UPDATE: 01/24/2013
WordPress 3.5.1 is now available.
Version 3.5.1 is the first maintenance release of 3.5, fixing 37 bugs.
It is also a security release for all previous WordPress versions. For a full list of changes, consult the list of tickets and the changelog, which include:
- Editor: Prevent certain HTML elements from being unexpectedly removed or modified in rare cases.
- Media: Fix a collection of minor workflow and compatibility issues in the new media manager.
- Networks: Suggest proper rewrite rules when creating a new network.
- Prevent scheduled posts from being stripped of certain HTML, such as video embeds, when they are published.
- Work around some misconfigurations that may have caused some JavaScript in the WordPress admin area to fail.
- Suppress some warnings that could occur when a plugin misused the database or user APIs.
WordPress 3.5.1 also addresses the following security issues:
- A server-side request forgery vulnerability and remote port scanning using pingbacks. This vulnerability, which could potentially be used to expose information and compromise a site, affects all previous WordPress versions. This was fixed by the WordPress security team. We’d like to thank security researchers Gennady Kovshenin and Ryan Dewhurst for reviewing our work.
- Two instances of cross-site scripting via shortcodes and post content. These issues were discovered by Jon Cave of the WordPress security team.
- A cross-site scripting vulnerability in the external library Plupload. Thanks to the Moxiecode team for working with us on this, and for releasing Plupload 1.5.5 to address this issue.
WordPress Updating Tips
When updating WordPress, themes or plugins, it doesn’t hurt to get in the habit of following the simple steps below… including double-checking with your theme’s developer *before* updating to make sure your theme will play nice with this new version. If you are on a quality theme your developer is most likely already looking into this.
WARNING: The upgrade process will affect all files and folders included in the main WordPress installation. This includes all the core files used to run WordPress, two plugins (Akismet and Hello Dolly) and two themes (Twenty Eleven and Twenty Ten). If you have made any changes to those files, your changes will be lost.
Step-by-step instructions to help you safely and easily update to the most recent version of WordPress.
Before you update we need to do a little housekeeping:
- Save a copy of all your WordPress files, pages and posts to your hard drive. You do this by clicking on the Tools icon in the left sidebar and then Export. On the next screen click on Download Export File. You might want to create a new Folder on your hard drive where you keep all your Website files. Name it WP Backup so you know to save all backup files for WP there (and you’ll know where to find them if you need them). It is a good idea to back up this file once a month anyway regardless if an update is needed.
- Backup your WordPress database. There is a nifty plugin that makes this process a no brainer, WP-DBManager. This plugin is also a must have for repairing and optimizing your database (which you should be doing minimally monthly to keep things running smoothly).
- Do a quick double-check with your framework/theme developer to see if there are an issues with their themes and the most recent WordPress update. Same goes for your plugins. The last thing you want to do is update WordPress to find out after the fact your theme or plugins have conflicts.
- To be safe, deactivate all plugins before upgrading.
[ It is a good idea to Review my article: WordPress How To: Do the Mother of All Backups ]
Once you get the above tasks accomplished, follow the links in the nag bar (it’s called a nag because that yellow bar will be up there “nagging” you until you take care of the important issue noted) and update your site to the latest version of WordPress.
Then, don’t forget to reactivate and update your plugins. You’ll see with each WordPress update that plugin developers also update their plugins which you can also do with one click. You’ll see the now familiar yellow nag bar under the plugin name in the plugins area with a link to “upgrade automatically.”
If you find after an update that something is not working as it was, go through the systematic process of deactivating your plugins one at a time until you find the culprit. If the developer has not updated his/her plugin to work with the lasted update, find another plugin whose developer is on top of these things.
Updating should not be ignored or put off. When you keep up with WordPress, have a Premium Theme and Plugin updates, you are not only keeping up with technology, but you make sure your site is secure and functioning error free.
