The Most Common WordPress Installation Mistakes and WordPress Installation Features For Popular Hosting Providers

Common Installation Errors:

1. Fatal error: Allowed memory size of ХХХХХХ bytes exhausted…

The given error implies that your script, being called at this very moment, requires more memory than it’s set up in PHP settings.

Solution: increase server memory_limit (128М is usually enough for any template to be fully-functional, though if you use a lot of plugins, 256M is advised). Keep in mind – the more you increase memory_limit, the less total server memory is left, which might result in a slow work of your website).

2. Fatal error: Call to undefined function “function name”

The given error implies that your server fails to identify the given function: it’s either not yet installed or server cannot detect the request to run this function.

Solution: install PHP extension that makes it work or upgrade PHP version to 5.3 or higher. If this does not help, there is a problem with files or file permissions – change permissions of the folder and files of your theme to 755 or 777, then re-upload theme/plugin files via FTP.

3. Parse error: …..

The given error means syntax error in code.

Solution: upgrade PHP version to 5.3+ and re-upload the theme files (plugins), and if this action does not work out, feel free to open the file with error — perhaps, at the end of the file or line with error there is an odd space. If it’s not the case, we suggest contacting hosting support department.

4. White Screen (Blank page)

The given error might not be visible or easily detected because of server settings.

Solution: switch on the mode – display_errors On, then you’ll be able to detect the error and proceed to resolving it.

5. Error 500: Internal Server Error

The most common cause of error is an incorrect syntax of .htaccess file that contains unsupported directives, as well as inappropriate use and manipulations with CGI-scripts.

Solution: delete .htaccess file (if for some reason you need this file, then just comment/delete lines added prior to errors occurring or comment the directive Options (put hashtag at the beginning of the line — #), and the issue will be fixed). If this solution also fails, then you need to change file permissions: CGI-scripts and folders, where the scripts are stored, need to be available for modifications only for account owners, this is permission 0755 (drwxr-xr-x).

Popular WordPress Compatible hostings:

1. www.BlueHost.com

justhost.com, hostmonster.com, crazydomains.com.au – these are some awesome hostings that use the same interface and tools as BlueHost

It’s one of the largest world hostings fully optimized for WordPress and some other popular CMS.

In my opinion, BlueHost is one of the best hosting options to host WordPress – it stands out with its fast and easy control panel, you can barely run into any issues with WordPress template installation (obviously, if the template itself works fine), except for Fatal error: Allowed memory size, however it can be easily fixed by increasing memory_limit on server.

Access your C-panel:

There you’ll see the function “Quick Installation”, which enables you to install the engine in 3 clicks – the server will install the engine of the latest version for you.

For the installation of the above mentioned template, you’ll need to find 4 icons in your Control Panel:

File Manager

This is a very user-friendly file manager with all the necessary functions and features. However, there are two disadvantages: the first one relates to the limit of an uploaded file size (but it is big enough for WordPress -150Mb, though there are archives that might exceed this limit, and in this case you’ll need to use FTP to upload files (Master FTP user has the same credentials as Control panel). If you fail to connect, please, check the screenshot below and you’ll see there is FTP Manager near File Manager.

Another disadvantage is an impossibility of changing file and directory permissions (CHMOD) for all sub-directories at once. Basically you can change only separate files or groups of files and folders that are contained in a directory you opened.

Database Manager

This is the area, where we create databases and database users to them. On this hosting you create database itself

and the user separately,

and only then associate them between each other. Please, keep in mind the importance of granting all the permissions to user.

PHPMYADMIN

This is a typical phpmyadmin web interface. Click import in the window with “browse” option, then choose needed sql file and press Go .

PHP Config

Here you find the option of switching PHP server version; BlueHost uses two PHP versions – version 5.2 (default one) and 5.4 — we recommend to check version 5.4 to avoid any version related issues.

2. www.iPage.com

fatcow.com, domaincontrol.com, powerweb.com – similar hostings with the same interface as Ipage

It’s one of the biggest hostings in the web, a partner company of Bluehost. It’s worth mentioning that both companies belong to the corporation Endurance International Group, but they differ greatly from BlueHost in terms of interface and settings tools.

Although this hosting positions itself as a fully WordPress-adapted and optimized, we confidently disagree with such fact. You might face many issues while installing both a template theme and a platform (WordPress engine), and the major problem among the variety of the complications is the issue with session.save_path – it relates to the server location (files or directory) where all sessions, that run on your server, will be stored. You may stumble upon this issue on the initial stage of engine installation – having made several steps you surprisingly can’t get any further! Basically, you are taken back to the start of the installation process, and it really goes in circles.

I bet you are interested in how to get this resolved. It’s highly recommended to contact hosting technical support, though it is not the case for iPage, as this hosting has an awesome option of fully editable global php.ini file. This file really simplifies the work with server (it enables you to change any value on your own without waiting for assistance from technical support).

So, access your Control panel (C-panel), find the icon CGI and Scripted Language Support

then press PHP Scripting

and in the editor window search for session.save_path with a help of CTRL+F5 (please note – it has to be a separate value, not the text),

and change an existent path to the full physical path to any of your catalogs (usually a catalog is named tmp and it is advised to create it to the highest possible level in catalog tree (catalog hierarchy). We recommend placing it higher than your domain root catalog, and then proceeding to saving the changes, and it should work out without any issues.

Internal Server Error is also a common problem (we suggest following the above-mentioned steps to get it resolved), as the hosting contains global php.ini file that disables the usage of any other php.ini files in directories (you immediately get Internal Server Error that can be resolved by deleting odd files).

You may also face Fatal error: Allowed memory size (just open php.ini file in editor and change memory_limit value), as well as Fatal error: Call to undefined function ( it’s caused by the lack of PHP Extensions installed on server, the only way out in this case is contacting technical support). This hosting also uses an outdated MySQL (MyISAM) engine that does not support InnoDB, leading to possible issues and limitations when running WordPress as an online-store… You might ignore the majority of these issues because they are balanced by overall hosting stability, and iPage is one of the best possible hosting solutions indeed, but obviously it is always up to you.

What do we need for template installation:

File Manager

Here the file manager is almost useless and absolutely not comfy, as it lacks many functions and limits you in the volume of uploaded files (obviously, it’s not big). We’d recommended to work through FTP here.

Database Manager

The advantage is the ability to create a database and its user in one pop-up window, and to get them automatically associated with each other.

PHPMYADMIN – an ordinary interface, the only particular feature of which is that the specified server is not a hostname for your database (hostname is the same for all databases and is specified in Database Manager tab.

PHP version – is easily changed in the same section, where file php.ini is edited.

If you are looking for website maintenance check WordPress Maintenance Service.