Title: Please help. Last modified: August 21, 2016 --- # Please help. * [faalbane](https://wordpress.org/support/users/faalbane/) * (@faalbane) * [12 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/please-help-242/) * Alright, so I customized a theme (Customizr), and I was completely ready to “ go live” with the site. All I wanted/needed to do was make it so my [http://www.siteexample.com/wp](http://www.siteexample.com/wp) site was [http://www.siteexample.com](http://www.siteexample.com). So, I researched and literally found about 9 options. I tried one, updating the functions.php file (via FTP) within my theme with a couple of (update option) strings of code to change the site url and home of my site. That didn’t work. My site looks like it lost all stylistic features of the theme, it looks broken. So, instinctively, I simply removed what I added, and reuploaded the file to take its place. It’s still broken. Then, I tried another option, to “hard code” the wp-config.php file of my site. That completely locked me out. So, now I’m back to the broken site (it’s there, it’s simply completely without all of the stylistic feature of the theme I was working in). Please, someone, I have FTP access, 1) how do simply get back to where I started (I can’t even log in to my back end now), and 2) simply change my site url without the apocalypse reigning down on all my hard work and excitement. Please help. Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 31 total) 1 [2](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/please-help-242/page/2/?output_format=md) [3](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/please-help-242/page/3/?output_format=md) [→](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/please-help-242/page/2/?output_format=md) * [C W (VYSO)](https://wordpress.org/support/users/cyril-washbrook/) * (@cyril-washbrook) * [12 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/please-help-242/#post-4529978) * **Getting back to the start** * Remove any changes that you attempted to make to wp-config.php and functions. php, if you haven’t already. * Then add these two lines to wp-config.php: * ``` define('WP_HOME','http://www.siteexample.com/wp'); define('WP_SITEURL','http://www.siteexample.com/wp'); ``` * The URL in both cases should specify the subdirectory in which WordPress is installed. This should restore your site and allow you to log in. Once you have successfully logged in, make sure you remove the above lines again. * For more information on this procedure, see the [Codex](http://codex.wordpress.org/Changing_The_Site_URL). * **Pointing the root to the subdirectory** * The correct method of doing what you are attempting to do does not involve any changes to wp-config.php or the functions.php in your theme, at least when done correctly. * Based on what you have said, my guess is that the tutorials you used were actually correct per se, but you were looking for the wrong tutorials and therefore did the wrong thing. My guess, more specifically, is that you were following instructions telling you how to do [this](http://codex.wordpress.org/Changing_The_Site_URL), whereas what you _actually_ want to do is [this](http://codex.wordpress.org/Giving_WordPress_Its_Own_Directory). * The instructions are outlined in [this Codex page](http://codex.wordpress.org/Giving_WordPress_Its_Own_Directory#Using_a_pre-existing_subdirectory_install). Carefully follow the instructions under “Using a pre-existing subdirectory install”. * Thread Starter [faalbane](https://wordpress.org/support/users/faalbane/) * (@faalbane) * [12 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/please-help-242/#post-4529983) * Thank you so much. I’m back to square one. Okay, so, first things first. I have FTP access. I don’t know what folder is my root folder. I can see the htaccess file and index.php files though within my “/wp” folder my host set up for me for WordPress. Outside (or up one level) from here, there aren’t any folders that I think are the root. In other words, where do I copy these files? * Thread Starter [faalbane](https://wordpress.org/support/users/faalbane/) * (@faalbane) * [12 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/please-help-242/#post-4529984) * Also, should I go ahead and change the Site URL within my general settings on WordPress right now? (I have paranoia now with these site url settings). Please help. I really appreciate it. * Thread Starter [faalbane](https://wordpress.org/support/users/faalbane/) * (@faalbane) * [12 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/please-help-242/#post-4529985) * also, I know this is probably unorthadox, but if you have Team Viewer installed I can link you to my computer. (I’m simply interested in learning this as well, so I don’t repeat these mistakes). In other words, I’m online, I can continue following this thread, or, if you have Team Viewer, I can Team View. Please let me know. Thanks again for the quick reply. * Thread Starter [faalbane](https://wordpress.org/support/users/faalbane/) * (@faalbane) * [12 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/please-help-242/#post-4529986) * or, do you know how to post screenshots within this thread? is there a code? * [C W (VYSO)](https://wordpress.org/support/users/cyril-washbrook/) * (@cyril-washbrook) * [12 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/please-help-242/#post-4529990) * (1) The root is the top-level directory: i.e. one level above the subdirectory. * (2) Changing the “Site address (URL)” in Settings > General is the first key step in making `siteexample.com/wp` accessible via `siteexample.com`, so yes, if you want to do the change now, then start with changing the site URL. Your site will throw up