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Debugging WPMU

ATTENTION! WordPress MU is no longer under active development as a separate product. Its features were rolled into core and released with WordPress 3.0. You can simply proceed by Installing WordPress and Create A Network instead. It functions generally the same.

If you are reading this you may have been directed here by an error upon install. If that is the case, here are some things you can try to force a re-install:

  • Delete the .htaccess file. If you are on a cpanel host an empty one may be created automatically. Try deleting the file through FTP.
  • Drop any tables which were created. Only do this on a new install.
  • Delete the created wp-config file.

When you submit a bug report, there are a few rules and guidelines to follow:

Please report problems using Trac and remember to select "MU 1.0" as your milestone.

Also please don't post files within the forum unless asked to do so. Since the forum software will occasionally cause problems with formatting or strip out parts of the code, it's best to place the code within your site as a *.txt or *.phps file and link to it from your post. We all have the same files anyway, especially the .htaccess file so, it's rather moot.

Always give specifics when you post. Changing text doesn't allow others to see if maybe you have an error with what you have in there. (Feel free to change any passwords though of course.)

Include the following in the description of the problem:

  • Is VHOST true or false?
  • Is the path to your WordPress? MU install "/" or some directory?
  • Anything in the error logs? If you didn't get a welcome email, check your mail logs.
  • Did you receive any sort of error within your browser? If so, what was the specific error?
  • Does the information in wp_blogs, wp_users and wp_site match your blog, user and site?
  • Mention the version number, SVN check-in number or the date you downloaded the snapshot.
  • Plugins in place? Have you tried turning them off and seeing if that affects the issue?
  • Server environment: Apache or IIS? What OS are you running? Any proxy or cache server in place?
  • End user environment: Browser and version? (IE, Opera, Netscape, Safari?) OS? Security programs?
  • How to dupe the error. Please provide the specifics as to what you did to arrive at the error. Where within the site did the error appear? What is the specific error that you have received if you are getting one?
  • Give details. Please remember that you're the one seeing the error and many times, you're the only one seeing that error. Folks can't read minds or else they would be in Vegas playing cards instead of trying to help other folks on the Mu forums.

Other things to do:

  • Read the README.txt file. There are important instructions there on how to configure your web server.
  • Check the following: wp-config for $base, database tables wp_blogs and wp_site match the URL you're using.
  • If your new install doesn't work, you should debug wpmu-settings.php to figure out where it's going wrong. Use print, print_r and error_log to dump variables, especially $blogname.
  • If it did work, and then it broke, what did you do last?
  • Check if your bug hasn't been already fixed:
  • Provide a link to your WPMU install so those trying to help can actually see what is occurring.

If you post a message to the forum saying, "my blog doesn't work! Please help!!!" you will be pointed at this page. Please don't regard this as being unhelpful, we're trying to help you help yourself.