At your service,
About Judith
Hello,
So I followed your advice and disable the theme (twentyten)… I renamed it with OLD at the end of the name… Then when I went back to WordPress it was just a blank or white screen…
I can’t seem to access my wordpress site and this is really causing me a problem… Please can someone help me fix this problem…
P.S. – I am currently running 3.4.1 and if it’s trying to upgrade to 3.4.2.., I don’t know why because I didn’t even know there was an upgrade available
Willie…
There are so many things that can cause conflicts and I’m just trying to help… What you describe shouldn’t happen if you are just using the default WordPress theme. Go back in via FTP and removed the OLD. Then you will be able to access your site. The conflict could be plugins — did you disable all plugins before trying to update as I recommend above? Otherwise, not knowing your host, settings or any tweaks you may have made it is beyond me (or anyone) here to help you further without being able to log in and see what is up. In this case you should contact your hosting company for assistance. If your host is a true WordPress host, they should have no problem helping you get to the bottom of this.
Hello,
When I tried to login today, I got this 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.]
Then a button that reads: [Update wordpress database]
When I press the button, I get a fatal error message that reads:
[Fatal error: Call to undefined function wp_get_theme() in /homepages/42/d293613789/htdocs/blog/wordpress/wp-admin/includes/schema.php on line 346]
I’m stuck, and I don’t have a clue as to how to fix it, What must I do…?
Hey, Willie:
Hmmm… This could indicate a theme conflict. What version of WordPress are you updating from and is your theme compatible with WordPress 3.4.X? I would FTP in to your wp-content/themes directory and disable the theme that is activated by renaming the theme’s directory. You can do this by adding OLD to the end of the directory name (example: themenameOLD). That will disable that theme and you can then try the update again and see what happens. If all goes well you then know it is the theme and to get an update from the developer or — a new theme. HTH!
Grabbed the update for my blog, installed and running great!
I have just updated to wordpress 3.4.2 but some of my plugin can not update ….and show this erros :” Unpacking the update…
Could not create directory. /home/….. ”
Other wordpress site also cannot update to 3.4.2 ….
Any one have this problem !
Thanks and best wishes to every one
Bui…
That sounds like an permissions error on the hosting side “Could not create directory. /home/” Try contacting your host with the exact error message you are receiving and ask for their assistance…
Thank you Judith I will contact with my web hosting service, do hope that it will be done !
Thanks
Bui, report back what you find out, okay? Lots of folks track this post and find it when they have problems. Maybe what you find out can help others moving forward! Thanks! ;-)
I followed my normal procedure of backing up my database, then deactivating all the plug ins and updating WordPress. That worked fine as it always does.
However, when I get ready to reactivate the plugins – I click on the plugins link and get the following message: Fatal error: Allowed memory size of 33554432 bytes exhausted (tried to allocate 30720 bytes) in /home/sandists/public_html/WordPress/wp-admin/includes/menu.php on line 174
Help Please
I followed the advise of someone below – I renamed my plugins folder, created a new one and just added the plugins one by one. some I activated. And for now everything seems to be working ok.
Hey, Sandi:
Glad everything worked out! ;-) But… That error message you received is a resource and memory problem found typically on hosts that are not “WordPress hosts” setup to handle the unique resource requirements that WordPress needs. You may want to check into moving your site before this affects your site’s performance — and rankings. For my sites I use HostGator.
I tried downloading the WordPress 3.4.1 update from within the admin dashboard. It’s been going for several hours now and when I navigated to another page and then went back to the admin dashboard, all I get is a server error (HTTP Error 500 (Internal Server Error) that says the sit might be down for maintenance. What can I do? Do I continue to wait? How do I know if it’s actually updating or crashed the whole thing? If it has crashed, what can I do to get it back up?
Please help! Thanks!
Hey, Ace…
Two things come to mind… Did you disable all plugins before updating? Try renaming the plugin folder to pluginsOLD and see if that lets you in. If so you know you have a plugin conflict.
If that doesn’t work, my next thought would be that you have hosting memory or disk space limitations. Are you on a good WordPress host and did you check with them? What I would do in this case is upload the WordPress Core files manually via FTP. You would upload everything in the 3.4.1 package **with the exception of the wp-content folder**. HTH!
