.htaccess throws a 500 error - php

Question

I am using CodeIgniter and need to get rid of the "index.php" in the URL.
I copied the .htaccess file from codeigniter tutorial, emptied the $config['index_page'] = '';
and put the .htaccess in the root directory.
Without the .htaccess file it works fine, but ugly: www.example.com/index.php/site/home
For some reason it's not working and just throws a 500's error.
Where is the bug and how can I resolve it?
Thank you in advance
My .htaccess file:
<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
RewriteEngine On
RewriteBase /
#Removes access to the system folders by users.
#Additionly this will allow you to create a System.php controller,
#previously this would not have not been possible.
#'system' can be replaced if you have renamed your system folder.
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} ^system.*
RewriteRule ^{.*)$ /index.php?/$1 [L]
#When your application folder isn't in the system folder
#This snippet prevents user access to the application folder
#Submitted by: Fabdrol
#Rename 'application' to your applications folder name.
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} ^application.*
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ /index.php/$1 [L]
#Checks to see if the user is attempting to access a valid file,
#such as an image or css document, if this isn't true it sends the
#request to index.php
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ index.php?/$1 [L]
<IfModule>
<IfModule !mod_rewrite.c>
# If we don't have mod_rewrite installed, all 404's
# can be sent to index.php? and everything works as normal.
# submitted by: ElliotHaughin
ErrorDocument 404 /index.php
</IfModule>
My site controller:
<?php if ( ! defined('BASEPATH')) exit('No direct script access allowed');
class Site extends CI_Controller {
public function index(){
$this->home();
}
public function home(){
echo "default function started.<br/>";
$this->hello();
$data['title'] = 'Home!';
$data['name'] = 'Ilia';
$data['fname'] = 'Lev';
$data['operation'] = 'minus';
$data['val1'] = 5;
$data['val2'] = 7;
echo $data['operation']."<br/>";
$data['result'] = $this->math($data);
$this->viewLoad("home_view", $data);
echo "<br/>";
}
public function hello(){
echo "hello function started.<br/>";
}
public function math($data){
$operation = $data['operation'];
$val1 = $data['val1'];
$val2 = $data['val2'];
$this->load->model("math");
return $this->math->calculate($operation, $val1, $val2)."<br/>";
}
public function viewLoad($whatToView, $data){
try{
$this->load->view($whatToView, $data);
}catch(Exception $e){
echo "There is no such view";
}
}
public function about(){
$data['title'] = "About!";
$this->viewLoad("about_view",$data);
}
}

Answer 1

If this is really part of the .htaccess file, it would cause your problem:
RewriteRule ^{.*)$ /index.php?/$1 [L]
^^^ typo?
Should be:
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ /index.php?/$1 [L]

Answer 2

I too had the same problem but my code was correct and i was using wamp server, then
I found rewrite module is not enabled
so went to apache/conf/httpd.conf and uncommented line
LoadModule rewrite_module modules/mod_rewrite.so
Now its working fine.