Comments on all posts suddenly disabled

I am taking care of another blog where this is happening regularly. Not all posts, just some of them. I have not figured out why.

Have you updated WP to the latest version recently? Have you installed any new plugins or have you installed a new theme? HAve you tried using a diffrent theme to see what happens?

(1) I use the WP version that comes with the domain host. (2) No change in plug-ins, which are minimal anyhow: just Askimet, which was preinstalled and is, I think, indispensible. (3) No change in theme, and indeed I can’t try a different theme. My style doesn’t have a theme; it is custom built.

All WordPress sites use a theme.

u shoudl be able to go to you dashboard, and go to themes on the lefthand side. Search for a new theme there and click install. I promise it wont break anything

2] no, not true. it’s a plugin. You can insatll whatever you like that’s the beauty of wp!

Unconformed, I do see your point that Askimet is a plug-in, but don’t see its relevance. I also see your point that everything is a theme, that in effect I modified a theme to start by adding content to header/footer and by manually changing the css, although there’s nothing much left. But that’s a long time ago, and I don’t see what’s to be gained by changing themes, other than suddenly having an ugly site that loses my brand.

FWIW, while this problem hasn’t occurred in a month or two (another reason not to blame my theme or plug-ins), it occurred twice, a little over a month apart. This is worrisome and, to me, also suggests that it’s spontaneous enough to arise from WordPress bugs themselves, which is worrisome.

I just updated from v2.6, so cross our fingers that will handle it.

dude

It’s all about working on the issue to try and and find the problem. Surely you can install another theme just to see if the trouble is with your current theme?

You could be right, although I’m having trouble figuring out how changing css or a text line could muck up WordPress comments. But it’d be hard to analyze, too.

First, how long would I have to go with a generic theme with no problems before concluding that the problem was with my theme, even if I could live with that loss of branding and appearance? After all, it was at least a year before the first incident and then another 4 or 5 weeks to the second. Second, how would I then debug my theme?

I’m going to see if the upgrade will stay stable before doing anything else. And it does intuitively make more sense that the part of my site dependent on some programming, meaning WordPress, is or was the problem.

we are probably on a different page. All I am saying, is quickly install another theme, check to see if comments work. If they still don;t at lest you know it’s not your theme (modified) and it is something else.
I’m new to all of this so perhaps you need a tech guy.

It would take, say, 20 seconds to check.

Yes, maybe we’re just not on the same page. I can’t learn anything by changing theme to check if comments work, since they already work. I’d have to wait until they stop working again, then run such a check. And, as I say, it’s not plausible to me anyway, since there’s insufficient correlation between events and any changes to my own theme.