Title: Install Hack
Last modified: August 19, 2016

---

# Install Hack

 *  [lessca](https://wordpress.org/support/users/lessca/)
 * (@lessca)
 * [18 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/install-hack/)
 * I have a wordpress 2.5.1 install that has been working fine. Today when I try
   to access the site the install welcome screen is up instead. Has someone reset
   one of the files to show the install incomplete. install screen is the welcome
   to five minute install one.
 * which file is causing problem?

Viewing 5 replies - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)

 *  [hakre](https://wordpress.org/support/users/hakre/)
 * (@hakre)
 * [18 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/install-hack/#post-786225)
 * If your site was hacked and you just installed it I would suggest to delete everything
   and restart from scratch.
 * If you are uncertain what happened please write in more detail about what which
   page you mean “install screen is the welcome to five minute install one”.
 * As far as I understand you, you talk about the standard installation and it looks
   like you have not finished it.
 *  Thread Starter [lessca](https://wordpress.org/support/users/lessca/)
 * (@lessca)
 * [18 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/install-hack/#post-786231)
 * That is the problem – the installation was finished and the site working well
   for several weeks until this morning. I am sure that one of the file – eg config.
   php has a parameter that flags the unfinished install. I think someone has hacked
   the file to reset that flag.
 * I am just wondering which file sets a flag that says the installation is incomplete–
   if I can reset that flag then the site should return to normal.
 * thanks for answering.
 *  [MichaelH](https://wordpress.org/support/users/michaelh/)
 * (@michaelh)
 * [18 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/install-hack/#post-786243)
 * There is no flag, but WordPress does check for the existence of tables in the
   database name specified in wp-config.php that begin with the $table_prefix value
   that is specified in wp-config.php.
 * So maybe something has changed in your wp-config.php so just get a copy from 
   your backup you have of your WordPress files.
 *  [lenashore](https://wordpress.org/support/users/lenashore/)
 * (@lenashore)
 * [17 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/install-hack/#post-786754)
 * I also have had this EXACT problem. Works fine for about a month. I populate 
   the blog, everything is good and one day I get the welcome screen.
 * Looking at the database shows that the wp_options and the wp_posts are “in use”.
   I can’t access either of them.
 * I’ve had the exact thing happen on 4 blogs now. Any ideas at all? The only thing
   that my tech people can come up with is that I had set the content file to 777
   instead of 775. They aren’t seeing any activity other than mine. Do we think 
   the entire problem is me getting hacked due to the bad permissions?
 * I’ve had the databases so wrecked, I had to start over. Only once we could fix
   it.
 * HELP!!!!
 *  [wesburke](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wesburke/)
 * (@wesburke)
 * [17 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/install-hack/#post-786772)
 * I know this was more then 7 months ago… but I just had the same thing happen 
   to me and found this post that helped me out.
 * Hope this helps others.
 * [http://www.idratherbewriting.com/2008/06/22/first-time-site-was-hacked/comment-page-1/#comment-140871](http://www.idratherbewriting.com/2008/06/22/first-time-site-was-hacked/comment-page-1/#comment-140871)

Viewing 5 replies - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)

The topic ‘Install Hack’ is closed to new replies.

 * In: [Installing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/installation/)
 * 5 replies
 * 5 participants
 * Last reply from: [wesburke](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wesburke/)
 * Last activity: [17 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/install-hack/#post-786772)
 * Status: not resolved

## Topics

### Topics with no replies

### Non-support topics

### Resolved topics

### Unresolved topics

### All topics