Bluehost Web Hosting Help

Broken Plugin or Theme

Problem:

My site has a broken theme or plugin.

Solution:

Broken themes and plugins can cause havoc to any website. Before attempting any change please back up your data and databases.

Click Here for instructions to back up databases with Phpmyadmin.
Click Here for instructions via the Backup icon in cPanel.
To back up your data, just ftp the directory you are making changes in down to your computer.

Most scripts like WordPress, Drupal, Joomla can detect if a theme or plugin is missing. Occasionally a broken theme or plugin will disable the site so badly that it is impossible to login to fix the problem from the dashboard. If this is the problem then there are 2 ways to repair the site.

  • Rename the folder that contains the plugin or theme.
  • Edit the database.
The easiest way is to rename the offending folder.
If it is a problem with a theme, navigate to the correct directory. For WordPress it is /wp-content/themes/ simply rename the problem directory and re test the installation.

If the problem is with a plugin, navigate to the correct directory for the plugin and rename the problem folder. For WordPress it is /wp-content/plugins/

When renaming a directory does not solve the problem open phpMyAdmin and select the correct database, if you're not sure check the config file.
Using WordPress as our example, the file would be named wp-config.php file.
Once phpMyAdmin is open with the correct database find the correct table, in this case it would be wp_options, choose browse, then edit the 'template' and the 'stylesheet' tables, specifically lines 45 and 46. Change the name to "twentyten" which is the default theme and click go. This will allow you to log into the back end and continue building your site.

Note: Make sure after you have fixed the problems you delete un-needed files.

If neither of these solutions fixed the issue then turn your search towards the scripts forums.



Was this resource helpful?
Helpful Unhelpful


Did this resolve your issue?
Solved Unsolved


Please add any other comments or suggestions about this content:





Recommended Help Content

Switching a WordPress Theme

A WordPress theme has enormous influence over your site's appearance and maintenance. This article will explain how to change the theme for your WordPress site.

How To Install A New WordPress Theme - Manual Theme Installation

Install Themes These steps will help you install and select a WordPress theme for your blog. Inside the WordPress Dashboard, select the Add New Themes link in the Appearance Menu. You can search for

Broken Bluehost Theme on Sub cPanels

The Bluehost cpanel theme will not work correctly on sub cpanels that are created through the WHM. This article will explain how to change the theme.

Related Help Content

WordPress - Theme Demo Content

The first step in the process requires a WordPress theme, preferably one that includes a one-click demo import. Any of the Bluehost Certified Themes on Bluehost should come with this feature.

How To Disable Or Delete Plugins / Themes On A Disabled WordPress Site

This article explains how to deactivate, change or delete themes and plugins on a WordPress site without the dashboard.

WordPress - Getting Started with Themes

This guide will walk you through getting your WordPress theme set up so that you can quickly get to the fun part - customizing your site!

Logging in and Using WordPress: Installing Plugins

Install Plugins These steps will help you install and select a WordPress plugin for your blog. Inside the WordPress Dashboard, select the Add New link from the Plugins menu. You can search for a plug

OSCommerce will not keep my sessions between HTTP and HTTPS.

When I try to log into my OSCommerce shopping cart using https://secure.Bluehost.com/~username url, my shopping cart isn't the same. It is as though I have 2 carts, one for HTTP (unsecure) an

How To Host Primary Domain From A Subfolder htaccess

How do I make a sub directory (or sub folder) act as the public_html for your main domain?

WordPress - Theme Seller Support

When you purchase a theme subscription you get access to Seller Support, the Theme Seller’s support forum. From there you can contact the theme developer for help with general theme-related issues.

WordPress Theme Installation

There are multiple different ways you can install a theme you have purchased for your WordPress site. This article will explain our two recommended methods for installation.