WordPress CGI Error (The specified CGI application misbehaved by not returning a complete set of HTTP headers)
March 10th, 2008 Posted in WordPressThis morning, I decided, for the third time, that I was going to start a blog. My previous two ventures led to me simply not writing anything at all :p. This time, I hope it will be different. And, for once, I have something relevant to post because this blog nearly didnt happen!
After deciding to use WordPress I set about installing the app on my hosting (Windows / IIS), only to find that I recieved the following error;
CGI Error
The specified CGI application misbehaved by not returning a complete set of HTTP headers.
After trying to figure out what the problem was on my own and looking through endless Google search results, I was about to throw in the towel and decide that blogging just wasn’t for me. This was until, I found a post that detailed the issue. Turns out that WordPress 2.3 will not install correctly on windows hosting unless you replace the default wb-db.php file with an updated version suitable for IIS.
Here is a link to the fix in case you have ran into the same problem yourself.
Worked for me! 
11 Responses to “WordPress CGI Error (The specified CGI application misbehaved by not returning a complete set of HTTP headers)”
By Pete on Mar 11, 2008
i currently have no use for this information, but thanks, i am sure someone will though.
By sam on Mar 17, 2008
fantastic, no idea how/ what the error was but a copy and paste of the code above worked fine, fixed most recent wordpress download…..
By Carole on Mar 20, 2008
I want to marry you! or at least put a picture of you under my pillow so I can dream about you.
Thanks for posting this fix. You are the man! Now, I can blog!
Hooray?
By unlornincog on Mar 25, 2008
Hello
nice site
By web designer on Mar 27, 2008
That link did not work for me. I believe this is the same page http://wordpress.pastebin.ca/924003
This did not solve my issue though and the host will also not try anything different to help me. Stupid host.
By Mike on May 6, 2008
I have the new wp-db code, i can install and I am able to install WP 2.3.3 now, but if i change my permalink to date/title format nothing works. How did you fix that?
By Gary Pretty on May 7, 2008
Hi Mike,
Can I suggest that you might try installing WordPress 2.5.1 which has recently been released from WordPress.Org?
I have it running and it all seems to be working great at the moment.
Plus it delivers a few important security fixes as well that they recommend you get.
Let me know how you get on.
Gary
By Mike on May 8, 2008
I am working with a company to get our company blog up and running and they recommended using version 2.3.3 because of the comment bug.
Is the comment bug fixed in 2.5.1? There was an issue that comments could be hacked giving someone access to your admin panel.
I will be sure to update you on what happens. Thank you for the information.
By Gary Pretty on May 9, 2008
Mike,
As far as I know this issue is fixed within 2.5 and 2.5.1 delivers further security fixes. These are only fairly recent releases, so perhaps your company has not looked at them yet.
I use 2.5.1 with the Akismet plugin which catches spam comments. Plus all comments are moderated, giving you further control.
Let me know what you decide to do and I would love to see the blog once it is up and running.
Gary
By clon on Jul 30, 2008
In my hosted wordpress installation the error is not random, the error appears when using a “Custom Permalink Structure” which you can find via: admin > manage > permalinks.
So I wanted a SEO friendly blog so selected a custom structure (last of the options) to avoid using question marks, but this caused that those pages using that link structure show an “CGI error”.
I just have to select the Default option and the error is not displayed any more, but now my URLs are all messy.
I think that if I were running the blog in a linux OS this error may be avoided.
Happy blogging!
By Jay on Aug 12, 2008
I really needed this fix the link is broken.