Title: Multiple WordPress Installations with Root
Last modified: August 20, 2016

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# Multiple WordPress Installations with Root

 *  [Neimallah](https://wordpress.org/support/users/neimallah/)
 * (@neimallah)
 * [14 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/multiple-wordpress-installations-with-root/)
 * Hello,
    I currently have two wordpress installations, each on the same server
   in their own subdirectories. GoDaddy is my server host. Domain1 is linked to 
   the root and I cannot find a way to change this, so I used this trick: [http://codex.wordpress.org/Giving_WordPress_Its_Own_Directory](http://codex.wordpress.org/Giving_WordPress_Its_Own_Directory)
   to having Domain1 work, but for some reason it breaks Domain2, which links to
   a subdirectory. The problem is with the web.config file.
 * Is there some code I can add to web.config to keep Domain2 working? Or is there
   a way to have the primary domain link to a folder instead of the root?
 * Right now I have an html redirct set up in the root, but I don’t consider this
   a permanent fix. The only fix I can come up with is to buy a third domain and
   make it primary so that Domain1 can link to the subdirectory.
 * Any help you can offer would be greatly appreciated.
 * P.S. I used to have the wordpress files for Domain1 installed in the root, but
   that too broke Domain2.

Viewing 6 replies - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)

 *  Moderator [Ipstenu (Mika Epstein)](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ipstenu/)
 * (@ipstenu)
 * 🏳️‍🌈 Advisor and Activist
 * [14 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/multiple-wordpress-installations-with-root/#post-2263293)
 * Moved out of MultiSite, as that’s for using ONE install to run multiple sites.
 *  Thread Starter [Neimallah](https://wordpress.org/support/users/neimallah/)
 * (@neimallah)
 * [14 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/multiple-wordpress-installations-with-root/#post-2263297)
 * I think this will fix it: [http://help.godaddy.com/article/4067#rootdirectory](http://help.godaddy.com/article/4067#rootdirectory)
 *  [Go Daddy](https://wordpress.org/support/users/gdhosting/)
 * (@gdhosting)
 * [14 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/multiple-wordpress-installations-with-root/#post-2263524)
 * If you’re using a web.config file, you definitely don’t want to have one WP install
   in the root while there is another in a subfolder. This scenario may cause a 
   problem because the web.config in the root will control the content in the subfolders.
   Instead, you would want to move the root instance into a subfolder (which seems
   to be your goal). It takes a couple steps, but it can be done. I explain below.
   
