Fixing problems tutorials
Methodical diagnosis for the errors that stop sites working.
3 tutorials, easiest first
Methodical diagnosis for the problems that stop sites working. Rather than trying fixes at random, each tutorial starts from evidence — error logs, debug output, measurements — and narrows the cause step by step. For a quick answer to a specific error, the troubleshooting section of the knowledge base is faster.
- Diagnose a 500 Internal Server Error
Use the error log to find the exact cause of a 500 error and work through .htaccess, PHP, permissions and version issues methodically.
Covers: Note the time and URL; Open the error log; Classify the entry; Test .htaccess; Fix the PHP error; Fix permissions; Check the PHP version; Retest and clean up.
- Fix a WordPress critical error without admin access
Find the plugin or theme behind ‘There has been a critical error’ using logs and the File Manager, disable it, and recover.
Covers: Check for the recovery email; Enable debug logging; Reproduce and read the log; Disable the culprit; Confirm the site works; Resolve properly; Turn debugging off.
- Find out why a website is slow
A measured investigation of a slow site: separate server time from page weight, check logs for bots and limits, and fix the biggest cause first.
Covers: Test three pages; Decide which problem you have; Check for caching; Check the access log for load; Check for resource limits; Reduce page weight; Re-test.