You’ve got this message “wp-config.php” already exists because you configure it by hand.
if you get the message “installating now” this is because your database is empty.
So for me no worry about erasing something.
But by precaution, backup your main installation in the root directory (files + database).
Actually, cthomasfr, this seems to be a very common problem and it doesn’t have anything whatsoever to do with configuring by hand. I have a fresh install, wp uploaded to domain, unpacked and installed via the wp frontend installer. I can go into admin, no problem, but cannot access my site. It is an endless loop.
I originally had this happen with 4.4.2 and got so pissed off with looping through the ridiculous ‘config already exists’ (delete it so it doesn’t) and the ‘seems you need a wp-config’ (let wp create another) ‘seems you’ve already installed wp, clear your tables to reinstall’ loop that I deleted wp entirely, cleaned my entire db (luckily I hadn’t done a lot of work) and tried again.
It didn’t work.
I did the same, delete the whole damn lot, then installed 4.4.1 to see where that led me.
Absolutely nowhere. With an empty database and fresh install (on a domain that DOES NOT have another wp install) it is now doing exactly the same thing. Never seen this before and it has ruined my whole damn evening, wasted hours of my time.
It may be that the message ‘installing now’ only happens if you clear your database – but that means you have no website content or are happy to delete it all. Not a lot of help for other people with this issue on existing sites!
My install is in its own folder – yes, I’ve done it before and have around 20 wp sites installed the same way. I am not about to install it in root as that would require me to destroy with html site that already exists there and which I would be replacing.
Now, if anybody knows what the problem is or has fixed the same problem on their own install, I’d love to hear about it!
I am having the exact same problem, just wanted to install wordpress and I get the stupid error.
I will update the thread if I find a solution so please do the same.
Do you have cloudflare with page rules enabled btw?
Fixed it by first clearing my cache and cookies and then deleting the files and reinstalling wordpress.
