Title: Replacing WordPress Core files
Last modified: August 30, 2016

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# Replacing WordPress Core files

 *  [jjpecoro](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jjpecoro/)
 * (@jjpecoro)
 * [10 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/replacing-wordpress-core-files/)
 * I need some clarification on replacing the WP core files. I have not been able
   to log into my dashboard for a while now and have tried disabling plugins along
   with other options. Now I am left with trying to replace my WP files in FTP.
 * My question is… are the only things that I do not delete the wp-content folder
   and the wp-config.php file? Then when replacing the core files and uploading 
   a fresh WP just remove the wp-content folder before uploading?
 * I need to make sure that I do not lose my entire site when doing this.
 * Thanks!

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)

 *  [Jason King](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jasoncharlesstuartking/)
 * (@jasoncharlesstuartking)
 * [10 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/replacing-wordpress-core-files/#post-6694127)
 * Make a backup of your entire site plus data. Then it (almost) doesn’t matter 
   if you make a mistake.
 * You’re correct.
 * You can delete wp-admin and wp-includes.
 * But don’t delete wp-content.
 * Delete all the files in the root folder except wp-config.php.
 *  Thread Starter [jjpecoro](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jjpecoro/)
 * (@jjpecoro)
 * [10 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/replacing-wordpress-core-files/#post-6694154)
 * I did everything and now the whole site is down. Getting this message
 * Warning: require(/home/readingedge/public_html/sa/wp-includes/load.php): failed
   to open stream: No such file or directory in /home/readingedge/public_html/sa/
   wp-settings.php on line 21
 * Fatal error: require(): Failed opening required ‘/home/readingedge/public_html/
   sa/wp-includes/load.php’ (include_path=’.:/usr/local/lib/php’) in /home/readingedge/
   public_html/sa/wp-settings.php on line 21
 * Any suggestions?
 *  [Jason King](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jasoncharlesstuartking/)
 * (@jasoncharlesstuartking)
 * [10 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/replacing-wordpress-core-files/#post-6694192)
 * Use FTP to check whether that file exists or not. If missing, re-upload it.
 *  Thread Starter [jjpecoro](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jjpecoro/)
 * (@jjpecoro)
 * [10 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/replacing-wordpress-core-files/#post-6694252)
 * Ok, I replaced my original backup files just to get my site back to working. 
   I retried replacing the core files the next day and that fixed my problem. Thanks
   for the help!

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)

The topic ‘Replacing WordPress Core files’ is closed to new replies.

 * In: [Fixing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/how-to-and-troubleshooting/)
 * 4 replies
 * 2 participants
 * Last reply from: [jjpecoro](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jjpecoro/)
 * Last activity: [10 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/replacing-wordpress-core-files/#post-6694252)
 * Status: not resolved

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