You can test their theory about the theme by temporarily disabling it.
If you can’t access your admin pages, you’ll need to use an FTP client (like FileZilla), or your host’s cpanel (or File Manager) and navigate to the files on the server. You seem to be familiar with that already.
In your WP installation there, find wp-content/themes and rename just the active theme’s folder to something like themename-hold. That will disable the theme and allow you to test your site. WP will use a default WP theme in its place (probably Twentyfifteen). If it’s unchanged, rename it back.
Have them double check your server connection and credentials for you. You can also check your database login info yourself in wp-config.php (a file in the root of your WP installation) to make sure everything is correct. If something is wrong with your db name, password, etc, you’ll have connection problems.
Thanks so much! Not sure which of the themes is active–can I rename them all different names?
Sure. You can rename them all except for one of the Twenty-something default WP themes: leave unchanged 2015 or whatever is the most-recent one you have installed. If you prefer, you can create a themes-deactivated folder and move themes there – same effect.
I changed the names but the site is still giving the same error. From what I can tell the wp-config area is correct–not sure what I’d identify as wrong…
I feel like the them I recently put up was not on the list of themes. Would this be what happened if a theme was pulled off wordpress or something?
Thanks Bill!
I have the exact same problem (same error messages, checked with host), which coincides with an automatic update to WP version 4.2.5. I’m NOT familiar with working outside of the website admin panels. I’m running Weaver II (I think). Any suggestions?
on the phone with someone more helpful than the other guy at godaddy. fingers crossed.
My site is back up. the guy at godaddy this morning said he could do nothing, and the guy tonight fixed it. Something about the sql matching some other stuff? I say try your hosting site until you get a helpful person!
thanks!
So glad you got this worked out!
@anniemcmj – Try checking with your host again regarding database login credentials. If nothing is wrong there, and there is no server problem or db problem on their end, please start a new thread so someone can try and help you. Your problem may or may not be the same after all, even though the error message is the same.