Hi Judith,
I uploaded the updated WordPress files and it worked! Phew! Scary few moments there for me. Thank you so much! :D
Hey, Ace…
Glad it worked! Don’t feel bad — I always hold my breath when I’m overwriting files — that never goes away! ;-)
Hi Judith (and others)
Related to WordPress updatings (not only WordPress core but also plugins’ and themes’ updatings) I have a major issue that is driving me crazy. The problem I am trying to solve (or at least find the best approach possible) is about custom code. That is the PHP, HTML, JAVASCRIPT, CSS code I use to modify WordPress core, plugin or theme behaviour or look. Whereas it is reasonably easy to modify WordPress code to adapt it to your needs I couldn’t find a good way to do it and not ruin it when you update your applciation (either WordPress core, plugins or theme). Using actions and filters is a good solution for some cases but still there are other situations where you have to mix wordpress code with yours. That makes updating a real headache as you must redo all this modifications for the new version.
Do you have any good advices on that?Good practices, nice plugins or something that might help?
Thanks in advance!!
Hey, Iván:
Unfortunately, if you customize the WordPress core or plugin files — those changes will be wiped out when you update — no way around that. All you can do is get in the habit of keeping a running tally of your modifications (line number of the code and what change you made) so you can easily go in after an update and reinstate your customizations.
You can also use NotePad++ combined with it’s comparison plugin to compare the old files to the new in the same window and make the necessary modifications. I can’t live without NotePad++!
For themes, this is where using a child theme is beneficial. If you are not on a Framework, like Genesis from StudioPress, you can create your own Child Theme.
When using a framework/child theme setup you make all the customizations you like to the child theme and if the framework needs updating to keep up with WordPress, that’s what you update without wiping out the child theme customizations. With that said, there are always unexpected consequences when customizing then updating — that’s why using a theme developer with solid code and support is priceless!
HTH! ;-)
Thank you very much for such a quick reply!!
I’ll take all your advices into consideration from now on. I have just started to hear about child themes and themes frameworks and will read a little more so I can put it into practice for a new project I am just starting.
I will bookmark this site so I can take a deeper look into it, as it seems I can learn a lot from it.
Thanks a lot for your time!!!!
I have upgraded to Word Press 3.4.1. This version is to support putting HTML links in the image uploader. I am linking to another site and what the captions field to show when I use the image in a post. I tried several things but can’t it to work. What kind of coding do I put in my post so image and caption (html link) will display in my post?
Hey, George…
Not sure I understand. When you upload a image, all you would have to do is fill in the Caption field and put your HTML link in the Link URL field. Then click Insert into Post. Did you try that?
I have no yellow “nag” bar telling me to update. I’ve downloaded the zip file and it does nothing. There is no easy way to update Word Press
Hey, Gin…
Could it be you are on the latest version? Where are you hosted? I do know of hosts that block those incoming connections for “security reasons”. Without the auto-update allowed in the dashboard, you will have to do a manual update.
=> Get the latest WordPress zip (or tar.gz) file.
=> Unpack the zip file that you downloaded.
=> Deactivate plugins.
=> Delete the old wp-includes and wp-admin directories on your web host (through your FTP or shell access).
=> Using FTP or your shell access, upload the new wp-includes and wp-admin directories to your web host, overwriting old files.
=> Upload the individual files from the new wp-content folder to your existing wp-content folder, overwriting existing files. Do NOT delete your existing wp-content folder. Do NOT delete any files or folders in your existing wp-content directory (except for the one being overwritten by new files).
=> Upload all new loose files from the root directory of the new version to your existing WordPress root directory.
Click here if you want more info on manual updates.
HTH!
This was great, it helped me simplify my upgrade process. Thanks kindly! :)
Hi Judith,
I did all the steps you mentioned above to update my wordpress website. It said update was successful, welcome to wordpress 3.4.1 and then when I went back the next day, it’s telling me I need to update again, as if I never did it. This happened with more than one of my websites and I’m confused why. Any ideas?
Thanks for your help!
Sarah
Hey, Sarah…
That’s odd — where are you hosted? What you can try is accessing the site via FTP and looking in the public_html folder for an “upgrade” folder/directory. Then, delete that and try again. Be sure your theme is 3.4.1 compatible and all your plugins are disabled the second time around just in case, okay? HTH!