an error message when you do that, but that’s completely normal, as the tutorial states. If anything goes wrong, there is nothing that you are doing that is irreversible, so just keep a cool head and follow the instructions carefully. * [C W (VYSO)](https://wordpress.org/support/users/cyril-washbrook/) * (@cyril-washbrook) * [12 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/please-help-242/#post-4529994) * I’m not familiar with Team Viewer but I strongly recommend against inviting people whom you don’t know to access your computer remotely, let alone when you’re doing back end administration on your website. I think I’m trustworthy, of course, but that’s kind of beside the point. * You can’t upload images here directly – the standard practice is to use an image- hosting service and then post a link when you need to post screenshots. * Thread Starter [faalbane](https://wordpress.org/support/users/faalbane/) * (@faalbane) * [12 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/please-help-242/#post-4529995) * Alright, just to make sure. I have FTP access, and the folder with all of my WordPress content, admin, and includes, is called “/wp”. There is no folder above this one. In other words, when the instructions state, “Copy (NOT MOVE!) the index.php and .htaccess files from the WordPress (wordpress in our example) directory into the root directory of your site—the latter is probably named something like www or public_html” I don’t see a “www” or “public_html” folder. I just have my “/wp” folder. Is this my root too? It’s already in there. I don’t know where to paste it.. I have a screenshot but I don’t know how to share it. In other words, what is my subdirectory and what is my root directory? * Thread Starter [faalbane](https://wordpress.org/support/users/faalbane/) * (@faalbane) * [12 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/please-help-242/#post-4529997) * alright, I was going to keep a close eye on anyone via team view and shut is down immediately if something happened. In other words, I think my issue could be solved pretty easily, visually, since the problem is rooted in my simple lack of ability to define my sub directory from my root directory. * Thread Starter [faalbane](https://wordpress.org/support/users/faalbane/) * (@faalbane) * [12 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/please-help-242/#post-4529999) * Basically, I have a “/wp” folder. Within here, I can see the index.php file and htaccess file these instructions want me to copy from my wordpress directory into my root directory, I just don’t see a root directory (or synomous language) folder. Thus, I’m stuck. Is it possible for my WordPress directory folder to be the same thing as my root directory folder? * [C W (VYSO)](https://wordpress.org/support/users/cyril-washbrook/) * (@cyril-washbrook) * [12 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/please-help-242/#post-4530002) * I’m not sure what exactly your host did for you, but by definition a _sub_directory cannot exist in the ether. Typically, a subdirectory’s full path will be something like `/public_html/wp` or `/www/wp`. The root directory is therefore `/public_html` or `/www`. Any FTP client should show you this path structure. * If you’d like to post a screenshot of what you are seeing in your FTP client, you can upload it to a service like [Imgur](http://www.imgur.com/). Just make sure it doesn’t have any critical information showing. * Thread Starter [faalbane](https://wordpress.org/support/users/faalbane/) * (@faalbane) * [12 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/please-help-242/#post-4530006) * here’s a view of my top-level folders: [http://imgur.com/rICp51g](http://imgur.com/rICp51g) * here’s within my “/wp” folder: [http://imgur.com/Dbo11Bw](http://imgur.com/Dbo11Bw) * Thread Starter [faalbane](https://wordpress.org/support/users/faalbane/) * (@faalbane) * [12 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/please-help-242/#post-4530008) * also, “/main” is a folder for a Drupal backend * [C W (VYSO)](https://wordpress.org/support/users/cyril-washbrook/) * (@cyril-washbrook) * [12 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/please-help-242/#post-4530010) * The first screenshot is in fact a screenshot of your root directory. All of the folders contained therein are subdirectories, not “top-level folders”. * Thread Starter [faalbane](https://wordpress.org/support/users/faalbane/) * (@faalbane) * [12 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/please-help-242/#post-4530011) * ahh, okay, so I just copy and paste the htaccess and index.php file outside of the “/wp” folder? (underneath the welcome.html file in the first screenshot?) Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 31 total) 1 [2](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/please-help-242/page/2/?output_format=md) [3](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/please-help-242/page/3/?output_format=md) [→](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/please-help-242/page/2/?output_format=md) The topic ‘Please help.’ is closed to new replies. ## Tags * [ftp](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/ftp/) * [site url](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/site-url/) * In: [Fixing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/how-to-and-troubleshooting/) * 31 replies * 2 participants * Last reply from: [C W (VYSO)](https://wordpress.org/support/users/cyril-washbrook/) * Last activity: [12 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/please-help-242/page/3/#post-4530053) * Status: not resolved ## Topics ### Topics with no replies ### Non-support topics ### Resolved topics ### Unresolved topics ### All topics