time out when importing /wp-admin/admin.php:321

Most likely something is seriously wrong with your configuration.
Which webserver package are you running ? WAMP / MAMP / LAMP / XAMP ??
Have you sought support from the provider of your “whichever” bundle you use ?
Do you have other WordPress sites running on this server ?

I’m using Desktop Server https://serverpress.com/ and it came with XAMPPLITE and WP, all ready to go.

I tried their support, but they say it’s a WordPress problem and sent me the link to increase the time out.

I even used the XML file splitter to split it in two parts and it still didn’t work. The entire xml file is under 4 mb, pics import and I get posts and pages, don’t know what causes the error and what’s missing.

I can work on a new site and everything seems to work fine, but that doesn’t do me much good as I need my posts and pages for the design.

Apparently Desktop Server can only import the ENTIRE site (and you need the $100 pro version), but I specifically do NOT want to import the entire site because I want to go from multisite to a single install and the site might have been hacked some years ago (not sure whether it was this site.)

Basically, I want a clean new install with an all new theme and design with my old posts and comments.

Talk about frustration …

Maybe I should just install XAMP and try that?

It’ll take me several weeks to get everything set up the way I want and then I need to again import posts, pages and comments from the live site and somehow get it all uploaded.

Appreciate suggestions!

I am afraid that shrink wrapped walled garden software can be brittle, fine while they work but can break in challenging ways, never mind there are still lots of options.

I gather that you are restoring your old website from a backup file which is in xml format. Is this correct ?
Are you able to split the file further, import the backup a table at a time ? Or even smaller units if it helps isolate the problem ? Is it a correctly structured XML file ? Maybe there are online tools that can check.

Once you have imported the whole old site to a new database, then you will be in a better position to slim it down, removing the aspects you don’t need/want.

Yes, starting with a basic XAMP setup could be a good option, especially since the paid walled garden option is not delivering.

Divide and conquer on the XML file, try and isolate the piece or trait it is stalling upon.

The xml is an export from the live site, not a backup.

Once you have imported the whole old site to a new database, then you will be in a better position to slim it down, removing the aspects you don’t need/want.

I specifically didn’t want to restore the whole site because it’s multisite and I want to go to a single blog install. I’ve done a lot of reading on how to revert to single blog and so many people have problems.

And I could probably figure out how to deal with tables, but I’m afraid to miss something or import something I don’t want. How long does it take to do that? Are there some instructions somewhere?

I just know that every time there is a future problem I will wonder what I screwed up doing that.

I have in the past moved blogs via the import / export and now it’s 2016 and everything is as difficult as in 1994 when I created my first website.

Divide and conquer on the XML file, try and isolate the piece or trait it is stalling upon.

I can see myself wasting another 50 hours. Makes me just want to quit. You’d think a “computer” could figure out what’s wrong.

For well over 30 years I’ve transferred data from various software like Excel and databases, but WordPress can’t accomplish this. Really makes you wonder.