Website Blues

GoSpeed · Feb 16, 2019

Something had gone terribly wrong with the WordPress installation on my website. I can't log in nor can I reset the password. After a lot of troubleshooting and poking around in my C-Panel I've deduced that my WordPress installation is corrupt. (I can still access my site and read the content.) Needless to say, I am a bit wary of reinstalling WordPress again. I need options and fairly soon as I hope to publish a new book in April.

I suppose I could simply redirect my URL to a WordPress hosted site, but I want to take advantage of the file space on the server.
Could I use an </iframe> to embed a Wordpress hosted blog? Or perhaps use some sort of RSS gadget to display my postings on a web page?

Is there a free or very dirt cheap website template for authors with a bookstore application and a blogging function I could obtain? Would it be simpler to roll my own? (This is a sample of my HTML work. Simple, but it does the job: http://www.konastream.com/

Is there a third solution?

AW Admin · Feb 16, 2019

Fix the install.

The data is stored in a database; it's likely that you can re-install your WordPress site without losing data.

It's even more likely that it's a very simple fix that requires deleting a small file.

First though: when you try to log in, what do you see? Is there an error message?

Do you have FTP or SFTP access to your site?

Using an iframe is a terrible idea. It's not what they're meant for.

GoSpeed · Feb 16, 2019

When I try to log in I get the message : ERROR: Invalid username.
Using phpMyAdmin revealed that I had no: User Name, Password, or email address in the database. I changed that, but still no good.

C-Panel allowed me to do a backup, so if I reinstall I should still be good?

AW Admin · Feb 16, 2019

Get a copy of the database via PHPMyAdmin, too.

Are you positive that you're using the right login?

Have you tried resetting your password via WordPress and being positive that you are using the email address associated with your WordPress Admin account?

Because the absence of an Admin account might also be caused by malware or a person accessing your WordPress; it's unlikely to simply disappear.

Can you access the site via FTP/SFTP?

If so, I'd go to wordpress/wp-content/uploads/ and copy the uploads folder to your computer. It has the images etc.

Were it me, I'd try reinstalling WordPress. I am somewhat concerned about what caused the corruption and worried about malware.

Have you contacted your Host/ISP for support?

GoSpeed · Feb 19, 2019

The answer is yes to everthing. The support offered by my hosting company was not very good, so I cut my losses and started fresh. Overall I didn't lose very much quality content and my website is basically there for promotion, not a platform for my blathering. I am more familiar with updating and backing up a conventional website so I may opt to change formats in the future.

TrinaM · Mar 10, 2019

Just a quick hint for future: the #1 cause of WordPress hacking is not doing updates in a timely manner.

There is a free plugin called WordFence that does a fantastic job of protecting your site as well.

It is really hard to beat a WordPress install for authors. If your hosting company didn't help, consider changing to one that is more comfortable with WordPress. SiteGround is fantastic.

Also, if you had anything worth saving, WordFence does offer a paid service for cleaning hacked sites. That cleaning includes a year of their premium service to make sure it stays clean. And the cost is reasonable for what they do. I had a friend's site that got hacked. We put the paid WordFence on (didn't even pay for a cleaning) and the thing walked us through repairing and cleaning the site like a dream. Even found some malware the hosting company had missed.

No need to give up on a WordPress site just because it was hacked...

Website Blues

GoSpeed

AW Admin

GoSpeed

AW Admin

GoSpeed

TrinaM