If there’s one moment that website owners dread, it’s logging in after a site migration and seeing… nothing. Just an empty site. No messages. No themes. No plugin magic. Just a cold, blank WordPress dashboard that looks like it just came out a second ago. That happened to me, and believe me, it was scary. But luckily I learned a lot and solved it quickly. Here’s the story of how my WordPress site disappeared after a host migration and how I brought it back to life.
TL;DR:
I migrated my WordPress site to a new web host only to find the site completely empty. It turned out that the database had not been migrated properly and the wp-config file had incorrect settings. I used a disaster recovery workflow that involved creating backups, reuploading files, and reconfiguring the database. Now everything is fine and I have learned a few tricks to avoid this horror story next time.
What happened?!
I have decided to switch hosting providers. My old host was slow and the service wasn’t great. So I moved to a shiny new one with promising reviews. It seemed like a simple process, right?
I followed their migration tool and got it running overnight. The next morning I logged in to check my site – and boom! It looked like a new WordPress installation. No blog posts, no theme, no plugins. Nada.
It was terrifying. Hundreds of hours of content… gone.
Why my site disappeared
After a few deep breaths and a gallon of coffee, I started to investigate. This is what I discovered.
- The database has not been imported. My web files were there, but the MySQL database was missing or empty. That’s where all the content lives!
- The wp-config.php file points to the wrong database. Maybe it was copied wrong. It contained temporary names instead of the real database information.
- No one told me to double check the PHP version or settings. Some plugins did not load correctly due to compatibility issues.
None of this was clear at first. It seemed like WordPress forgot who it was.
The disaster recovery plan that worked
It was then that I realized I had to become the rescue team. Here’s the simple, step-by-step disaster recovery that brought it all back.
1. Check the old host (as soon as possible)
Do not close your old hosting account immediately. I logged into my old host and luckily all my files and database were still there. Phew!
For a tip: Always keep your old host alive for at least a week after migration, just in case.
2. Back up everything manually
Even though I used a migration tool, I manually backed up just to be safe.
- Files: I downloaded my entire public_html folder using an FTP client.
- Database: I exported the WordPress database via phpMyAdmin as a .sql file.
3. Upload the files to the new host
I then uploaded the WordPress files to the new hosting server. This included:
- wp-content (where themes, plugins and uploaded media are live)
- wp-config.php (more on that later)
- All core files such as wp-admin and wp-includes
Drag-n-drop with your FTP client. Easy peasy.
4. Create the database on the new server
On the new host I used the database management tool (usually cPanel) to:
- Create a new MySQL database
- Create a new MySQL user
- Give that user full permissions to the new database
Now it was ready to receive the goods.
5. Import the old database
Using phpMyAdmin, I selected my new database and imported the .sql file I had previously saved from the old host. This caused all my posts, pages, users – everything to be recreated!
6. Update wp-config.php
This file connects WordPress to the database. I opened it and made sure the following lines matched my new setup:
define('DB_NAME', 'new_db_name');
define('DB_USER', 'new_db_user');
define('DB_PASSWORD', 'new_db_password');
define('DB_HOST', 'localhost'); // check if it’s something else at your host
After I saved the file and refreshed the site: BOOM! My WordPress site was back as I remembered it.
Optional cleanup: plugins and themes
After restoring I had to reactivate some plugins and reapply my theme settings. But all the data was there, safe and sound. Some plugins needed updates and a few settings behaved strangely due to the cache. But hey, better than losing everything!
What I learned (so you don’t suffer)
This could have been a lot worse. Here’s what I would do differently next time.
Always make a manual backup
Even if the migration tool promises to “do everything,” don’t rely on it completely. In any case, make sure you have your own copy of:
- Your WordPress files
- Your complete MySQL database
Check wp-config.php again
If it points to the wrong database (or an empty database), you’ll end up with a blank WordPress installation that looks eerily new.
Do not close the old host until you are sure everything is working
Serious. Give it a few days. Let people visit, test, and activate plugins on your forms. Pretend you’re moving: don’t bring in all the boxes and then burn down your old house.
Use a plugin like UpdraftPlus or All-in-One WP Migration
These can save you a lot of time if you configure them properly. Create scheduled or manual backups before any major change.
If in doubt, call support
Your new host may have solid customer service. Use it. They can often look at your configuration and quickly resolve configuration issues.
Conclusion
Migrating your WordPress site doesn’t have to be a heartbreaking experience. But that can be the case if you skip some crucial steps.
In my case, panic turned into problem solving. I learned how WordPress really works under the hood. The database, the file structure, and all that magic wp-config.php file – everything fell together like puzzle pieces.
The road was bumpy, but the solution was quite simple when I saw the big picture. And next time? I’m ready with backups in hand and coffee on standby.
Stay calm. Prepare. And beware of that evil blank dashboard.
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