Title: total beginner needs help setting up Last modified: August 20, 2016 --- # total beginner needs help setting up * [The Cynical Monk](https://wordpress.org/support/users/thecynicalmonk/) * (@thecynicalmonk) * [14 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/total-beginner-needs-help-setting-up/) * Help! I have read the instructions in the “readme” file and I am totally lost. It tells me to “Unzip the package in an empty directory and upload everything.” What does this mean, “upload” everything? I thought “upload” meant to transfer data from my PC onto a website. I just want to install the wordpress program… I haven’t started a blog yet so there is nothing to upload… * Then it says “Open wp-admin/install.php in your browser. It will take you through the process to set up a wp-config.php file with your database connection details.” * Well, I’ve tried opening that in both chrome & IE and all I get is a page of HTML script, no installer. I’ve no idea what I am supposed to do here. * Then it tells me “If for some reason this doesn’t work, don’t worry. It doesn’t work on all web hosts. Open up wp-config-sample.php with a text editor like WordPad or similar and fill in your database connection details.” * I have tried opening this again using WordPad and the same thing happens – a page full of HTML script. * I am totally new at all this and clearly am missing something obvious to those who are more technologically savvy… I was told WordPress was really easy to use! Is there some sort of guide for really clueless beginners like me? * Thanks for any help! Viewing 6 replies - 16 through 21 (of 21 total) [←](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/total-beginner-needs-help-setting-up/?output_format=md) [1](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/total-beginner-needs-help-setting-up/?output_format=md) 2 * [govpatel](https://wordpress.org/support/users/govpatel/) * (@govpatel) * [14 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/total-beginner-needs-help-setting-up/page/2/#post-2360319) * yes you can you will need export your posts from wordpress.com and import in self hosted wordpress that simple. * Thread Starter [The Cynical Monk](https://wordpress.org/support/users/thecynicalmonk/) * (@thecynicalmonk) * [14 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/total-beginner-needs-help-setting-up/page/2/#post-2360321) * A big thank you to everyone who persevered with me today. * I have written my blog this afternoon – [http://johnbentleyswriting.wordpress.com/](http://johnbentleyswriting.wordpress.com/) and if you have any comments or suggestions, I’d be delighted to hear them. * Actually, I do have one (hopefully last) question – I want to post a link to another site on this blog. I’ve been into “Links” on the dashboard and added the URL under the category “Blogroll” – but I still can’t see the link on my blog. Am I doing something wrong? * [govpatel](https://wordpress.org/support/users/govpatel/) * (@govpatel) * [14 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/total-beginner-needs-help-setting-up/page/2/#post-2360323) * You need add blogroll widget in side bar click on appearance>>> widgets and drag blogroll in widget area to right * [Clayton James](https://wordpress.org/support/users/claytonjames/) * (@claytonjames) * [14 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/total-beginner-needs-help-setting-up/page/2/#post-2360326) * [@thecynicalmonk](https://wordpress.org/support/users/thecynicalmonk/) * I assure you, my last comment was a lighthearted attempt at throwing comical relief at the situation, not as a means of causing any distress. I do apologize if it appeared that way. * It’s tough getting started, and everyone certainly has to start somewhere. I encourage you to try as many platforms as you want. That way, in time, you can make an accurate comparison of what you like and dislike, and will then be able to make an informed decision based on what you know works best for you. I’m glad to see you decided to give wordpress.com a try. * Best wishes to you! * Thread Starter [The Cynical Monk](https://wordpress.org/support/users/thecynicalmonk/) * (@thecynicalmonk) * [14 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/total-beginner-needs-help-setting-up/page/2/#post-2360348) * Hi everyone * I have another question – I’m trying to set up RSS feeds on my blog, so that people can subscribe to automatically receive notification of any new posts I make. I’ve dragged the RSS widget to the right, but when I tested it by clicking on the blog’s “RSS-Posts” links, just to test it worked, I got the message * “This XML file does not appear to have any style information associated with it. The document tree is shown below.” * Plus a page of HTML. * Am I doing something wrong? Or is it a fault? * BTW my blog’s address is * johnbentleyswriting.wordpress.com/ * Thanks * [esmi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/esmi/) * (@esmi) * [14 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/total-beginner-needs-help-setting-up/page/2/#post-2360349) * These forums are for self-hosted WordPress sites only. Please try asking your question on [http://en.forums.wordpress.com/](http://en.forums.wordpress.com/) Viewing 6 replies - 16 through 21 (of 21 total) [←](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/total-beginner-needs-help-setting-up/?output_format=md) [1](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/total-beginner-needs-help-setting-up/?output_format=md) 2 The topic ‘total beginner needs help setting up’ is closed to new replies. ## Tags * [beginner](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/beginner/) * In: [Installing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/installation/) * 21 replies * 5 participants * Last reply from: [esmi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/esmi/) * Last activity: [14 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/total-beginner-needs-help-setting-up/page/2/#post-2360349) * Status: not resolved ## Topics ### Topics with no replies ### Non-support topics ### Resolved topics ### Unresolved topics ### All topics