Multiple WordPress Databases – Which one am I using?

  • Connor O.

    (@connor-o)


    13 years, 4 months ago

    I am responsible for maintaining and updating a WordPress site for a small company. I didn’t setup the initial installation.

    Our WordPress is currently version 3.2.1. I am in the process of updating the site to 3.5, but am backing up our files and database first.

    To my surprise, when I logged in to our Web Host Account (GoDaddy), I found 6 databases, all similarly named.

    For example: Company; CompanyWordPress; CompanyWordPressNew; WordPress

    This has confused me. Is there a way to determine which database is being used by our website? I can back up all 6 databases, but if something were to happen… I wouldn’t know which database to re-install.

    Hopefully, with your help, I can determine which single database is in use and delete the remaining 5 inactive databases.

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)
  • wp_sam

    (@wp_sam)

    13 years, 4 months ago

    yes you can download the wp-config file from FTP and you can find the database information from there. I hope this will help.

    Thread Starter Connor O.

    (@connor-o)

    13 years, 4 months ago

    Thanks for your help, Sam.

    I looked into the wp-config file. However, I still see two databases listed. Does the “/” in front of the ‘companywebdb’ mean it’s inactive? Or does the text, copied below, show that we are actually using two databases?

    COPIED FROM WP-CONFIG.PHP

    /** The name of the database for WordPress */
    /*define(‘DB_NAME’, ‘companywebdb’);*/
    define(‘DB_NAME’, ‘companywordpressn’);

    /** MySQL database username */
    /*define(‘DB_USER’, ‘companywebdb’);*/
    define(‘DB_USER’, ‘companywordpressn’);

    wp_sam

    (@wp_sam)

    13 years, 4 months ago

    hmmmm….. follow below steps

    1) Login to phpMyAdmin.
    2) Click the link to your Databases.
    3) A list of your databases will appear. Choose the one that is your WordPress database in your case check both database companywebdb & companywordpressn
    4) All the tables in your database will appear on the screen.
    5) From the list, look for wp_options. Note: The table prefix of wp_ may be different if you changed it when installing.
    6) Click on the small icon indicated as Browse.
    7) A screen will open with a list of the fields within the wp_options table.
    8) Under the field option_name, scroll down and look for siteurl.

    You will see the URL of the site there.

    Thread Starter Connor O.

    (@connor-o)

    13 years, 4 months ago

    Appreciate your help. I looked into both option_name fields for the two databases listed in the wp-config.php file.

    I found the siteurl listed for both databases – both list our company’s homepage.

    Does this mean our website uses two WordPress databases? I’d be surprised if that were the case.

    Doesn’t a backslash in a file render code inactive? I’m wondering if that applies to the code from wp-config.php, listed here:

    /** The name of the database for WordPress */
    /*define(‘DB_NAME’, ‘companywebdb’);*/
    define(‘DB_NAME’, ‘companywordpressn’);

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)

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