I could sure use some advise. I just updated to 4.3.1. I use the 2010 theme. I have several features on the site that use WP. One of the my features, ProCorners, the install didn’t work and I don’t have a clue on what to do. The problem is when I try to open the dashboard I get a blank screen. All white. I read somewhere that it maybe related to the plugin’s. Without the dash I’m not sure how to disable the plugin’s without breaking something. At this point my user can enter ProCorners and read the various article and interviews I post, but I can’t bring new or edit posts on the site. Nor can I do basic maintenance. The one thing that I have done was re-import a fresh copy of the theme and unpacked it replacing the one that was installed. I read somewhere that it maybe related to the theme. Did change anything.
Sure could use some advise.
Hey, Patrick…
Here is how to check for a plugin conflict… Use FTP to view the files on your server — or depending on where you are hosted — go to the cPanel and view your files from there. Go to: public_html > wp-content > there you will see the /plugins folder. Right click > rename the plugins folder to pluginsOLD. If in fact there is a plugin causing the problem, disabling that folder in this way should allow you access to your dashboard.
If it does work, immediately review your plugins in the WP plugin repository and delete any that are not compatible with 3.4.1. If that doesn’t work, you would need to hire someone to go in and poke around to find out what is up. HTH!
Judith,
It works now. I copied the plugins to a different folder and then removed then. That got me access to the dashboard. Then I copied each plugin back one at time and reactivated it. The odd thing is I ended up copying all of them back and all of them work. So I don’t know were the problem was, I just know that know that your advise fixed it. Thank you. Your the best.
Hey, Patrick:
Glad to hear it worked out! ;-)
Hi Judith,
Great service you provide. Is there an easy way to find the version you’re currently using so I can ask a question on the forum. I’ll also ask you: All but my latest 7 posts have disappeared.
Up to now, I’ve had 10 on the home page. Now there isn’t even a link to Older Posts.
Hey, Mike…
There are two basic ways to see what version of WordPress you are running…
As far as the number of posts on your homepage that is determined either by theme specific settings or in Settings > Reading. If you updated WordPress and your theme is not compatible that may have caused a change in display. Best to ask your theme developer if the theme is in fact 3.4 compatible as this version required many theme developers to tweak their themes.
HTH! Thanks for stopping by and your kind words!
Thanks for the quick reply. The version is not in the Right Now area. When I double-click on the site, the closest thing at the top to View Source is:
Respect in Politics
Don’t know what’s wrong. I use a MacBook Air, version 10.7.4
Missing in the last reply was: View Page Source and View Page Info. The closest thing to your Meta…is meta name viewport content
Hey, Mike…
If what I describe is not there, when was your last upgrade? It could be you are on a VERY old version of WordPress before the things I mention were put into place! If that is the case, there has been a ton of security hardening and features/functionality you are missing out on and you really should make plans to get on a theme that is compatible with 3.4 and upgrade now.
The View Source meta is there — just down a bit on line 52: name=”generator” content=”WordPress.com”. If you are hosted on WP.com you should be on the latest version… HTH!
This is a great article, but i wonder if i update php to latest version can i have a problem whit a web site?
Hey, Homer:
WordPress has requirements to operate properly — you may have problems trying to run WordPress if your PHP and MySQL are *not* up to speed. You can check those details out here.
The requirements have changed as of WordPress 3.2. The minimum requirements for WordPress 3.1 are PHP 4.3 and MySQL 4.1.2.
Thank you for the great, clearly written article about WP backups. However, I can never find a decent article about the RESTORE portion of the process. For some reason, this is rarely discussed, always seems complicated, and none of WP plugins are able to do this. Many of us thought that “EZPZ One Click Backup” was the answer until it went haywire and the developer vanished into thin air.
It reminds me of the old “Seinfeld” episode when he tries to rent a car and there are no cars available: “You know how to take the reservation… you just don’t know how to HOLD the reservation. And that’s really the most important part of the reservation, the holding.”………. i.e. “We know how to BACKUP the website… we just don’t know how to RESTORE the website. And that’s really the most important part of the process, the RESTORING.” I love that scene.
Can you recommend a set of instructions as great as your backup instructions? It would be much appreciated.
