3.8 Upgrade – Stuck in Database Upgrade Loop

I did the 3.8 upgrade this morning, and got stuck in a loop where the “Upgrade your database” page is shown. When the Upgrade button is clicked, the system appears to enter into the database upgrade, but then kicked me out into a 404 page. Attempting to access the dashboard put me back to the “Upgrade your Database” page.

I checked to see if my database was nearing the limit on my server’s account, but that was OK. Next, I reset my theme by renaming my selected theme and then attempting to get back into the dashboard. This time, the database upgrade process completed correctly, and I was able to get into the dashboard. I then selected the new 2014 theme, since my blog was not displaying properly. Actually, it was just a plain white screen. Once the 2014 theme was selected, the site displayed properly, and I was able to go back to the dashboard, verify and update my plugins and get the show back on the road.

Hope this helps someone…