Insert link / hyperlink not working

Now – leaving the site using the Twenty Eleven theme, reset the plugins folder.

At step 3. I am getting to this address?
/usr/www/users/hgrown/wordpress/wp-admin

I don’t find a plugins file now

No – you need to go to /usr/www/users/hgrown/wordpress/wp-content

Step 3 says wp-admin
Step 1 say wp-content

So I’m just renaming then changing it right back?

You are renaming the wp-content/plugins folder to wp-content/plugins-hold. Just leave it at that initially.

OK, I’ve done that.

Create a new post and try to add a single link to it.
(There’s still one more thing you can try if this doesn’t work)

I got the “Are you Sure? This page is asking you to confirm that you want to leave – data you have entered may not be saved.” again.

You may still have a particularly bad plugin causing this – despite the earlier folder renaming. You need to use something like phpMyAdmin to deactivate all plugins.

First backup your database. Then, in the table wp_options, under the option_name column (field) find the active_plugins row. Change the option_value field to: a:0:{} and save the edited record.

Could it be Yoast?

Unlikely. That’s a good plugin from a very experienced developer.

OK, I really really appreciate all of your help today. I’m not going to be able to do that next step you recommend until Monday, so i’ve renamed plugins.hold, activated our spam plug-in (we got tons while it was deactivated) and activated our custom theme again.
Until Monday. Thanks!

You’re welcome. I hope you get it sorted eventually.

OK, I’m back and I have done what you’ve advised using phpMyAdmin. I have deactivated all plug-ins (Akismet was the only one that I had activated, and this last step seems to have de-activated it), tried a new post and adding a new link with no luck. What next?

Sorry, I also switched to the Twenty Eleven theme.