WordPress Problem. wp_categories database doesn't exist!?

[introdor]

Hi

The following was posted to the WordPress.org forum a couple of days ago but unfortunately I have not received a single answer, so I was wondering if anyone here would possibly know the answer?

I have a bit of a strange situation. When I accees my WP blog online the categories and the posts within them are showing correctly. However, if I go into WP Admin and Manage Categories there are no categories showing and I get the following error message:

"WordPress database error: [Table 'myusername_wrdp1.wp_categories' doesn't exist]
SELECT SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS * FROM wp_categories WHERE category_parent = '0' ORDER BY cat_name LIMIT 0, 50"

I discovered this because I wanted to add an RSS feed using a plugin called SmartRSS. You need to specify a category, of course it states there aren't to choose from! I get the following, similar error message:

"WordPress database error: [Table 'myusername_wrdp1.wp_categories' doesn't exist]
select cat_ID, cat_name from wp_categories"

I have had a look at my cpanel / Databases & MyPHPAdmin but I'm afraid my technical knowledge isn't good enough to solve the problem.

Would really appreciate it if anyone could let me know how to fix this.

Many thanks
Rik

[TWD-Tony]

Have you changed the database prefix to "myusername" or is that what it actually says?

I am guessing you have changed it but it doesn't hurt to ask!

Go into phpmyAdmin and go into the database (either select the DB if you have more than 1 DB or it will automatically go into that DB if it is the only one) and then look down the list of tables on the left hand side - does wp_categories exist?

If you trust a stranger on a forum enough you can send me your hosting control panel log-in details to sales@twdhosting.co.uk and I will take a look at the DB for you.

[introdor]

Hi Tony

Thanks for your reply.

Ha! The "myusername" thing is just me being anal, sorry! I took my real username out and stuck that in when I pasted the error mesage.

I did look at the databases and no, no wp_categories exists.

I read somewhere, I think the WP Support site, that from version 2.3 onwards this shouldn't actually exist?! Don't know whether that is right or not.

The info is obviously in there somewhere as, like I said, the categories do show on the site itslelf.

Another thought I had was the WP Admin dashboard etc didn't update, but that's not the case it is showing correctly as v.2.5.1 too.

I tried to create it at the bottom of the page but it just asked me how many tables? and that's as far as I got because I have no idea what that means! So didn't want to mess things up even more.

Unfortunately I am having another problem with the site too and I don't know if it's just me or global. It been going on a while now and I always thought it was global but as of a couple of hours ago I'm not so sure. The site quite often goes down. I can't access the site, wp admin or any email a/c on that site. I always thought it was a hosting problem but they claim all is fine.

However, this morning I asked I wife whether she could get into the site at work and she could, no problems. So it looks as though the problem is with just me and maybe it always has been.

Have no idea if these two problems are related or not (can't see how myself, but....)

The site I'm working on and trying to set up properly is called The Soccer Blog

As I'm typing this, I still can't access it, can you?

Many thanks for your help.

Cheers
Rik

[TWD-Tony]

Yes it's working fine from here, maybe you are getting blocked by the server firewall - I know this happens from time to time with my clients... If they try and access soemthing like email to many times per hour the firewall kicks in and blocks them for a pre-determined period.

As for the wp_categories issue, if the new version of WP doesn't use that table then it looks like a previous update / upgrade didn't work properly? Some part of WP is still looking for that table.

Maybe you could try a fresh install in a sub folder and try copying the content accross at DB level - if that works out then you can copy your fresh install back accross to the live site...

[introdor]

Hi Tony

Good to hear that the site is working ok at your end. It is here again, came back online about an hour ago

Your suggestion about the server firewall sounds plausible as I have my email set to check for messages every minute. Anal or what!? Don't answer that! So you never know, this is the only site I have with them so it could be. I've contacted them so waiting for a reply.

No idea how to copy data across at DB level, is that something you could explain how to do easily?

Cheers
Rik

[TWD-Tony]

The email every minute is probably the cause of your problem, just change it to ever 5 minutes to avoid the firewall, or ask your host to add your IP address to the firewall's "whitelist" to stop it banning you...

I'm not familiar with WP - no doubt Brian will be along at some point to point us in the right direction

But - If you upload and install a fresh upto date copy of WP to a new directory and then download the tables in the old database that hold the content to your PC, you should then be able to import them into the new DB.
I'm not 100% sure if it will work, it depends on your current DB structure and the structure of the new DB.

The only other (long) option is to install a new version of WP (as above) and then re-write the articles!

As I said above - Brian is the resident WP guru around here, he may know an easier / better way.

[TWD-Tony]

One problem that seems to be repeating itself (after a Google search) is one with either old plug-ins or template files...

Try looking in your plug-in's files for the following line:

SELECT cat_ID FROM ” . $wpdb->categories .

and change it to:

SELECT term_ID FROM ” . $wpdb->terms .

[introdor]

Hi

Thanks Tony for all your help. Yes, I've changed my settings to 5mins! Will I survive?

So presume TERM taken has taken over from CATEGORY in the new versions of WP then! Interesting.

I think it might be an "old" plugin perhaps that is trying to access the wp_categories table. Although I don't quite understand why a plugin would be doing this when I'm in Manage | Categories ?

Cheers
Rik

PS See you're from Manchester, I'm from the Isle of Man, not a million miles away. Curently out in Mauritius though due to the wife's work. Cheers!

[introdor]

Hi Tony

Doesn't look like the email every minute or 5 mins is the problem accessing the site.

The site come back online for me at 5pm yesterday and was ok until I went to bed. As I said I changed the email timing and turned the machine off, but when I got up this morning I again couldn't access the site and other people can!

I spoke to the guy that hosts the site for me and I am able to access other sites on the server he gave me to try and I could access those so it doesn't look like the server is the problem either.

I wonder if it is some local setting on my machine that I don't know about that is causing this? Seems logical but if it is, why does't it affect other sites? This is the only one! Don't suppose you have any ideas, do you?

Cheers Tony, appreciate all your help!
Rik

[introdor]

Hi Tony

Quick update, I have just submited a brand new post about the access problem here:

http://forums.internetbusiness.co.uk...tml#post114805

Cheers
Rik