Title: Server Error Activating Theme
Last modified: August 20, 2016

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# Server Error Activating Theme

 *  Resolved [smeehan](https://wordpress.org/support/users/smeehan/)
 * (@smeehan)
 * [13 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/server-error-activating-theme/)
 * I’m hosting my site locally using MAMP, and I built a very basic theme that I
   plan to embellish later, but whenever I try activate this theme (called theeagle),
   I get the following error message:
 * Server error
    The website encountered an error while retrieving [http://localhost:8888/smeehan/wp-admin/themes.php?action=activate&template=theeagle&stylesheet=theeagle&_wpnonce=2bb8fa6755](http://localhost:8888/smeehan/wp-admin/themes.php?action=activate&template=theeagle&stylesheet=theeagle&_wpnonce=2bb8fa6755).
   It may be down for maintenance or configured incorrectly. Here are some suggestions:
   Reload this webpage later. HTTP Error 500 (Internal Server Error): An unexpected
   condition was encountered while the server was attempting to fulfill the request.
 * And then it gives me a similar message when I try to load anything else. The 
   only way I can get the error message to go away is to rename my theme, which 
   causes WordPress to revert to default theme which (obviously) doesn’t give me
   any errors.
 * I think the problem may have something to do with the wp-admin/themes.php file,
   but I have no idea how to fix this.

Viewing 8 replies - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)

 *  [esmi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/esmi/)
 * (@esmi)
 * [13 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/server-error-activating-theme/#post-2853876)
 * Try looking in your server’s error log for clues.
 *  Thread Starter [smeehan](https://wordpress.org/support/users/smeehan/)
 * (@smeehan)
 * [13 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/server-error-activating-theme/#post-2853919)
 * I feel stupid for not doing that right away. I was able to identify all the errors,
   and it’s loading now. Thanks for the tip!
 *  [esmi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/esmi/)
 * (@esmi)
 * [13 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/server-error-activating-theme/#post-2854039)
 * No problem 🙂
 *  [covoiturage](https://wordpress.org/support/users/covoiturage/)
 * (@covoiturage)
 * [13 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/server-error-activating-theme/#post-2854405)
 * Hello,
 * i have the same problem like smeehan but when i rename the uploaded theme, it
   works. i have transfered via FTP my theme from my local machine to the web hosting.
   How to find the server’s error log?
 * Thanks in advance
 *  [Andrew Nevins](https://wordpress.org/support/users/anevins/)
 * (@anevins)
 * WCLDN 2018 Contributor | Volunteer support
 * [13 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/server-error-activating-theme/#post-2854406)
 * Why are you using WordPress 3.4.1?
 *  [covoiturage](https://wordpress.org/support/users/covoiturage/)
 * (@covoiturage)
 * [13 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/server-error-activating-theme/#post-2854407)
 * WordPress 3.5.1
 *  [covoiturage](https://wordpress.org/support/users/covoiturage/)
 * (@covoiturage)
 * [13 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/server-error-activating-theme/#post-2854408)
 * and my theme is Classipress 3.3
 *  [esmi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/esmi/)
 * (@esmi)
 * [13 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/server-error-activating-theme/#post-2854409)
 * Then please post your own topic.

Viewing 8 replies - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)

The topic ‘Server Error Activating Theme’ is closed to new replies.

## Tags

 * [Activating](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/activating/)
 * [Custom Themes](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/custom-themes/)
 * [Themes](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/themes/)

 * 8 replies
 * 4 participants
 * Last reply from: [esmi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/esmi/)
 * Last activity: [13 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/server-error-activating-theme/#post-2854409)
 * Status: resolved

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