Hey, Don…
I have an article that guides you on how to do The Mother of All Backups. If you follow this process restoration is pretty straightforward. With that said, there are different types of restores…. Did the database become corrupted, was the site hacked or was this a simple theme conflict. Each would require a different level and approach to restoring.
I’ve made a note to summarize the restore process options in a post this week! ;-) Thanks stopping by!
Now I am totally confused. If I upgraded as the email from wordpress recommended how can I have a conflict? And what is a conflict? I mean, if it says upgrade and you do and it malfunctions can’t it be a bug rather than a conflict, what ever that is…
Hey, Deane…
You can have a conflict if your theme or plugin does not play nice with the new changes in WordPress. As noted in this article you need to double-check that first *before* upgrading. That is why WordPress warns you when upgrading to backup your site just in case. There is no way that WordPress can guarantee that it will run smoothly with every *independently* developed theme and plugin that exists.
At this point your best bet is to go to your theme developer and make theme aware of the conflicts their theme is having with WP 3.4. If they are not responsive — time to get your site on a supported Premium Theme.
Great overview and advice! Been loving 3.4 so far. Ran into a few problems when trying to update, here’s a blog post with tips to smooth out the process
http://bit.ly/McXRqb
I upgraded two days ago or so and ran into an instant problem. I can’t put any captions in photos. If I instert a caption it becomes regular text outside of the photo box.
Seems you may have a conflict… As recommended above — did you check with the developer of your theme to make sure your theme is compatible? If not, you may want to do so now.
I ma just starting to w re do a brand new site and w I was thinking of using wordpress. is there any issue in using nay hosting comapny? doe sit matter? I usually use web.com to host my sites? does the site have to be worked on live at all times
Hey, Lea:
Not all hosts can effectively handle the unique resource and database requirements of a WordPress site — especially as it grows and gets busy or has a lot of traffic. I use HostGator for all my sites after finding out the hard way when other hosts fell short and my sites would go off-line due to resources issues. Two hosts that I do not recommend for WordPress sites, just based on my experience and those of my clients who were hosted with them, are GoDaddy and DreamHost. While both may be good at basic hosting or other related services — WordPress hosting (and support which is just as important) is not one of them HTH!
no BS.. to the point information
Thank you so much Judith and your site design and colors are awesome !
Hey Judith,
I always get anxious when I’m updating WordPress…I know it must be done so I don’t put it off for very long. Anyways, I just wanted to let you know that I really enjoyed your article and admire you so much because you’re one of the very few webmasters who actually reply to comments! You’re just great! Have an awesome day!
Hey, Nate:
You wouldn’t be human if you didn’t get anxious — you can minimize that level by keeping up, right? If you follow my checklist and update promptly you’ll have less to be anxious about! Thanks for the kind words!
How to Update to WordPress 3.2.1 | WordPress Consultant … http://t.co/YHa5sXrV
Hey, Jay:
No plugin necessary to import or export. That is function of WP in the left sidebar Tools >. A white screen tells me your server may be having memory resource issues — did you check with your host?
This post is about backing up and updating — so I’m not clear why importing is necessary…
As I mention earlier in this thread, I have a *bunch* of sites that are on 3.3.1 and they are all exporting and importing without issue — so it isn’t WordPress.
What is different about your site?
1. It could be that your XML file is extremely large — at a certain point the export Tool doesn’t work when that file gets too big. Talk to your host to see if they can work with you on that. (Or your host is not WordPress friendly and experiencing memory resource issues.)
2. Deactivate all your plugins and try to export to eliminate a plugin conflict. If you can export then you know one of your plugins is the culprit.
3. Make sure your Theme is 3.3.1 compatible and that there are no known issues by contacting the developer of your theme.
HTH!
Too bad the plugin for the export/import does not work with the new version. We are trying to do something that is so simple. Take a wordpress blog from the .com site to our own wordpress blog on our servers. same software on both. I could see issues when you are trying to take it from another blogging platform but that is not the case. The import just gives a white screen.
