If you need to downgrade your WP 2.8, here’s how
Since it seems that WordPress ignored to provide a download for earlier versions of WordPress, I’ve decided to add a .rar file of WordPress 2.7.1 on my server if you need to downgrade from WordPress 2.8.
If you end up in a situation where I was about half an hour ago, where the dashboard is messed up, image uploader won’t work, the tags menu won’t work…or any of the other menus for that matter…or if you just want to go back to 2.7.1, you can download the files at the bottom of this post in a .rar file.
When you downgrade, make sure that you’re not overwriting the wp-config.php AND that you open the wp-content and it’s sub folders before you overwrite anything in there. Otherwise you’ll lose plugins and your theme.
Other than that, just upload everything over FTP.
Go to your login screen, log in and it will ask you to upgrade the database.
If you haven’t already, make a backup of your database before you click the button that tells it to upgrade.
And that’s it.
Downgrade is done.
You will know that it succeeded when you go to your dashboard and see the phrase: “WordPress 2.8 is available! Please update now.”
That means that everything should be back in working order again.
Edit:
WordPress do have an archive where you can download previous versions.
Download the version you had before and follow the instructions above.
Shame this release archive was not available before.
PS. If you have no clue what any of this means, or if parts of it makes you go “eh?”, take a look at this post instead. It is more detailed and explain most things that has to do with servers, databases and how to do this.
21 Responses to “If you need to downgrade your WP 2.8, here’s how”
If you need to downgrade your WP 2.8, here’s how http://is.gd/YQtw @simplychrista ran into problems!
Too many buys in WordPress 2.8. I have to downgrade. =( Need to do the same? Here is a tutorial how to: http://christastjean.co.uk/?p=2964
THANK YOU! You saved THREE of my blogs..
You’re welcome :)
Call me untrusting but this sort of post is why I’m holding back just now on upgrading to WordPress 2.8 http://twurl.nl/60jcsy
Thanks for the tip on how to downgrade. First time I have had problems with a wordpress upgrade in a long time… going to have to do the downgrade as well.
Same here too. Most of the time the upgrade worked just fine, but this time nothing worked.
nice point sometimes rollback is the safest solution to any new issues…
At least it’s a solution to the issues that cannot be solved in any other way.
Where’s the database?
The database is sitting on the server and can usually be accessed via MySQL admin. If you don’t have access to the database yourself, get in touch with your webhost and ask if they can help you to make a backup.
Thanks for the info. I have a backup of the database but it was from a few days ago. It was nice to see that I could go back without reverting to the old database. Worked great!
if anybody is on msn that could help walk a new guy through this, please help.
Done :) And gimme a holler if anything goes wacky :)
I’m pretty sure that the release archive has been available all time. Maybe it has been accessible anywhere else on the WordPress site before.
It was not in the menu on the Download page earlier yesterday when I was looking for the previous version of WP. But there was a lot of questions about it in the forums, so I think they had to dig it out.
I understand these directions, just don’t know how to extract the downloaded files to my site without over writing the wp-config.php and content files.
What’s the trick?
I am having such an awful time with wordpress v2.8. I will be extremely glad to get rid of it!
Hi Catherine :)
Sorry to hear that you’re having trouble with WP 2.8.
To upload files to the server, you will need a software called “FTP”. It’s an application you use to upload and download files directly to the server.
If you know absolutely nothing about this and have your WordPress installation self-hosted (in other words, if it’s not a blog hosted at WordPress.com), let me know and I can give you a hand if you are completely lost.
Thanks so much, Christa. Yes, my wordpress is self hosted. I’ve got dreamweaver and ftp and all that. I’m just a little confused about the directions. I’d really love to have your help.
If I download 2.7.1 and extract the files to my ftp and upload them the way they are, I’ll lose my templates and plugins.
How do I not overwrite those certain files mentioned above. I’m missing something cognitively here and it’s probably the most obvious thing too!
hehe…sometimes we don’t see the woods for all the trees ;)
When you upload the “old” files to the server and overwrite the 2.8 installation, you will have to either ignore the wp-content all together, or if you’re using any of the old templates in there, upload those folder by folder.
So open wp-content on the server, the theme folder if needed and upload the themes “default” and “classic”. But only if you use them. Otherwise there’s no need at all to upload them.
So you can ignore wp-content all together :)
Easy as that :)
I’ve just made a more detailed most about all this and there’s a new link in the post above if you want to have more detailed instructions. I think you’ll be just fine though :)
it work excellent, thanks