentRoot is back. :)

Answer 5

Rename the file configuration "cnm" with the extension .conf
mv sites-available/cnm sites-available/cnm.conf
a2ensite sites-available/cnm.conf
And ready!
service apache2 reload

Answer 6

I have the same issue
on way is to disable 000-default and reload apache ,but this isn't the solution becuase you must have just one vhost at a same time :(
sudo a2dissite 000-default.conf
sudo service apache2 reload

Answer 7

I ran into a similar issue. My server name and my FQDN were the same to the default was running into the /var/www/html directory. I disabled the default configuration and my site worked like a breeze. Thanks #regilero.
sudo a2dissite 000-default.conf
fixed it for me.