Hi
Great information on your site. I am new to WordPress, creating a new site for the family. I am using Mistylook theme and there is no Plugins in the left tool bar. Can you help me please, I was hoping I may be able to use some HTML script but no sure how too. Many thanks Ann
Hey, Ann:
Plugins have to be added after the fact and installed. I have an article about how to add Plugins: WordPress How to: Installing Plugins 101 that may help.
Basically, if you want to add independent code or script snippets you would do so within a TEXT widget (Appearance > Widgets). You would drag the TEXT widget from the left to a widget area on the right and then copy-n-paste the code you want to display within the Text widget.
HTH! ;-)
Hi,
The problem with this is that the import export is not working in 3.3.1 correctly.
My xml file does not contain posts, pages or users.
A major problem.
I am a long time user of WordPress and am doing it correctly.
Hey, Mike:
I have a *bunch* of sites that are on 3.3.1 and they are all exporting without issue — so it isn’t WordPress.
What is different about your site?
1. It could be that your XML file is extremely large — at a certain point the export Tool doesn’t work when that file gets too big. Talk to your host to see if they can work with you on that.
2. Deactivate all your plugins and try to export to eliminate a plugin conflict. If you can export then you know one of your plugins is the culprit.
3. Make sure your Theme is 3.3.1 compatible and that there are no known issues by contacting the developer of your theme.
HTH!
How to Update to WordPress 3.3.1 | http://t.co/PvHW8Hdf
Hi Judith, I came across your website after googling problems updating wordpress 3.3.1. I’ve backed everything up and deactivated my plugins but when I try to update WP, it just seems to “hang”. I’ve left it for several hours, tried different browsers and am now really stuck as to what to try next?
Manual update? I’m not very tech savvy so I’m scared about trying a manual update.
I’d appreciate any advice.
Thank you.
Hey, Diane:
Be sure you didn’t really update. On servers with resource/memory issues, sometimes it does update but the screen doesn’t change. You’ll know if you are running 3.3.1 by looking in the lower right hand corner of your dashboard (“Get” 3.3.1 means the update was not successful).
You’ll want to check with your hosting company — what you describe is usually a memory resource issue. Increasing the memory limit will usually solve this for you. Give them a buzz and let theme know what is going on and with their help (PHP settings and/or wp-config.php file tweaks) you should be able to use the WordPress update feature successfully.
With that said, on true WordPress hosts this is not an issue so it may be time to consider moving our site so you won’t have to worry about this in the future.
HTH!
Would be good if you had mentioned that WordPress 3.3.1 needed PHP 5.2.4 or higher so people could check that before doing lengthy backup procedures…
I backed everything up… then used Softaculous to update my wordpress installation… problem was that AFTER it updated WordPress, THEN it told me that my “server is running PHP version 4.4.9 but WordPress 3.3.1 requires at least 5.2.4″ (although in my cpanel it says that the PHP version is 5.2.14).
So now I have to figure out how to do restore back to my previous version… which I have never done before.
Hey, Susan:
WP PHP requirements actually changed with v3.2 — which I did mention in that update. PHP Version 5.2.14 is a newer version than 5.2.4. Each version after the 5.2 is a newer version. 5.2.3 is newer than 5.2.2 for example and 5.2.4 is newer than 5.2.3., etc. So….. 5.2.14 is a much never version of PHP than the 5.2.4 required.
Something doesn’t make sense here… Why would use use Softacuoius to update when WP offers you a one click update in your Dashboard? No reason to add another cook to the stew!
What you describe is a hosting problem if the cPanel reflects something different other than what is actually installed on your server. No way I can compensate for that. And if you are running 5.2.14 then you have either a theme or plugin compatibility issue.
If you backed-up everything your host should be able to restore your database with your backup. HTH!
Hi Judy,
Stumbled your site today, great information. Thank you!
I’m struggling with taking the leap from WP version 3.2.1 to 3.3 for fear of my custom theme not being compatible. Is there a way to tell before upgrading?
I paid a designer 2 years ago to redesign my site and currently 3.2.1 is running fine.
Thanks!
Hey, Kelly:
Thanks for stopping by and your kind words! 3.2.1 to 3.3 didn’t break any themes that I am aware of. To be sure what I recommend you do is go back to your designer and ask them if it is safe to upgrade and/or if there are any issues you need to be aware of.
