WOW … I’ve spend 6 hours(!) on fixing an interesting WordPress problem. The frontend of the site worked … but we couldn’t login into the backend, getting the “Error establish database connection”.
Troubleshooting:
- all directory rights and ownership were correct
- database settings in wp-config.php were correct
- php database testscript showed database connection could be made
- some strange caching settings, where the entire site didn’t seem to be parsed from the database but the cache, implying again no database connection could be made.
- owner of some cache files were apache:apache, after correction to right ownership problems still emerged
- mod_rewrite settings in .htaccess files seemed correct
- phpinfo() values were correct (with regards to phpsafe “off” settings)
Solution … login into db admin / phpMyAdmin, go to the table wpoptions. option_value 1 and 39 have to mention the site. Option 39 “home” was present, option 1 “siteurl” wasn’t present. Reinsert the value, and both frontend and backend were working again like a charm!
Cause? Unknown. Maybe site hacked? Additional advise: change all passwords.
A bunch of resources used:
- http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wp-super-cache/faq/
- http://wphelpcenter.com/plugins/wp-super-cache/
- http://forum.bytesforall.com/showthread.php?t=723
- My Dutch / NL WordPress Translation contributions: October 2022 - October 9, 2022
- My Dutch / NL WordPress Translation contributions: August 2022 - August 23, 2022
- [NL] Ultra Light digital nomad Europe travel with Ryanair / Wizz Air - August 20, 2022
- My Dutch / NL WordPress Translation contributions: July 2022 - July 27, 2022
- My Dutch / NL WordPress Translation contributions: April 2022 - April 2, 2022
Communities I have been 'hanging out' regularly over the past two decades.
- Nomadlist.com since 2022-04
- Empire.Kred since 2021-07
- Karma-Lab.com since 2019-01
- Invision Community since 2018-05
- Insanely Mac since 2018-02
- eGPU.io since 2017-04
- Tech Inferno since 2016-08
- forum.VestaCP.com since 2016
- WordPress.org since 2015-12
- Couch Surfing since 2014
- BitcoinTalk.org since 2014-03
- Warrior Forum since 2013-07
- Empire Avenue since 2013
forum.OSXLatitude.comsince 2011-08- Envato (i.e. CodeCanyon) since 2011-07
- TripAdvisor since 2010-09
MoneyMakerGroup.comsince 2007-03- HardWare.info since 2003-08
- SynthForum.NL since 2001-11
- gathering.tweakers.net since 2000-11
Note: links go to my profile on those respective sites. Connect with me if you like.
- EarnWithEarnie.io since 2022
- EarnWithEarnie.net since 2018
- BestProfitsTeam.com since 2017
- CycleClubMembers.com since 2015
- BestSTIFORPteam.com 2013-2021
