Detailed Causes and Solutions

1. PHP Memory Limit Issues

Symptoms:

• Site loads blank white page
• Admin dashboard inaccessible
• Resource-heavy plugins stop working

Solutions:

1. Increase PHP memory limit:
   

    

   // Add to wp-config.php

   define(‘WP_MEMORY_LIMIT’, ‘256M’);

   


2. Ask hosting provider to increase server memory
3. Remove unused plugins to free memory

2. Plugin Conflicts

Symptoms:

• WSOD appears after plugin installation
• Site crashes after plugin update
• Specific pages show white screen

Solutions:

1. Access via FTP and rename plugins folder:
   /wp-content/plugins/ → /wp-content/plugins_old/
2. If site recovers, enable plugins one by one:
   • Rename folder back
   • Move plugins individually to test
   • Identify problematic plugin

3. Theme Problems

Symptoms:

• WSOD after theme update
• White screen after customization
• Template errors in logs

Solutions:

1. Switch to default theme via FTP:
   • Rename current theme folder
   • Site will default to basic theme
2. Check theme compatibility
3. Review custom code changes
4. Update theme files

4. PHP Errors

Symptoms:

• Silent failures
• No error display
• Server logs show PHP errors

Solutions:

1. Enable WordPress debug mode:
   

    

   // Add to wp-config.php

   define(‘WP_DEBUG’, true);

   define(‘WP_DEBUG_LOG’, true);

   define(‘WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY’, false);

   


2. Check debug.log file
3. Fix syntax errors
4. Update PHP version

5. Corrupted Core Files

Symptoms:

• WSOD after WordPress update
• Missing core functions
• Partial site functionality

Solutions:

1. Download fresh WordPress copy
2. Replace wp-admin and wp-includes folders
3. Verify file permissions:
   • Directories: 755
   • Files: 644
4. Check file integrity

6. Database Connection Issues

Symptoms:

• Intermittent white screens
• Database connection errors
• Slow page loads before WSOD

Solutions:

1. Verify wp-config.php settings:
   

    

   define(‘DB_NAME’, ‘database_name’);

   define(‘DB_USER’, ‘database_user’);

   define(‘DB_PASSWORD’, ‘database_password’);

   define(‘DB_HOST’, ‘localhost’);

   


2. Check database server status
3. Repair database tables
4. Optimize database

Prevention Steps

1. Regular backups:
   • Full site backup
   • Database backup
   • File system backup
2. Maintenance routine:
   • Update WordPress core
   • Update plugins and themes
   • Monitor error logs
   • Check site health
3. Testing protocol:
   • Use staging environment
   • Test updates before deployment
   • Monitor site performance

Emergency Recovery Steps

1. Access site files via FTP
2. Enable error logging
3. Check server logs
4. Restore from backup
5. Contact host support

When to Seek Help

Contact professional help if:

• No backup available
• Database corruption
• Server configuration issues
• Custom code problems

How To Find Help

Contact Web321