Finally, my HostGator hosting is working. I’m not 100% sure but I think this it what fixed it…

No surprise here - it was by my own error that my WordPress site wasn’t working correctly with my new HostGator hosting service. It hit me last night when I was removing the current installation of WordPress and getting ready to reinstall it. I had downloaded WordPress and when I went to change the config file it became clear to me what I had done. When I installed WordPress the first time - I just copied another wp-config.php file I had and changed the database information.

Seems like a logical thing to do, right? So, what was the problem? Well, for a while now WordPress has added 3 different unique KEYs that need to be filled in the wp-config file. I forgot to change them - I left them the exact same as another WordPress blog that is already live. So, this time I made sure and generated new keys - viola it now works. A silly mistake that cost me quite a bit of time - the KEYs thing just slipped my mind. Anyway, I’m pretty sure this was the problem because when I uploaded the new WordPress files everything worked correctly. Yes!

Michael Hargis

Popularity: 44% [?]

So, I waited a little longer to receive my Welcome email from HostGator, but it never came. So, I sent an e-mail and opened a support ticket. I told them PayPal shows that I paid - I even received a receipt from them. Blah blah blah… I gave them the transaction details and when I checked my email yesterday morning I finally had my Welcome email with all my account details.

So, I got the new Name Servers for my domain name. Went to my current host and changed them. After a few minutes it looked like everything was going well. I created a quick index.html page and placed it in the root directory of my hosting folder. It showed up when I typed the domain name in the address bar - looking good. I figured I would go ahead and install WordPress and get that up and running. I uploaded all the files and ran the install.php. Everything seemed to be going fine. I got to the WordPress dashboard and imported the data I had exported from my previous host’s database. The posts, pages, and categories all showed up in the dashboard - so I decided to view the site to make sure everything was looking the same… nothing… just an empty white page. So, I waited and hours later still nothing. What the heck - I have successfully installed WordPress on my current host at least 10 or 15 times and I always do it manually - not through the hosting admin.

What now? Well I plan on removing all the WordPress files from the server and trying to install WordPress a second time. Maybe I did it to early - before the DNS was completely changed and ready. I haven’t given up on HostGator. I really like the admin, CPanel, that they use. It’s much better than my current host - mainly because with my current host I have to navigate through multiple pages to get to my hosting admin panel. Anyway, I’m trying to stay positive and luckily the domain name I am moving isn’t anything too important.

HostGator Hosting Service Part 1

Michael Hargis

Popularity: 33% [?]

So I decided to give HostGator a try. I heard they were a good hosting company - a lot of people recommend them. Here is my experience so far.

The Initial Purchase

I already knew what I wanted so finding the product I wanted to purchase was easy. The site navigation was simple - it took me to a list of hosting options and I picked the one I wanted. Checking out was a little different. I am use to buying something and paying at the same time. I opted to pay with pay-pal - which could have had something to do with it. I checked out but never went to pay-pal’s site. So, I checked my e-mail and saw one from HostGator. In the e-mail there was a link to a billing page. So I went to the page, logged in and setup my billing information. When I went to pay I was taken to the pay-pal page I was expecting - I paid and waited… and waited… and waited.

While waiting I read the welcome page that I got after purchasing my hosting plan. It said I was suppose to get an e-mail (other than the billing e-mail) and actually in the billing e-mail it also said I should be getting a Welcome e-mail - 20 hours later no Welcome e-mail yet. I was giving them the benefit of the doubt considering I ordered on the Sunday after Thanksgiving.

When ordering my hosting service, I picked the option to use a current domain I have with another hosting company. So, all I need to do is change my DNS servers for the domain. Oh wait, those are suppose to be in my Welcome e-mail… the one I haven’t got yet. So, I’m waiting. I plan on sending an e-mail telling them I have yet to receive my Welcome e-mail yet - I’m giving them 24 hours.

I haven’t given up on the thought that HostGator is a good hosting company. This is just a small hang-up and I am a patient man. If everything works out and I like HostGator, I will probably move over more of my sites to HostGator - or at least use it for any new sites I need to host.

Popularity: 34% [?]