I’m having trouble with my WordPress site after doing an update. When I try to access my website, I keep getting this error message about require_wp_db() function not being defined.
I tried following the standard WordPress troubleshooting steps but nothing worked so far. When I searched online for this problem, I found that many other people are experiencing the exact same issue. It seems like this is a common problem that happens after WordPress updates.
Has anyone else run into this error before? I’m looking for a reliable solution to get my site working again. Any help would be really appreciated since my website has been down for a while now.
What steps should I take to resolve this undefined function error? Thanks for any suggestions.
This issue typically arises when the WordPress core files become corrupted during an update. The function require_wp_db() is defined in wp-includes/load.php; if it’s missing, that’s a strong sign of file corruption. I encountered a similar issue last year after a problematic auto-update. I resolved it by manually uploading fresh WordPress core files via FTP. Download the latest version of WordPress, extract it, and upload everything except for wp-config.php and the wp-content folder, ensuring to overwrite the current files. It’s crucial to back up your site files and database beforehand. Additionally, check with your hosting provider about any automatic backups that can be restored, as this may also be a quicker solution in severe cases. The manual file replacement method worked effectively for me and restored my site within minutes.
had this exact problem last month! my hosting provider had server issues during the wordpress update that corrupted the files. contact your host first - mine restored from backup in 10 mins and saved me tons of hassle.
This hit me twice with different hosts - both times it was PHP memory limits during updates. WordPress runs out of memory mid-update and leaves files half-written, which breaks the require_wp_db() function. Check your error logs first - you’ll usually see memory warnings right before the error shows up. I fixed it by bumping the PHP memory limit in wp-config.php with ini_set(‘memory_limit’, ‘512M’) and re-running the update. If that doesn’t work, kill all plugins through the database and try again. Memory issues cause way more update failures than people think.
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