Lost ability to log into my admin

kristenwestlake · 2015-01-03 02:48:04

Hi,

I updated to the newest wordpress version (through wordpress, not CE4) and my plugins went missing. So I tried to change my theme briefly to see if they showed up again. They didn't. I subsequently changed back to my Turning Gate theme.
I inadvertently deleted the theme via ftp while it was the active theme. I have reinstalled the theme but I believe I had reactivated an older turning gate theme and I do not know what the name of it was ... I hope that makes sense.

At any rate, I am now unable to access the wordpress login to get to my admin.

My site is http://www.kristenwestlake.net
clicking the blog gives me an error page as does trying to access my admin login.

Thanks for any help!
Kristen

Daniel Leu · 2015-01-03 03:26:40

Hi Kristen,

Using your web-hosts admin panel, you should be able to rectify this situation. Locate phpMyAdmin and open your wordpress database. Then change the theme name to the one you have already uploaded.

More infos on the steps to be performed are at http://designgala.com/how-to-change-wor … -database/

Good luck and happy new year!

- Daniel

rod barbee · 2015-01-03 03:42:38

I can't even access the blog url, let alone get to the admin login.

Maybe Matt or another WordPress expert here can offer an easy solution (EDIT: I see Daniel already has). If Daniels suggestion doesn't work, you may need to reinstall.

Here's an idea: https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wil … -reinstall

this guy had a similar problem. He renamed his existing wp folder (blog, in your case) to protect all the uploads, etc. and created a new folder for a new installation. Then just copied over all the needed content folders.

Not sure if/how a brand new installation will connect to an existing database though. Looks like it just connects.

kristenwestlake · 2015-01-03 05:58:20

Hi Daniel and Rod,

Yikes, I applied all the changes in the link that Daniel sent but its still not working. I reset to default first and then when it didn't work I tried 'turninggate' as that is the theme that I want to use. I Have cleared my history and cache but still nothing.

I would redo the whole thing and install as Rod suggests but I sure would hate to lose my whole database! .. I had that happen a few years back and none of my pictures worked so I ended up deleting all of my blog posts .. years of work.

Any other suggestions or perhaps my cache clearing is just not catching up yet. .. do either of you see anything on the blog yet?

kristenwestlake · 2015-01-03 06:05:51

I'm actually trying a reinstall right now .. so will let you know how that goes!

kristenwestlake · 2015-01-03 07:30:34

on another note, I am using classic ftp which really stinks. It uploads folders but doesn't implement all the sub folders so I am still uploading the new blog because I have to do it manually, folder by folder and file by file to ensure it all is put in. This is barbaric.

Anyone know of a better ftp for mac?

rod barbee · 2015-01-03 07:40:26

Matt's got some FTP client recommendations here: http://ce4.theturninggate.net/docs/doku … otocol_ftp

On another note, do you using any WordPress back up plug-ins? I use BackWPUP. I've got it set to create a zipped archive that I store in the non-public portion of the web server. That way, if something drastic does go wrong with WordPress I can reinstall and then recover using the back up

kristenwestlake · 2015-01-03 07:44:58

thank you Rod, I don't currently use any back up for wordpress. I will check that BackWPUP up.
Also will look into the ftp clients that matt recommends. This classic ftp is horrible.. I am having issues with reinstalling as it keeps saying I'm missing files.. argh ..

Thank you for your suggestions!
Kristen .. still working on the blog .. hoping it works!

kristenwestlake · 2015-01-03 07:56:40

Okay, I reinstalled my blog but now my admin panel looks really weird. I wish I could show you but its as if there is no css at all.. its just links and text.
I am not sure what files I need to transfer from my original blog other than config.php and my theme.

On a good note it seems that my pictures are working on the blog, except for the one that I blogged earlier today .. maybe has to do with the back up that my host does? ..
Other than that I have no idea how to get the plugins to come back or how to get this out of single page so that I can have a sidebar with plugins. Any help?

Thanks

PS .. and now my blog page is completely blank http://www.kristenwestlake.net/blog/
I took out the turning gate theme to see if that would help it but still blank .. ... this is so frustrating!

