Note: You might want to start testing from 29 so that you can just backup and download the generated large course before deleting it and then just restore when testing on 30 and master. Make sure the server's maximum execution time (php.ini, max_execution_time ) is set to 30 seconds or lower. Create a medium (or large) course in Site administration ► Development ► Make test course. Navigate to the course. Under Grade administration, select Grades . Select Single view . Select a grade item (i.e. an assignment) on the Select grade item... select box. Near the bottom of the page, check Perform bulk insert . Select For All grades . Insert value 100 . Click Save . Repeat the bulk insert process above with a different grade at least twice. (This may take a while) Navigate to Dashboard ► Courses then click Manage courses . Under the Miscellaneous course category, delete the course by clicking on the x icon. On the delete confirmation page, click Delete . Confirm that the course is successfully deleted and that the fatal error does not show up even if the maximum execution time limit has been reached.