Wordpress Woes

February 7, 2006 1:15 PM

Wordpress install woes. Why can't I get this to worK?

I am hosted by 1and1 and have all the requirements for Wordpress. I created a database in MySQL. I downloaded WP, unzipped, changed the wp-config to look like this:

define('DB_NAME', 'db1xxxxxxxxx'); // The name of the database
define('DB_USER', 'dboxxxxxxxxx'); // Your MySQL username
define('DB_PASSWORD', 'xxxxxxx'); // ...and password
define('DB_HOST', 'db286.perfora.net'); // 99% chance you won't need to change this value

I ftp'd all WP files to the root directory of my server and then attemped to access mysite.com/wp-admin/install.php...I get a 404.

I have checked and doublechecked my database settings, redownloaded and installed, looked around here and WP support for answers and still no go. What am I doing wrong?

I am on a WinXP machine using Firefox (but I checked in IE and that doesn't work either.)

posted by Biblio to computers & internet (17 comments total)

If you are getting a 404 error it is probably a path/naming issue. What is the full filesystem path to the root of your website (ie /home/biblio/public_html). What is the full path to the wp-admin directory? Are the wordpress files in a subfolder of your website? For example: /home/biblio/public_html/wordpress ?
posted by Good Brain at 1:22 PM on February 7, 2006

I doubt it has anything to with your database set up. The server gives a 404 because it can't find /wp-admin/install.php at all.

Maybe your files aren't where you think they are.
posted by timeistight at 1:26 PM on February 7, 2006

Unless you installed the wordpress package in your root directory the "wp-admin" should be a subdirectory of your wordpress folder, whatever you named it.

For example mine is mysite.com/wp/wp-admin
posted by Robot Johnny at 1:26 PM on February 7, 2006

Oops... missed the part where you uploaded to the root.
posted by Robot Johnny at 1:27 PM on February 7, 2006

If I use Filezilla or My Network Places I can see these files and folders in the root directory. The fist time I tried this I uploaded to a subfolder and when that didn't work tried it in the root directory.
posted by Biblio at 1:35 PM on February 7, 2006

What happens when you go to "yoursite.com/wp-admin/"? (If it's the site listed on your user page, that also gives a 404.)

Can you put anything in /wp-admin/ and have it show up in the browser?
posted by timeistight at 1:51 PM on February 7, 2006

Did you rename the config file?
posted by strangeleftydoublethink at 1:53 PM on February 7, 2006

Did you change permissions for certain files as per the installation instructions?
posted by Robot Johnny at 1:59 PM on February 7, 2006

I just tried moving a .jpg into wp-admin and I also get a 404. I looked around the instructions for info on changing permissions, but didn't see anything. I will check again.
posted by Biblio at 2:06 PM on February 7, 2006

By "root", you mean into the "public_html" folder of your server, right? That's probably where your entire site's files should go, not to the actual root folder you see when you FTP there.
posted by madman at 2:15 PM on February 7, 2006

afaik, there is no "public_html" folder on my server. Should I create one?
posted by Biblio at 2:22 PM on February 7, 2006

Ok, I created a "public_html" folder and moved all the wordpress stuff there. No go.
posted by Biblio at 2:32 PM on February 7, 2006

Do you have WebsiteBuilder activated for your account? According to the 1and1 FAQ, this can cause 404 errors:

Why am I getting a 404 error when I go to my website?

If your domain is pointing to a non-existing directory, a 404 error message is displayed.

For Example:
The domain has been assigned to WebsiteBuilder/DynamicSiteCreator/WebsiteCreator, but
nothing has yet been published. To resolve it you have 2 options:

1. Disable WSB/DSC/WSC.
Disable the Website Building Applications. Then change the Destination of your domain
to Root Folder (/.) or to the folder you have uploaded your files.

2. Publish the content you created using WSB/DSC/WSC.

How to disable WSB.
posted by fochsenhirt at 2:34 PM on February 7, 2006

Is there a 'www' folder? Or two?

On my host, the path is something like "/home/username/www/www/" -- what does yours look like?

What does your hosting company say is the "absolute path" to your files? Not the path as seen by browsers, the path as seen by FTP programs?
posted by AmbroseChapel at 2:34 PM on February 7, 2006

Agreed with everyone above...I've done a BUNCH of WP installs, and this isn't a WP issue. There's something wrong in the path somewhere, and the files aren't where you think they are. You want the blog to be the root index? That is, when someone goes to http://yoursite.com, the blog will be the first thing they see?
posted by griffey at 2:46 PM on February 7, 2006

YES! I changed the destination for my site to public_html and am now able to proceed with the installation.
THANK YOU!
posted by Biblio at 2:57 PM on February 7, 2006

I'll bet fochsenhirt nailed it.
posted by timeistight at 2:57 PM on February 7, 2006