   With that said, I would sooner recommend you switch to a Linux server to resolve
   your issue. Linux is generally better at handling PHP, which WP uses, and having
   a WP instance in the root of a Linux account doesn’t have this negative effect.
   Talk to a Support representative at GoDaddy.com before making the switch, but
   if you confirm switching to Linux wouldn’t adversely affect you in some other
   way, these are the steps for initiating the change: [http://x.co/ZNTT](http://x.co/ZNTT)
   Note: If you do make this switch, make sure to set your permalinks setting to“
   default” after the switch, then set it back to your preferred setting. You must
   complete this step for each WP site in your account in order for permalinks to
   work after an operating system change.
 * If you prefer to stay on the Windows server, this is how you would change things
   to get the primary domain on your account hosted in a subfolder instead of the
   root:
    First, change the primary domain name on your hosting account to some 
   placeholder name. For example, if your domain is normally “domain.com”, try changing
   it to “domain_placeholder.com”. This change may take up to 24 hours to complete.
   Once that’s done, just add the domain to the hosting account as you would any
   other domain. Keep the placeholder domain as the primary – your root folder would
   not need anything inside it other than the subfolders you use for the other domains
   and any other system-related folders GoDaddy.com creates for the account. This
   article from our Help Center will help with changing the primary domain and adding/
   removing other domains: [http://x.co/ZNTS](http://x.co/ZNTS)
 *  [funkisockmunki](https://wordpress.org/support/users/funkisockmunki/)
 * (@funkisockmunki)
 * [14 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/multiple-wordpress-installations-with-root/#post-2263574)
 * I have a very similar problem, also on GoDaddy, on a windows server *I think*.
 * Both of my WordPress installs are in subdirectories.
    You can see the site at
   cityfruit.org and the second site at cityfruit.org/fruitstewards
 * When I changed the URL stuff so that the main blog appears to be at the cityfruit.
   org instead of cityfruit.org/subdirectory/, it broke the second WP site (/fruitstewards).
   I can still see the home page and the dashboard for that page, but all pages 
   underneath are 404.
 * Questions for the GoDaddy person – Is there some magic code I can add to my web.
   config to get both blogs working again? I’m really newb to this whole thing, 
   and this non-profit really needs to their site up and running again. All day 
   yesterday I fought with getting the main site subdirectory to act as the root,
   only to find I had broken the second WP. I am beyond frustrated and lost… and
   advice would help.
 *  [Go Daddy](https://wordpress.org/support/users/gdhosting/)
 * (@gdhosting)
 * [14 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/multiple-wordpress-installations-with-root/#post-2263580)
 * funkisockmunki,
 * It really does sound like a similar problem, and as a result, my recommendation
   will be very similar as well.
 * First off, I’d recommend switching to Linux instead of Windows. Though I still
   recommend putting all sites that use a web.config (or .htaccess on Linux) in 
   their own subfolders, you can get away with it on Linux in most situations whereas
   Windows will also have a problem due to how a web.config file affects subfolders.
 * In response to your question about whether or not you could add something to 
   the web.config to make it work, I honestly don’t know. If so, it is beyond to
   limits of my personal knowledge. Luckily, there is no reason not to pursue the
   much simpler solution of moving the root instance into a subfolder and keeping
   the root empty:
 * 1. Change the primary name on the hosting account to a placeholder.
    2. Some 
   time after completing step one (up to 24 hours), you will be able to add what
   was your primary name back to the hosting account as an alias (and in a subfolder).
   3. Move any content that was in the root and relevant to your primary name into
   the new subfolder.
 *  [funkisockmunki](https://wordpress.org/support/users/funkisockmunki/)
 * (@funkisockmunki)
 * [14 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/multiple-wordpress-installations-with-root/#post-2263581)
 * Thank you for your response, but I was told by GoDaddy that in order to fix my
   problem I had to move the WP install from a subdirectory, where it lived happily
   without problem, to the ROOT. When it all went to heck, the response I got from
   customer service was that WP was my problem and they don’t offer support. I get
   that the host has no obligation to help me set up 3rd party software, but to 
   start me down a path and then cut me off was unkind to say the least.
 * btw – “Just move it to linux” is misleading to those out there considering it.
   From what I understand through countless articles is that it’s not a simple flick
   of a switch. Migrating breaks everything and the install has to be cobbled together
   again, you have to edit the databases and reconfigure a bunch of stuff, and it
   still might not work quite as it did.
 * Nothing I tried from countless experts, customer service and person tinkering
   from online advice could rectify the problem of the webconfig either breaking
   one site or the other. Pretty permalinks don’t work properly on the GoDaddy windows
   servers. There is no workaround, it never works 100% correctly, each workaround
   just generates problems elsewhere.
 * I’m in the process of migrating elsewhere. If I’m going to move them, might as
   well move them to a Linux server at a host that understands WordPress and is 
   willing to be helpful. I’m done hacking things up and doing workarounds, time
   for a clean slate.
 * ps – Buddypress also doesn’t work properly on the GoDaddy windows server.
 * Word of the wise to newbs like me – If you’re on windows IIS, switch to linux
   before you install WP, not after. Don’t move your WP install if you don’t have
   to. Put it where it’s going to live and save yourself a major headache. Choose
   a host that fully supports WordPress and is willing to get their hands dirty 
   if you have a problem. WordPress has a list of [good hosts](http://wordpress.org/hosting/).

Viewing 6 replies - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)

The topic ‘Multiple WordPress Installations with Root’ is closed to new replies.

## Tags

 * [godaddy](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/godaddy/)
 * [root](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/root/)
 * [subdirectory](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/subdirectory/)
 * [web.config](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/web-config/)

 * In: [Fixing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/how-to-and-troubleshooting/)
 * 6 replies
 * 4 participants
 * Last reply from: [funkisockmunki](https://wordpress.org/support/users/funkisockmunki/)
 * Last activity: [14 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/multiple-wordpress-installations-with-root/#post-2263581)
 * Status: not resolved

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