Three steps to resolve Joomla problem with Search Engine Friendly URLs

Sometimes when we set the option “Search Engine Friendly URLs” in Joomla SEO Settings, it makes several broken links (error 404) and site appearance becomes inappropriate. To resolve this problem I found the followings steps useful:

۱. If your web server is Apache, rename htaccess.txt file in the root of Joomla installation to .htaccess

۲. In Global configuration under “SEO Settings” set the option “Use Apache mod_rewrite” to “yes”. Hopefully the problem will be solved, but if not do the third step.

۳. Change the contents of the .htaccess file to the following and save it. If you still experience the problem I can’t further help you!

##

# @version $Id: htaccess.txt 10492 2008-07-02 0628Z ircmaxell $

# @package Joomla

# @copyright Copyright (C) 2005 – 2008 Open Source Matters. All rights reserved.

# @license http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html GNU/GPL

# Joomla! is Free Software

##

#php_value display_errors on

################################################## ###

# READ THIS COMPLETELY IF YOU CHOOSE TO USE THIS FILE

#

# The line just below this section: ‘Options +FollowSymLinks’ may cause problems

# with some server configurations. It is required for use of mod_rewrite, but
may already

# be set by your server administrator in a way that dissallows changing it in

# your .htaccess file. If using it causes your server to error out, comment it
out (add # to

# beginning of line), reload your site in your browser and test your sef url’s.
If they work,

# it has been set by your server administrator and you do not need it set here.

#

################################################## ###

## Can be commented out if causes errors, see notes above.

# Options +FollowSymLinks

#

# mod_rewrite in use

RewriteEngine On

########## Begin – Rewrite rules to block out some common exploits

## If you experience problems on your site block out the operations listed below

## This attempts to block the most common type of exploit `attempts` to Joomla!

#

# Block out any script trying to set a mosConfig value through the URL

RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} mosConfig_[a-zA-Z_]{1,21}(=|\%3D) [OR]

# Block out any script trying to base64_encode crap to send via URL

RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} base64_encode.*\(.*\) [OR]

# Block out any script that includes a <script> tag in URL

RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} (\<|%3C).*script.*(\>|%3E) [NC,OR]

# Block out any script trying to set a PHP GLOBALS variable via URL

RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} GLOBALS(=|\[|\%[0-9A-Z]{0,2}) [OR]

# Block out any script trying to modify a _REQUEST variable via URL

RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} _REQUEST(=|\[|\%[0-9A-Z]{0,2})

# Send all blocked request to homepage with 403 Forbidden error!

RewriteRule ^(.*)$ index.php [F,L]

#

########## End – Rewrite rules to block out some common exploits

# Uncomment following line if your webserver’s URL

# is not directly related to physical file paths.

# Update Your Joomla! Directory (just / for root)

RewriteBase /
########## Begin – Joomla! core SEF Section

#

RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f

RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d

RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} !^/index.php

RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} (/|\.php|\.html|\.htm|\.feed|\.pdf|\.raw|/[^.]*)$
[NC]

RewriteRule (.*) index.php

RewriteRule .* – [E=HTTP_AUTHORIZATION:%{HTTP:Authorization},L]

#

########## End – Joomla! core SEF Section