All Comments Disappeared

  • We’ve been using WordPress for a blog for over 9 years. But now, all comments have disappeared. If you go to the main page, it will list the blog posts and show the number of comments on each post. But if you go to an individual blog post, there are no comments there.

    When logged in, the site lists 0 comments in all categories. Note that there were hundreds if not thousands of comments there before.

    If someone wants to make a comment, the comment box shows up normally. But when one enters a comment, the screen goes to the website address/ blog/wp-comments-post.php The page is blank. No comment appears on the blog.

    Note we’re using an older version of WordPress. When we tried doing an update a while back, the site wasn’t working right, so we reverted back to the earlier version.

    This is very important to us, and we’d very much appreciate any help someone can give us.

    The page I need help with: [log in to see the link]

Viewing 11 replies - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)

  • Do you still see the comments in the backend?

    You are using WordPress 5.0.16, which is the current version for the 5.0 branch. However, you should of course also keep all plugins up to date.

    My recommendation would be to disable all plugins and see if that changes anything. The procedure is described here: https://www.ads-software.com/support/article/faq-troubleshooting/#how-to-deactivate-all-plugins-when-not-able-to-access-the-administrative-menus

    Thread Starter aldenloveshade

    (@aldenloveshade)

    Unfortunately, I’m not sure what “backend” means in this context, so I’m not sure how to answer that. But I do not see comments when visiting the site as a visitor, do not see comments when I am logged in and look for them as an administrator, cannot post a comment whether logged in or not, but do see the number of comments listed when I visit the main page.

    I admit I’m afraid of disabling all plugins in case I can’t get things to go back.

    The very weird thing about the comments disappearing is that neither I or not anyone with administrative access changed any settings since the comments were working. The only thing that changed was adding a new blog entry.

    If I do an update of the site do you or anyone else think that might help, or could that make things worse?

    Backend means /wp-admin/. The area where you enter content, updates etc. after you have logged in. There is a comments section on the left.

    If you can see comments there, then at least they are there. Then you would rather have to check why the comments are not output – possibly due to a plugin that is being used. If necessary you should deactivate all plugins to verify this.

    If comments in the above area are also not visible, then something is wrong with the database and I would recommend you to make a backup in which they were still present.

    Thread Starter aldenloveshade

    (@aldenloveshade)

    I just tried logging in, then going to the newest post itself, then typing a comment there. I got “Internal Server Error”

    Because the comments had worked fine before the most recent blog post was entered, I copied the text into a word processing program, then deleted the blog entry. Same problems. I deleted the image that had been added. Same problems.

    I logged out and tried commenting. Same problems.

    If I don’t have any other option, I may try disabling all plugins then, if that doesn’t work try updating them all.

    Again, I’m open to suggestions.

    Thread Starter aldenloveshade

    (@aldenloveshade)

    threadi I posted my last response before I saw your last response, so forgive me for seeming to ignore you; it wasn’t intentional. I think I tried /wp-admin/ but I’m not positive. So I’ll try it now. Thanks for your suggestions!

    If you get an “Internal Server Error” there is an error which can be seen in the logfiles of your hosting. The procedure for analyzing these problems is described here: https://www.ads-software.com/support/article/common-wordpress-errors/#internal-server-error – deactivating the plugins is one way to do this.

    Thread Starter aldenloveshade

    (@aldenloveshade)

    OK I logged back into the blog, and the web address ends in /wp-admin/ I clicked on Comments to the left, and the web address ended in wp-admin/edit-comments.php

    It says 

    Comments
Filter comments list

    All (0) | Pending (0) | Approved (0) | Spam (0) | Trash (0) 

Filter by comment type
    Thread Starter aldenloveshade

    (@aldenloveshade)

    I just deactivated all plugins. I still see

    Comments
Filter comments list

    All (0) | Pending (0) | Approved (0) | Spam (0) | Trash (0) 

Filter by comment type
    Thread Starter aldenloveshade

    (@aldenloveshade)

    I reinstalled and updated plugins. Comments are still all missing.

    I got this

    An updated version of WordPress is available.

    You cannot update because WordPress 5.9.2 requires PHP version 5.6.20 or higher. You are running version 5.3.29.

    You can update to WordPress 5.1.13 automatically:

    I Have the same problem- my website had lots of comments and today all desappeared.

    @pat1701: please open your own topic for your own issue: https://www.ads-software.com/support/forum/how-to-and-troubleshooting/#new-topic-0

Viewing 11 replies - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)
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