Apache using wrong version of PHP

I'm trying to downgrade PHP from 5.5 to 5.3 (not by choice).

I thought I uninstalled php 5.5 by typing the following sudo apt-get remove "php*"

I then installed php 5.3 by following these instructions

How ever when I called phpinfo() inside a script and run it, I still get PHP Version 5.5.9-1ubuntu4.19

But when I call php -v from the command line I get PHP 5.3.29 (cli) (built: Sep 2 2016 10:56:16)

When I cd to root directory and type locate libphp5.so there is only 1 path found and that's the path that Apache is already using.

How do I tell Apache to use 5.3?

Solution 1:

Check your local path for php with which php - since you installed php from scratch, it is most likely not installed where you Apache finds it. Best ensure your version is the only one installed.

Remove all other versions: You can use dpkg -S $fileto find out which package a file belongs to. Most likely your Apache still uses the library from libapache2-mod-php5.

Install your wanted version as mod_php: Your build from scratch most likely did not include mod_php. Check with the included ./configure script if it is enabled before installing.

Solution 2:

You need to change the php module apache is using.

sudo a2dismod php(yourversion)
sudo a2enmod php5.3