Hi Mary,
Just to check have you updated to WordPress 4.0?
If not do this first, it’s critical you do so as soon as possible.
Total cache is looking for a function, that was added into WordPress after 3.0 and can’t find it.
But please update your site, apart from a range of improvements (including automatic updates) there have been several very serious security issues that effect sites running older version of the software.
Thank you so much Tim!!
ah ok, I thought I had to install those plugins before updating. So I will update now. I’m just so concerned how the blog look will change completely because my theme is out of date and 4.0 will probably cancel it out..
Do you think there is a way to preserve themes intact with each and every update? [if they are not automatically updated by their maker for every new wordpress version]
thanks!
Mary xx
Your theme *should* look the same after the update, though it’s worth checking to see if there is a later version of your theme and install that as well (assuming you haven’t made any changes)
So once you make a backup (always backup before doing stuff like this)
Update to WP 4.0
See if your theme looks ok and still working, if for some reason it’s not, then you can change to the default theme under appearances while we figure out why.
If you haven’t customised any of the code in your theme and there is a later version then you can update to that later version.
I have already customized it, it’s this one
http://azeemazeez.com/blogs/white-as-milk/
very. very old.. ;))
About the back up; I have backed everything up via FTP [all folders and files that have to do with my wordpress] and then I read that the database cannot be retrieved via FTP and I would have to back it up from the dashboard of my WP, via a backup plugin. Which i did, using WordPress Database Backup by Austin Matzko. Did I do ok? Is there a better, more efficient way to make sure everything is securely backed up in the case of a disaster?
Thank you SO much Tim, i’m so stressed out about this, your help is god sent!
xxxxxx
Mary
Assuming you have stored that back up safely (you might want to open it and check it has content, it’s most likely a zip file or an SQL file. If its a zip file it should have the sql file in it. You can open it in notepad it should have a heap of text in it with lots of references to tables.
Assume thats the case you are good to go!
Yes, it’s a SQL file in a zip :))
do you think I can salvage my theme from being booted by 4.0?
Your theme should work after you update, I’m not going to promise it will because it is an old theme and it may have some truly old functions no longer existing but even if it doesn’t work you really should update regardless, even if it means using a new theme.
hey Tim,
Can I ask you something? So Yahoo permanently deactivated AKISMET and all of a sudden I keep getting these notofications:
A new trackback on the post “” is waiting for your approval
Website : windows 8 loader (IP: 188.208.5.164 , 188.208.5.164)
URL : http://freewin8crack.blogspot.com/
Trackback excerpt:
windows 8 loader…
Approve it:
Trash it:
Spam it:
Currently 1 comment is waiting for approval. Please visit the moderation panel:
Is this occurrence related? Should I replace akismet with something else?
thank you!
Mary
Mary, Create a free AKISMET account, and you’ll receive your own Key instead of using Yahoo’s. Then set up your WordPress to use it.
How did the W3 Total Cache installation go?
Right now I’m not running a cache since I don’t want to keep deleting all the cached files while I’m updating stuff, but after nearly hosing my blog uninstalling my previous caching and then again installing the All In One WP Security, I’m a bit tentative adding it without guidance.
