WordPress.org

1. Terence Taylor
   Member
   Posted 1 year ago #

   Okay,

   THE PROBLEM:

   I get "Error establishing a database connection" when I try to log in to change or update my http://www.doyoubelieveinvampires.com site or go to it.

   WHAT I DID:

   I was updating my site and when I was making a change to the subhead on the top of the Settings page (I believe that's where I was) on the Dashboard, I thought a field labeled "WordPress something" was empty that had been full when I went in, and filled it with the site address, which was in a field just below it. I should not have, but now can't get in to change it.

   My WordPress site is hosted on GoDaddy, not on WordPress. I can access it with an FTP browser. I have backed up my MySQL database there as per their instructions, thinking I could edit the mistake out there since I couldn't find any files in the WordPress folder with the address in it. It may be that is where the instruction is after all, and I will restore my original MySQL database on GoDaddy until I find out otherwise.

   If I just have to edit the misdirected web address out of one of the WordPress files, tell me which one, and I can do that and replace it with the FTP program. If it is in my database, does anyone know where? I can edit and resave that on the server as well.

   Thanks!

   I can answer any questions to get this up and running again.

2. John Hoff
   Member
   Posted 1 year ago #

   Hopefully you can find the answer here:

   http://codex.wordpress.org/Changing_The_Site_URL

3. Terence Taylor
   Member
   Posted 1 year ago #

   Wow. Thanks -- But so much information, and I have tried a few of the simpler solutions to no avail. Not helping is that I am afraid I may have screwed up the database when I backed it up, by making two changes I later am pretty sure I undid, but am not completely sure I fixed.

   Where is the settings problem? What specific file is the info in if the site is hosted someplace other than on WordPress? The page link you sent (thanks again) doesn't seem to clarify that for me, don't see it in wp-config.php.

   The site is hosted on GoDaddy, not WordPress if that makes a difference, which I am sure it does with some of the suggested coding -- I have FTP access, and copied the folder of everything, and could rip copy out of the database copy I have if it is screwed up.

   Anyone know what I lose by trashing the original MySQL database, putting in a new one and letting it "play" the theme in the folder, essentially? I think i would lose posting contents, but I can replace all of that if the "shell" of the site can get back up.

   In the meantime I will keep trying with what you posted here. I am assuming they are alternative methods, and not a series of steps to do all of... ;)

4. Terence Taylor
   Member
   Posted 1 year ago #

   Just so y'all know, I am dumping the whole thing and starting from scratch. Fortunately learned this lesson before the site was bigger and completely irretrievable...
   Thanks!

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