Title: Website showing database error
Last modified: August 21, 2016

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# Website showing database error

 *  [kobbajoe](https://wordpress.org/support/users/kobbajoe/)
 * (@kobbajoe)
 * [11 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/website-showing-database-error/)
 * Hi there,
 * A few weeks ago l bought this website [http://www.onlineseozone.com](http://www.onlineseozone.com)
   and recieved the push to Godaddy from where l changed the nameservers to hostgator.
   l then uploaded the files l was sent but on veiwing the site l was presented 
   with a message that said “error establishing a database connection.”
    l contacted
   Hostgator and after an hour l was told to go back to the seller and ask for the
   database which has not been forthcoming as he said l did not need it and that
   l had probably done something wrong.
 * Could someone check my site and kindly give me some ideas please.
    Sorry but 
   l am not a tech person at all.
 * Cheers Murray

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

 *  [alphaalec](https://wordpress.org/support/users/alphaalec/)
 * (@alphaalec)
 * [11 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/website-showing-database-error/#post-5022986)
 * Just to clarify.
    Your domain is with GoDaddy, your files are hosted with Hostgator.
 * If that’s the case…when you uploaded the files to HostGator, did you also export
   your WP database from GoDaddy, create a new one with HostGator and import the
   aforementioned database?
 * “Error establishing a database connection” usually happens when the credentials
   in the wp-config.php file are incorrect. If the database doesn’t exist on HostGator,
   that could easily be the source of your problem.
 *  [catacaustic](https://wordpress.org/support/users/catacaustic/)
 * (@catacaustic)
 * [11 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/website-showing-database-error/#post-5022989)
 * If the site is a WordPress site, then yes, you need the database. That’s where
   all of the sites content is stored.
 * Unless you’ve set up the database for yourself, then you haven’t got it ready.
   There could be a (normally large) file somewhere in what you have that’s got 
   an extension of `.sql` and that would be a database dump. Just by what the seller
   told you, I would doubt that anything like that will be there though.
 *  Thread Starter [kobbajoe](https://wordpress.org/support/users/kobbajoe/)
 * (@kobbajoe)
 * [11 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/website-showing-database-error/#post-5023115)
 * Hi alphaalec,
    Where would l find the WP database in Godaddy as l do not think
   l saw this
 * When they sent me the files l went to Hostgator file manager and uploaded them
   from there.
    Thought l had done it right but obviously not.
 * Hi catacaustic,
    This is a WP site.
 * No l did not setup a database. Do not know how.
 * In the zip file they sent there seems to be a lot of wp files some 18 which also
   includes content,snapshots etc
 * Not sure whether this is much help or not
 * Cheers Murray
 *  [catacaustic](https://wordpress.org/support/users/catacaustic/)
 * (@catacaustic)
 * [11 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/website-showing-database-error/#post-5023118)
 * You really need to check one _big_ thing here.
 * Did you purchase the entire site, complete with content, or did you purchase 
   the theme and the domain name? There’s a huge difference. From what you’re saying
   it looks like they;ve only sold you the domain name and the theme and you have
   to set up your own WordPress installation, and add your own content to it.
 *  Thread Starter [kobbajoe](https://wordpress.org/support/users/kobbajoe/)
 * (@kobbajoe)
 * [11 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/website-showing-database-error/#post-5023125)
 * Yes l purchased the entire site complete with content and domain name.
    The site
   was up until l changed the nameservers and uploaded the files.
 * This is the file they sent me onlinesedzone.zip
 * Cheers Murray
 *  [catacaustic](https://wordpress.org/support/users/catacaustic/)
 * (@catacaustic)
 * [11 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/website-showing-database-error/#post-5023126)
 * You did say that there was content and snaspshots in what they sent? That could
   be what you need. But it still sounds like you’re going to have to do a fresh
   installation of WordPress and then set up the theme and add the content in. If
   you have problems you should really talk to the people that you brought the site
   form as they’ll know what they’ve supplied and how to make that back into a workable
   site.

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

The topic ‘Website showing database error’ is closed to new replies.

 * In: [Fixing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/how-to-and-troubleshooting/)
 * 6 replies
 * 3 participants
 * Last reply from: [catacaustic](https://wordpress.org/support/users/catacaustic/)
 * Last activity: [11 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/website-showing-database-error/#post-5023126)
 * Status: not resolved

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