Re-Installation Problems..I Need To Start Over..Need Help..

So I’m thinking that backup/exporting the mysql DB is essential to migrating the site to another host/domain…correct?

Yes, and no…. are you moving to another domain? or host? or both? Domain is your URL, like from domain1.com to domain2.com

Host is currently godaddy, like where your physical files reside

WP has a built in export function. So if you get your old install working, you can export from it. Then import to a new install. It’s in the ‘tools’ menu

As for the current situation, if you are trying to use fresh wp files, do this:
1. Upload the fresh WP files, on godaddy, you can upload the zip file and unarchive it online, move the files to where they should be.
—for example, when you unarchive the zip file, everything will be in a /wordpress folder. You need to take all the folders/files out of the wordpress folder and put them wherever they used to be. if you accessed your website from domain.com they would go in the root/html folder, if you were at domain.com/folder the files would go into that folder.

2. Delete the NEW wp-content folder

3. Put the wp-content folder from your OLD backup into your NEW install

4. Put the wp-config.php file from your backup to your NEW install

that should really do it, you will have new WP files, your old wp-content folder makes sure you have your images, plugins, and theme, your wp-config file links your site to the existing DB

this is what I need…usually if I’m given a direction, I’ll find a solution..thanks for coming to my rescue..seriously…

sure, hopefully it all works out. If not, we can fix it. As long as you have backups, it can be fixed!

Wanted to let you know that after I followed everything you said above, it still took me back to the same spot I was in when I started this forum post, w/ install.php telling me that I already have WP or the login not working period…

The issue was with the multiple URL changes in “General Settings”. Apparently when you do this, sometimes you can cause an error and you won’t be able to access anything.

So I found the solution through a link that someone sent:

https://codex.www.ads-software.com/Moving_WordPress

It says that if you screwed up your URL and can’t access anything, insert these lines in your “wp-login.php”:

//FIXME: do comment/remove these hack lines. (once the database is updated)
update_option('siteurl', 'https://your.domain.name/the/path' );
update_option('home', 'https://your.domain.name/the/path' );

after this line:

require( dirname(__FILE__) . '/wp-load.php' );

..I did this and it worked….so anyhow, as I mentioned before you assisted in leading me to a solution and I appreciate it.

As long as you got it all straightened out, we are golden! Good work!