Effective Ways to Fix WordPress Database Not Found Error

The WordPress database often depends heavily on MySQL databases for managing and storing user information, themes, plugins, etc. However, with errors such as WordPress database not found, the risk of permanent data loss increases. When the WordPress database becomes inaccessible due to several reasons, users often panic because they are not aware of the root cause of such issues. 

With the help of this write-up, we will learn more about WordPress website lost database error and how we can resolve them using manual as well as dedicated solutions. Let’s begin by understanding the error and its common causes first. 

Expert Way to Fix WordPress Database Not Found Error Due to Corruption

As we learned from the common causes, one of the biggest reasons for the error occurrence is corruption in the WordPress database. For such situations, it is always considered safer and appropriate to use a specialized MySQL Recovery Tool, which can help with corruption repair of the MySQL database files and further recover data for secure WordPress accessibility. 

Let’s walk through the steps of using this utility for a safer recovery.

1. The first step is to export the corrupt MySQL database files from WordPress using FTP. Once you have the required database files, install and run the suggested software.
2. In the tool, you will find a Browse Button; add the exported MySQL database files to the tool.
3. After adding the files, click on the Recover Button to proceed with the repair process.
4. The tool also offers a preview of the recovered records from the database file.
5. Next, click on the Next button to continue with the WordPress database not found error fix.
6. In the Export Window, choose MySQL Script as the export option, as this script file can be easily added back to WordPress after the recovery process is completed.

With these easy steps, developers can restore healthy data from the corrupt MySQL database files and further resolve the database inaccessibility issue. 

How to Fix the WordPress Database Could not be Selected Error?

Most of the fixes for this error are troubleshooting methods. These methods help database administrators and developers to repair the root causes of the error, further allowing them to access and connect to the MySQL database in WordPress. Let’s now take a look at these methods one by one for efficient error recovery. 

Method 1: Verify the Existence of the Required MySQL Database

It is very crucial to check and confirm if the WordPress database not found error has occurred due to a missing database. There might be chances that the database required for configuration might have been deleted accidentally or intentionally by the hosting provider or any developer. 

Here are the steps to check the existence of the WordPress MySQL database:

1. Log in to your hosting control panel, i.e., cPanel, Plesk, etc. 
2. Open phpMyAdmin next.
3. There, check if the WordPress database is present.
4. Verify whether tables like wp_posts, wp_users, and wp_comments exist or not. 
5. And check if the database has not been deleted. 

In case the database is missing, due to deletion or any other cause, restore the database using a backup. 

Method 2: Check & Validate Database Credentials 

With this troubleshooting method, we will check and verify if the credentials saved in wp_config.php are correct or not. Below are the factors one should check to ensure that these details are correct:

• The database name is correct.
• Username is correct.
• The password required for configuration is correct.
• The database host is accurate.

Use the given codes to check the above-mentioned details:

define('Database_Name', 'database_name');
define('Database_User', 'database_user');
define('Database_Password', 'database_password');
define('Database_Host', 'localhost');

Any minor error in these details can also lead to the WordPress database not found error. 

Method 3: Test the Database Connection

To check if the error has occurred due to database connection issues, the most effective step is to check the connection with a temporary PHP file. If the connection status is successful, the database credentials are correct, whereas if the connection status is failed, there might be underlying credentials, permissions, or possible server issues. Below is the code to check the connection status:

<?php
$conn = mysqli_connect(“localhost”, “username”, “password”, “database_name”);
if(!$conn){
die(“Connection Failed: ” . mysqli_connect_error());
}
echo “Connection Successful”;
?>

Run this file in the browser to check the connection status. 

Method 4: Verify User Permissions in phpMyAdmin

Generally, in phpMyAdmin or any hosting panel, the user must have proper permissions to access the database. Due to missing or improper permissions, WordPress might fail to access the MySQL database, further leading to the error. Below are the permissions required for MySQL database accessibility.

• SELECT
• INSERT
• UPDATE
• CREATE
• DELETE
• ALTER
• INDEX
• DROP

Ensure that these permissions are granted to WordPress to access the database and further resolve the WordPress database not found error. 

Summing Up!

With the help of this technical guide, we have discussed the WordPress database not found error. To get a clearer idea of the error, we have also learned about the common reasons that often lead to the error. Furthermore, to resolve the error, we have tried and mentioned the most effective troubleshooting ways that can help with the error repair in no time. Lastly, to deal with bigger issues like MySQL database corruption, we have also mentioned a dedicated utility for best results.