Title: Error establishing a database connection
Last modified: August 30, 2016

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# Error establishing a database connection

 *  Resolved [BrownBettie](https://wordpress.org/support/users/brownbettie/)
 * (@brownbettie)
 * [10 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/error-establishing-a-database-connection-712/)
 * Hi there! As of yesterday [http://camillebatkinson.com](http://camillebatkinson.com)
   is not available, the site is a blank page with “Error establishing a database
   connection” on it.
 * When go to [http://camillebatkinson.com/wp-adminI](http://camillebatkinson.com/wp-adminI)
   get a longer version of the same message.
 * I went into the site through godaddy and the folders are there…. they just can’t
   help me ’cause they think it’s a problem with the wordpress theme I’m using.
 * If you can help me, please do so in the simplest of terms as I’m no expert at
   the behind the scenes stuff…..
 * Thanks in advance, fingers crossed!

Viewing 8 replies - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)

 *  [Bill](https://wordpress.org/support/users/chubbycrow/)
 * (@chubbycrow)
 * [10 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/error-establishing-a-database-connection-712/#post-6553621)
 * 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](http://codex.wordpress.org/FTP_Clients)(
   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.
 *  Thread Starter [BrownBettie](https://wordpress.org/support/users/brownbettie/)
 * (@brownbettie)
 * [10 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/error-establishing-a-database-connection-712/#post-6553623)
 * Thanks so much! Not sure which of the themes is active–can I rename them all 
   different names?
 *  [Bill](https://wordpress.org/support/users/chubbycrow/)
 * (@chubbycrow)
 * [10 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/error-establishing-a-database-connection-712/#post-6553625)
 * 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.
 *  Thread Starter [BrownBettie](https://wordpress.org/support/users/brownbettie/)
 * (@brownbettie)
 * [10 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/error-establishing-a-database-connection-712/#post-6553628)
 * 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!
 *  [AnnieMcMJ](https://wordpress.org/support/users/anniemcmj/)
 * (@anniemcmj)
 * [10 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/error-establishing-a-database-connection-712/#post-6553629)
 * 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?
 *  Thread Starter [BrownBettie](https://wordpress.org/support/users/brownbettie/)
 * (@brownbettie)
 * [10 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/error-establishing-a-database-connection-712/#post-6553632)
 * on the phone with someone more helpful than the other guy at godaddy. fingers
   crossed.
 *  Thread Starter [BrownBettie](https://wordpress.org/support/users/brownbettie/)
 * (@brownbettie)
 * [10 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/error-establishing-a-database-connection-712/#post-6553641)
 * 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!
 *  [Bill](https://wordpress.org/support/users/chubbycrow/)
 * (@chubbycrow)
 * [10 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/error-establishing-a-database-connection-712/#post-6553651)
 * So glad you got this worked out!
 * [@anniemcmj](https://wordpress.org/support/users/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.

Viewing 8 replies - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)

The topic ‘Error establishing a database connection’ is closed to new replies.

## Tags

 * [can't log in](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/cant-log-in/)
 * [Error establishing a database connection](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/error-establishing-a-database-connection/)
 * [site down](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/site-down/)

 * In: [Fixing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/how-to-and-troubleshooting/)
 * 8 replies
 * 3 participants
 * Last reply from: [Bill](https://wordpress.org/support/users/chubbycrow/)
 * Last activity: [10 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/error-establishing-a-database-connection-712/#post-6553651)
 * Status: resolved

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