Last edited by kristenwestlake (2015-01-03 08:16:16)

rod barbee · 2015-01-03 08:20:33

I can see it just by going to your site/blog/wp-admin
Looking at the source code and clicking on the link to the wp-admin/css/login.min.css I just get taken to an error page. So you're right, no css.

just trying to go to your blog I see the white screen of death.
Did you do a full re-install of WordPress?

kristenwestlake · 2015-01-03 08:23:53

HI Rod,

Yep, I did a full re-install .. manually folder by folder because of that horrid Classic ftp, which misses so many folders and files when you try to upload on an imac.

Not sure what to do .. I had a problem like this with upgrading wordpress years ago and swore then that if it happened again I'd just go to blogger.com .. maybe its time to do that as wordpress is such a headache!

I will take a break and come back to download a different ftp program and then try to reinstall again.. maybe its still missing something. ..

Thanks Rod

rod barbee · 2015-01-03 10:38:09

Doesn't your host offer automated WordPress installation?
I've had no problems using Bluehost's WP installation. And upgrades are always smooth and easy.

Matthew · 2015-01-03 10:42:32

I'm late to this conversation. If a theme is causing WordPress and WP-Admin to crash, you can usually get around it by renaming or removing the active theme folder, then attempting to access the site's WP-managed Home page. Unable to find the selected theme, WordPress should fall back to using its default, and then you should be able to log into the admin area again, choose a new theme, etc.

kristenwestlake · 2015-01-03 11:53:07

HI Rod,

It always did automatically update but for some reason this time it didn't .. so all I did was press update. And then problems...
Matt, it should have gone back to the default but it didn't ..
So now after reuploading the new blog I have this .. I am not sure how to do this with database name, etc. I am totally lost .. http://www.kristenwestlake.net/blog/wp- … php?step=1

Really want to re-establish my existing blog which I've kept but that doesn't work at all .. so is there a way to configure the new blog and enter in my old information? .. otherwise I guess I start fresh for the new year, eliminating anything I've done prior .. this is very frustrating (

I am so frustrated with the wordpress platform anyway. Things are just getting way out of control complicated .. thinking of just linking to a simple blogger.com blog that stays simple. What good is any blog if it goes awry simply by updating it .. and it isn't worth a day already spent and more time it will take me tomorrow to keep putting out fires that should have never been started by the darn wordpress site to begin with. .. makes me sad because I really LOVE the Turning Gate solution to wordpress, but wordpress itself is a pain!

Last edited by kristenwestlake (2015-01-03 12:32:24)

rod barbee · 2015-01-03 14:27:22

here's what I've been able to glean from some searching:

you can find the name of your database in the old wp-config.php file. Hopefully you changed the name of your original blog/ folder so as not to over write anything.
In the wp-config.php file you'll find an area for My SQL database name and username along with My SQL database password. Get that info and put it in the same place in the new wp-config.php file

If you don't have the old wp-config, you'll apparently need to create a new user and password for the database from the host's CPanel.
From the Bluehost help pages: https://my.bluehost.com/cgi/help/2220
and it looks like this applies to any host using CPanel

when you do the reinstall, enter that new info.

If you've already installed, you can edit the wp-config.php file and enter in the database info

there's more in the WordPress Codex: http://codex.wordpress.org/Editing_wp-c … sample.php
as well as in the WordPress support area.

Before you give up, there are numerous services out there that will go in and fix things for you so you won't lose everything.

Do you have a backup anywhere? If so, it might be worth trying to restore from the backup first.

Maybe Matt will have some more informed ideas you can try.

Who are you hosting with?

Matthew · 2015-01-03 17:22:05

As Rod suggests, the database should still exists with your host. You'll just need to connect to it. This assumes that the problem isn't residing in the database, of course, but it's worth a shot.

These are the joys of self-hosting. ;-)

kristenwestlake · 2015-01-03 23:03:46

Hi Rod and Matt,

Thank you so much Rod for all that research on behalf of my issue! I really appreciate that!

I do have my old blog with the name changed residing inside of my site. I wish I had a backup but today, if/when all of this gets resolved I will look into the backup that Rod told me about.