While it is cool to have a custom theme made for you, you are then tied to that developer for any possible issues, bugs or future WordPress updates that require your theme be updated as well. This is one of the primary reasons why I advise my clients to stick with the Premium theme developers who are on top of this kind of stuff. All the shops I recommend and work with will post in their forums or their blog that the coast is clear when WordPress updates or what tweaks or files need to be modified if in fact there are issues you need to address.
HTH! ;-)
I am now using wp version 3.2.1.But i want to update this version to 3.3.
But i have not getting any option to update current verion in admin site.
There is update menu where i have got to update 3.2.1.
How can i update current version?
Please help !!!!!!!
Hello, Sangram…
The only reason I would think that you don’t have the update link at the top of the screen is that you do not have Admin permissions to do so. Make sure you are logging in as an Admin to see if the link is there. HTH!
Cheers for the step-by-step guide. I’ve only just started using WP properly & it was good to shown how to get the backups done too. Your suggested DB backup tool wanted some php functions enabled that I couldn’t work out so I used another. Other than that followed to the letter. Thanks, its nice to have a useful muse about the web..
Hey, Niall:
Thanks for stopping by and for your kind words! Glad to be “At Your Service…” ;-) If you need a good host, I use and recommend HostGator – never had a single issue with running WordPress or any of the plugins I recommend — and their support rocks! Have fun discovering WordPress!
Hi Judith,
I’ve been spending all day trying to fix my site instead of getting work done. I can’t figure out why there is a big white space smack in the middle of my blog?
I’ve tried deactivating ALL plugins and delete widgets and nothing has helped. Any ideas?
Hey, Heather:
Were you on 2.X before upgrading? If so, check to make sure your theme is 3.X compatible. I would look at your header graphic. I can see it is 1014 and that may be just a tad too big and pushing everything out. Try minimizing that to no larger than 970 pixels in width and see if that does the trick.
No problem Judith
20 other sites!
Are you kidding me?
Presumably client sites.
Hey, Keith:
The 20 sites are mine… :-0 The good part is they allow me to test new things, see what works — what doesn’t. The bad part is I’m out of bandwidth — I am in the process of deciding what has to give because I can’t do it all — well I can — but not well.
Hi Judith
Yes it’s that time again… WordPress update time. LOL
Looking forward to increases in speed – have you noticed any difference in page load times?
Thanks for the upgrade primer.
Keith
Hey, Kevin:
I haven’t had a chance to test any speed improvement — yet. This site is on a CDN but I have about 20 other sites I’ll be updating and hoping to see the improvements 3.2 will offer. Is WordPress cool or what!? ;-) Thanks for stopping by!
Thanks a lot for this post! I’ve been really leery about upgrading since the last time I tried it (3.0)it messed up my whole site.
Now I’m forced to because I’ve switched to Thesis, which requires at least 3.0 to work. Did everything you suggested, and so far, so good!
Hey, Rachel:
Glad to be of service! Now that you have your confidence firmly in place, you can update to 3.2 which came out over the 4th of July! ;-)
Ah! ok, now I went to my cpanel and upgraded using fantastico de luxe. It said it worked, and when I went to my dashboard, the nag bar came up. However, when I clicked upgrade, this message appeared:
Could not create directory: /home/julianab/public_html/wp-content/upgrade/wordpress-3.tmp/wordpress/wp-includes
What does that mean?
Hey, Juliana:
That’s a question you need to take up with your hosting company. Could be the appropriate directory permissions are not in place and only they know the server side well enough to help you out….
Ya, I did, and the version in the bottom says 2.9.2. Ok, I guess I’m going to have to struggle through a manual update. Thanks for the help!
Thank you so much for this useful website! I was wondering if you could help me:
I am trying to update my WordPress, however, I don’t have that little “nag” bar. I probably closed it or something a while back, either way, I tried going to Tools>upgrade, but my site says that I have the latest version of WordPress. However, I only have WordPress 2.9.2 so I don’t think this is right. What should I do?
