XAMPP: Troubleshooting ‘Error Establishing a Database Connection’ on Offline WordPress Site

If you’ve encountered the dreaded ‘Error establishing a database connection’ message on your offline WordPress site hosted on XAMPP, don’t panic. This issue can be caused by various factors, but we’ll guide you through a step-by-step troubleshooting process to help you get your site back on track.

1. Verify Database Connection Details:

Check your wp-config.php file to ensure that the database connection details are correct. Pay special attention to the database name, username, password, and host. If you haven’t made any changes, proceed to the next step.

2. Database Repair:

Since you’ve identified and repaired database errors using phpMyAdmin, make sure to follow these steps:

Log in to phpMyAdmin.
Select your WordPress database.
Navigate to the “Operations” tab.
Click on “Check table” and “Repair table” to ensure database integrity.

3. Configuration File Settings:

Review your config.inc.php file in XAMPP. Ensure that the control user and password are correctly set. Consider using ‘root’ as the control user if the issue persists.

/* User for advanced features */
$cfg['Servers'][$i]['controluser'] = 'root';
$cfg['Servers'][$i]['controlpass'] = 'your_root_password';

Update the ‘pma user’ login in phpMyAdmin to match the password in config.inc.php. This step is crucial for consistent access.

4. Fresh WordPress Files:

If the problem persists, try replacing your existing WordPress files with fresh ones. Keep your wp-content folder and wp-config.php intact to preserve your site’s content and configurations.

5. UpdraftPlus Backups:

Since you have UpdraftPlus backups, you can consider a reinstall as a last resort. Follow these steps:

Backup your wp-content folder and wp-config.php.
Uninstall WordPress using the Bitnami WordPress installer.
Reinstall WordPress and restore your content and configurations.

6. Additional Tips:

Ensure that XAMPP is running correctly.
Check for any conflicting ports in XAMPP.
Verify file and folder permissions.
Review Bitnami WordPress documentation for any specific considerations.

By systematically following these steps, you should be able to identify and resolve the ‘Error establishing a database connection’ issue on your offline WordPress site. Remember to back up your data before making significant changes.

Remember, patience is key during troubleshooting, and taking incremental steps increases the chances of resolving the issue without losing any data.

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