I'm going to get a few things done and my workout before I attempt more 'fixing' .. maybe I'll get lucky and get it more quickly. I see that at least my blog seems to be showing up now, though it looks as though images are gone.

Thank you both of you .. I know this is really a wordpress issue and not a turning gate issue, so you are super generous with your time and help. Thank you.

Kristen

rod barbee · 2015-01-04 00:53:50

to get your images back you probably just need to copy the wp-content/uploads/ from your "old" blog folder to the new one.

After that, you probably just need to reinstall and activate your theme. Oh, and go through the theme customization/layout settings. And activate the needed plugins (the ones Matt includes in the export, you'll need to move those to the plugins folder). And populate your widget areas.
And try not hitting your desk with your head too many times

kristenwestlake · 2015-01-04 04:09:18

Thank you Rod!

I was actually able to re-activate my old blog as I was still getting a blank blog page (white death page) with the new one, even with the correct database settings.
So now the old one is again the blog but I still have issues that I started with. The blog runs the full page without an option for a side bar and inside my dashboard there is no 'widget area as there should be ... so it seems I am somehow without widgets or asidebar that I used to have in my turninggate theme.
I did ensure that my plugins were installed ...

Any ideas as to how to get my widgets to show up so that I can populate the area?

Thank you!

PS thank you for the reminder not to hit my desk with my head too many times.. one more time and I am sure to have a concussion! lol

Last edited by kristenwestlake (2015-01-04 04:21:56)

rod barbee · 2015-01-04 04:15:39

have you gone to Appearance > Theme Options > Layouts in the WP Dashboard to set up the page layout and sidebar option for Blog Home?
Once that's set, you should be able to drag widgets into the Blog Home sidebar widget area

kristenwestlake · 2015-01-04 04:31:38

ahhhh ... Rod, that worked!

And after all that rigamarole, it appears that I am still not updated to the latest wordpress update so I am going to back up my blog or duplicate it before I attempt that ... I know it usually automatically does it but this time it was the start of my issue yesterday.

One more question ... I see and admire blogs that have comments on them. For some reason I have thousands of spam comments that never get through .. how do you manage the comment issue in your own blog? Whenever I look I see no comments of value, just complete spam! I would certainly appreciate and encourage dialogue but I am baffled as to how to go about getting that void the spam.

Thanks Rod so much !!!

rod barbee · 2015-01-04 04:42:49

Yay! glad it's working. Hope your forehead isn't too bruised.

I use Akismet to kill the spam. It was well worth the registration fee for the API key.

kristenwestlake · 2015-01-04 04:47:35

oh boy, .. so I updated to the 4.1 or whatever new version of wordpress this is .. and I get that same problem of the lack of css in the dashboard. Its just all text and links. .. however, if I click on the + to add a new post the appearance is normal. .. its when I click on any sidebar link from there that I get the hyperlink text dashboard. ... Very strange. It must be a glitche within the new update.
Anyway, I backed up my site's database but now I feel like an idiot because I have no idea how to use the backup to restore the wordpress prior to the update. .. this is crazy! .. more banging head against the desk ..

kristenwestlake · 2015-01-04 04:48:44

thanks Rod for the information on Akismet. I think I have that .. maybe all I get is spam and no normal comments .. ugh

rod barbee · 2015-01-04 04:57:55

and I get that same problem of the lack of css in the dashboard.

sounds like it's time to visit WordPress support

Community @ The Turning Gate

#1 2015-01-03 02:48:04

Lost ability to log into my admin

#2 2015-01-03 03:26:40

Re: Lost ability to log into my admin

#3 2015-01-03 03:42:38

Re: Lost ability to log into my admin

#4 2015-01-03 05:58:20

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#5 2015-01-03 06:05:51

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#6 2015-01-03 07:30:34

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#7 2015-01-03 07:40:26

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#8 2015-01-03 07:44:58

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#9 2015-01-03 07:56:40

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#10 2015-01-03 08:20:33

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#11 2015-01-03 08:23:53

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#12 2015-01-03 10:38:09

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#13 2015-01-03 10:42:32

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#14 2015-01-03 11:53:07

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