The error message states that the WordPress setup cannot find the wp-config-sample.php. This file is required as the basis for generating wp-config.php.
You will probably have to clarify with yourself how this could have happened. If you terminate your IT company, which presumably managed the website for you, you must have taken over the hosting yourself or at least changed something in this regard. We here can’t know that.
Apparently, the website has been completely reset. WordPress cannot find a configuration file and therefore cannot access a database with the website content. In this case, the setup starts. And the setup cannot find the one important file.
You could contact your host’s support team for clarification. They may still have backups of the project.
If you want to set everything up again, download the ZIP of the current WordPress here and reinstall it on the basis: https://wordpress.org/download/
A client of mine just had this happen on their website Dec. 23. they are hosted with Bluehost. I am wondering if they did some sort of update that triggered this message?
Sorry, I need a wp-config-sample.php file to work from. Please re-upload this file to your WordPress installation.
@jennsweb how did they resolve it?
I already described possible solutions above. You have to decide which way you want to go.
@threadi, thank you for explaining. However, I was asking @Jennweb how did their client fix the issue. There is nothing wrong with having multiple solutions.
@court128 Hasn’t been resolved yet. My client notified Bluehost and they told her it was “fixed” but when you go to the site, it just shows the error message. I am wondering if they did an automatice WP update and screwed it up somehow.
@threadi From your knowledge of this file. Can you tell me how the file couldve been removed? What steps wouldve been taken to complete this action? I am asking because I am trying to figure out what happened. Iknow that I didnt remove anything. Thank you for your help and guidance.
@jennsweb I wish there was a way for me to send you a private message so i could send you my email address. can you pleaseeeeee keep me updated on how your client fixed the issue. This is crazy.
The wp-config-sample.php file can be deleted manually (e.g. via FTP), but could also be deleted via any plugin (I am not aware of any that do this). It is only relevant for the setup, not for the operation of the website, which is why its presence after the setup is irrelevant.
This is crazy! Thank you for helping me
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What did i do to cause the Private? How do I delete it?
@court128 Sorry but it was taken care of internally by their hosting company (Bluehost). I don’t know what they did to fix it.
