: Good idea to reveal server error logs to strangers for help diagnosing? I have a WordPress website that's being served, but with a 500 status code. I want help diagnosing the problem behind

@Annie201

I have a WordPress website that's being served, but with a 500 status code.


First, start on a clean slate. If this site is live to the public, replace the main index page with a page that shows users the website is under construction. Make a backup of the old index page first. This may be index.php since you're using wordpress. If it isn't then look for index.html or index.htm or any file beginning with index.

Next, deactivate all .htaccess files on the entire server by renaming or removing them. Ask your serice provider for assistance if you don't have access to the entire server. Also, have the provider check the apache configuration file (httpd.conf) to make sure all entries in it are valid and accurate and that all modules required are installed and functioning correctly.

Then test the index page with the .htaccess files removed, and if the out of order page shows up, then replace the .htaccess files, and test the index page again and literally reload the page to see if the out of order page shows up again. If it does, then reinstall wordpress because the problem lies within wordpress core files directly or the entries in .htaccess that are related to wordpress.

I will guess right now that your .htaccess file(s) have been hacked.

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