Hey, Juliana:
Hmmm… are you *sure* you are not updated? I’ve never run into a the nag bar going away unless you did upgrade at some point.
=> Look in the lower right hand corner when in your dashboard and see what version is reflected there. That shows what version you really are on.
=> If you are in fact on 2.9.2 you may have to do a manual upgrade: http://codex.wordpress.org/Updating_WordPress#Manual_Update
=> Check to make sure your theme is 3.0 compatible before you do anything and follow the backup instructions above!
HTH and thank you for your kind words about my site! ;-)
Judith
I can’t believe what you’ve just said, because I voted for ET and… Studiopress.
I’ve just bought the Genesis Pro Plus version – seems like a fantastic deal.
All those themes and all future themes.
One client site and I’ve got my money back.
Spooky!
Kindred spirits across the pond? ;-)
Hi Judith
If you want to register a vote for ET, take a look at…
http://wpcandy.com/announces/theme-madness-2011-round-4-voting
Cast your vote for ET.
If we don’t vote – they won’t win.
Catalyst theme seems to be way ahead at the moment.
Hey, Keith:
Voted 2 days ago! ;-) Also voted for StudioPress as I’ve used those themes since Brian’s Revolution days!
Hi Judith
Came over via your comment on Elegant Themes – I like to see which ET theme people are using – love this one.
Nice site and good advice on updating WordPress, and in particular taking a backup of site and database.
Can’t backup too often.
If you get a minute check out my ET theme and let me know what you think.
Hey, Keith:
Thanks for stopping by and for your kind words! I love Elegant Themes’ designs and am always excited when Nick and his crew introduce something new. It is really uncanny how his themes always seem to meet my needs.
I am surprised how many sites I work on without any backup system in place! So that’s the first thing I do before I touch a thing. Thanks again!
Will check out your site too! ;-)
Hi. After I update wp from 2.9 to3.0.3 I can,t install or update any pluggin, any ideas?
Hey, Mary:
It could be several reasons… Is your theme 3.0 compatible? 2.9 to 3.0.x update contained many changes that theme and plugin developers had to also update for.
Deactivate all your plugins and activate them back one by one until you see which is the culprit causing things to choke. To see if is your theme, try switching to the new default 2010 theme — if you site works, then you know it is a theme.
HTH!
The last time I updated wordpress, 2.9.x to 2.9.y (don’t remember the exact version), my website crashed and I had to rebuild it from scratch. Hence, my apprehension in updating to 3.0.2. I am not a website designer nor do I want to be. I am responsible for updating our church website and had to learn all the WP stuff after the site crashed. I’m kinda learning as I go. Thanks for the tips when upgrading. I think I’m going to wait for a couple weeks before upgrading to 3.0.2 to see if there are any bugs.
Jeff Bue
Newark, Texas
Hey, Jeff
You probably were updating to 3.0 when you had that bad experience. 3.0 was a major upgrade that required a whole bunch of changes from theme and plugin developers as well. Most likely your theme was not 3.0…
Updates such as the latest are no big deal. They are addressing new bugs and security issues that have come to light since 3.0′s release.
I’ve updated a ton of sites without a single issue — so upgrade without worry! ;-)
Thanks for stopping by!
Hi Judith,
Thanks for your article. Please can you confirm that if I deactivate all the plug ins that all setup with be restored for plugins once I activate them after the upgrade or will I need to setup each plug in again from scratch?
Thank you.
Hey, Greg:
Deactivate all plugins before upgrading and then reactivate after. All plugin settings should remain in tact so having to setup each plugin again is not a concern. The only time this may be an issue is if you have a plugin conflict. If after updating, things are not working, deactivate all plugins again then activate each one by one checking your site as you go until you find the problem child. HTH!
Some great advice – I had, for the first time ever, a problem updating wordpress using the auto update feature. The key to my problem seemed to be plugin based – I deleted all those that weren’t being used and deactivated the rest and then the update worked without a problem!
Hey, Simon:
Glad things worked out for you! By just following these simple steps the majority of hiccups can be avoided and/or solved. The thing is to also check that all your plugins have been tested to work on 3.0. This can be easily determined by visiting the WordPress plugin archive.
Thanks for stopping by!