[A comment was left on this post wondering if asking Bluehost, where my webpages and WordPress database are housed, if they could solve the problem. So I submitted a help ticket. One of the Bluehost database support dug around for and found the problem! He said that he had to repair the .htaccess files. Doing that and disabling the plugins and themes, restarting and re-enabling the plugins and themes fixed the problem! Turns out that service went above and beyond what the tech support should fix so I was very grateful.]
My WordPress blog, hosted on Bluehost, has been unavailable to me since the 4.3.1 update. I have it set to upgrade automatically and have been enjoying that but recently when I tried to login to edit a old blog post and add a new one I was greeted with the following message:
“Database Update Required
WordPress has been updated! Before we send you on your way, we have to update your database to the newest version.
The update process may take a little while, so please be patient.
Update WordPress Database”
Clicking on Update WordPress Database does no good. It never updates. Searching the Internet and pouring through all the WordPress forums reveals this problem often with a multitude of fixes. None of those worked for me this time. So I started my own forum. No help.
I’ve tried multiple fixes from changing version numbers on specific files after checking an option_value on the databse to reparing the database, to disabling my themes and plugins, to reinstalling the entire 4.3.1 manually. Nothing has worked. No luck.
I got an email from some company who trolls the WordPress forums offering to fix my problem for a one time $45 fee or to keep it running smoothly for more money. I just don’t want to go that route. I’m sure they’ll be able to fix it but this is my educator reflection blog. I don’t make any money off of it, I’ve refused advertising and other offers to monetize it, so it seems a bit much to have to spend money on a free service.
I wondering if it’s time to move my blogging over to Blogger. I have a few other blogs on blogger and I have my students blogging on Blogger this year. I’m using GAFE a lot more this year so the switch would be in line with my teaching. But I really, really love my WordPress blog. Not because of WordPress, I’ve had major problems like this throughout the years – my own fault because of all the plugins and themes I’ve used – but because it’s my first blog that actually has an audience. I don’t get comments much, rarely if ever actually, but people have subscribed to my blog and I get about 2,000 to 3,000 hits on my blog each month because there are teachers out there searching topics that I write and share about. That means a lot to me. That my reflecting, my sharing, my writing can either help someone or at least show them they are not alone. I know that’s why I spend so much of my time reading other teacher’s blogs. Because I find solace in knowing that I am not alone in this profession I’ve chosen.
So what do I do? The only reason I’ve managed to slip this post in is because I added it via my WordPress App on my iPhone. I have no other way to access to Dashboard and update or add posts. At least I can do it this way. So do I just wait until the next update and hope it works itself out? Maybe someone on the forums will find a solution.
Or should I move my blog over to blogger???
