How To Fix A 500 Internal Privoxy Error?

Whether you know it or not, Privoxy is an essential part of whatever operating system you use, as it is important in connecting to the Internet. 500 Internal Privoxy Error is an error message you may get and it will disrupt your Internet connection, so I will teach you how to fix it. It’s something you’ll obviously want to fix as soon as possible, so here is everything you’ll need to know regarding this error.

What is Privoxy?

 

Before I just start talking about how to fix errors, I typically like to spend a few minutes on a little bit of background about the error. Not only is interesting, but it can also prove to be quite helpful in solving the error. Of course, if you’re in a hurry and just want the solution, you can always skip to the solutions heading, but if you’d like to learn more about these next two sections are for you.

While you may have never heard of Privoxy, it turns out that it is actually an integral part of nearly everyone’s operating system. Debuting in 2001, it can be defined as a non-caching web proxy, which basically means that it is a server where various forms of HTTP data are stored. The most common types of data include headings and text. It is utilized by operating systems Linux, OpenWrt, DD-WRT, Windows, MacOS, OS/2, AmigaOS, and BeOS, so you can see that it covers nearly all of them.

Nearly every website you’ll access, including this one, will be utilizing Privoxy in some way. It’s crazy to think about that sometimes the things you’ve never heard of have such a great impact.

Understanding the 500 Internal Privoxy Error

 

Now that you know a little bit about what exactly Privoxy is, I can explain what this error code is telling you. It occurs when you try to open a specific URL and you will get an error message displayed like the one in the screenshot above. It normally won’t affect all of your Internet connection, so you’ll be able to access most websites. It just occurs with a specific one for some reason.

What Causes It?

So I said that it is caused by some reason, well what exactly is that reason? Unfortunately, and this is true with many errors, it can be extremely difficult to detect what is the cause behind an error. It usually has to do with your browser settings, so my first recommendation would be to try accessing the URL with a different browser. If that doesn’t work, then continue on with the rest of the solutions.

Solutions

You’ll see some error codes on this site with many solutions that you’ll have to go through one-by-one until something works (like this one.) This can be extremely frustrating and annoying for the user, as it can take up to an hour slowly but surely going through the steps.

Don’t be discouraged or think that all error codes require this amount of time to fix. In fact, other ones, like this PS4 error code, require only a step or two and then you should have the error fixed. I mention this because that is exactly the category that this error code falls into. I’ve read countless tech forums on the subject and there three solutions that everyone talks about. Here they are.

Solution #1: Check Browser for Updates

Whatever browser you may be using may have a common glitch that is causing this error and when this happens the developers are usually aware of it. Therefore, many times they will create an update to patch this bug. As I said in the last section that you can try accessing the URL on a different browser, that’s a temporary solution, as you’ll probably want to use that other browser again at some point. Therefore, go to the website of the browser and make sure that you have the latest version. If not, download it.

 

Solution #2: Restart Your Browser

If your browser is up to date, you should restart it as well as your entire operating system. Try to access the URL again, and you may find that this error has disappeared.

“It has been aptly noted that web browsers are less Internet navigation tools than they are ebooks with highly diverse content”. – Michael A. Stackpole 

Solution #3: Disable Proxy Settings

Those were pretty basic and many times they won’t work. Fear not, as third time is definitely the charm with this solution, as it is a lesser known one that is almost guaranteed to work.

If this issue didn’t fix this issue, you can always try contacting Privoxy’s support, although as they are a simple company, it won’t be nearly as helpful as Microsoft or any other major software developer may be.

Helpful Tips on Fixing Other Errors

That’s it. I know it may be a little underwhelming, as you probably were thinking that it would be a lot more difficult. I ensure you that it’s not. That’s part of our goal here at Error Codes Pro; to educate and show people that fixing nearly all error codes is a lot more simple than it looks.

I understand exactly what most of you probably think when you see a dreaded error code. Most people get discouraged just by seeing an error message and think that there is nothing they can do to correct it because the system is just broken.

That’s just simply not the case. Almost every time the error can be fixed as it is being caused by a temporary problem within your operating system. The most important thing that I tell people all the time is to remain calm. I know this is important from the first-hand experience because I used to get very angry and frustrated if I received these error codes. It doesn’t do any good, though. Just be patient and know that eventually the error will be resolved.

Basic Solutions

As you can see from this particular solution, this was a very specific fix that most people would have never thought to do. While there are some error messages that require a somewhat technical fix, many can be fixed by the simplest of methods. You’d be amazed at how many times these things that take a couple minutes and everyone knows how to do can correct the most complicated of problems. As a general rule, whenever you get an error message, try these two simple steps first.

1. Restart your operating system/application/game. Basically, whatever you are getting the error on.
2. Check for updates for whatever system is giving you issues.

Some people may be rolling their eyes at me when reading these steps. Yes, I get that these are the stereotypical customer support questions that you always hear like “have you turned it off and back on again?” But why do you think that this is the first thing they ask? Because it’s the first thing that you should try. Don’t over think these errors, they aren’t as difficult as they seem. You’ll even notice that these two simple steps were included in this very article, as they really can be applied to nearly every error message you may encounter.

Now, I’m not saying these will work all of the time. In fact, they may work less than half the time. But you should always try them first when considering how simple they are to perform. If they don’t work, don’t worry. Search on the Internet or on our site to find a more specific solution and you should get whatever the problem is fixed in no time.

Summary

You can see this error has a quick solution when compared to most other error codes and this is an issue that can easily be fixed. This error can affect any web browser and nearly every single platform, as Privoxy is a universal tool that many of them use. It will usually affect one or a couple URL’s and it won’t let you access them.

This is actually an extremely common error that most people will experience during their time online. I know that I have. Most of the time, you can simply just close browser and come back a couple minutes later and this error will resolve itself. However, if speed is of the essence and you need to access that URL as soon as possible, you should consider employing some of the techniques that I listed here in this article.

Also, if you liked my writing and would like to read the rest of my articles that I have written here, be sure to check out my page. Other than that, I’m sure that you learned a lot about Privoxy and how to fix the 500 Internal Error. If for whatever reason you have other questions concerning this error, or really a question about anything error code related, make sure to leave a comment down below. We love hearing from our readers and we always encourage you to add to the conversation as much as you can.