Error establishing a database connection

Alright, I installed the files on a brand new domain on the same server (just in case putting it into an established domain was causing issues somehow), but I still have the same issues. It’s especially frustrating since I know the DB’s up and running just fine so it has to be (ostensibly) that WP just has a quirk in how it’s trying to talk to it, but I have no idea where to begin.

I’m not sure, but did you give the username for that database FULL permissions for “ALL” and you also might want to contact the host for help.. :/

Cause from what you said, everything was setup just fine and should be working. <knock on wood> I never had any problems with connecting to the database, unless it was an error on my end. Like: mis-spelling of username, password and ect..maybe try asking the host about this issue.. =)

I dunno, because I never used anything other then just: localhost for the host field, but maybe the way you wrote that isn’t quite right or something.. again I’m not sure because I never used anything but just “localhost” for it…mmm..

spencerp

Alright, I modified wp-db.php so it would actually return the error that it was getting. Now we’re getting somewhere. This is the actual error that it’s throwing when it tries to connect to the database:

Client does not support authentication protocol requested by server; consider upgrading MySQL client

Looking now to see how I can change the “authentication protocol requested by [the] server”…

Got it! We evidently have an old version of PHP on the server. Here’s what was causing the problem and how I fixed it: https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.0/en/old-client.html

Great! Now, can you please mark this as resolved so that others will know there might be an answer in here.

-tg

Awesome shanepike! =) As TechGnome said, can you change the status of this post to resolved, so that others that might need this very same info can use it or read this post..? To change it’s status is at top of the post….

spencerp

Done! Not sure if displaying the DB connection error message was one of the fixes in the just-released 2.0.1, but it would be a good addition.

Hi shanepike!

Can you tell me how to modify wp-db.php so it would actually return the error that it was getting?

I’m getting a problem that’s very close to what you mentioned, but I want to see if it’s the same issue…

I’m using: Apache/2.0.52 (Win32) PHP/4.3.9 and MYSQL Server 4.1

tks!

I was hoping for a reply to dadio’s post above but finally I tinkered enough to figure it out for myself. I’m not sure of the proper way to reference another post, but if you search for:

Error Establish a databese connection
by “nelsonov” (that’s me)

You’ll find in the 2nd post how I hacked wp-db.php to give the actual error during the database connect. Noticed that I goofed and spelled my post with “Establish” instead of “Establishing”. That might make it easier to find.

Good luck.

Thanks,

It solved my issue….

Thank God! Glad to hear it. =) Now, still on with the rest I guess… sigh.. :/

spencerp

Ok, my problem was the same as shanepike. This has nothing to do with WordPress!!

It’s just a PHP and MYSQL incompatibility issue.

Tks to all for the info.

dadio.

I have a related issue (I think), but my php, mysql and mysql client are all up to date.

All worked fine until I changed over to mysql 4.1.14 (not the standard OSX install that was running when I installed WP) and now the WordPress PHP scripts can’t find mysql:
“Error establishing a database connection, etc.”

Short story: mySQL is running, database is ok, but I think PHP is looking for the old instance of mySQL which is not running, and I don’t know how to redirect it.

Details:
mysql 4.1.14, php 4.3.11, apache and wp1.5.1.3 on OSX 10.4.4, with a static IP.

wp-config.php has correct login and password (nothing’s changed)
mysql is running — I can connect from command line and MySQL Administrator
ps shows: /usr/local/mysql/bin/mysql is running
this is the new version I installed

phpinfo() shows: support is enabled for /var/mysql/mysql.sock
but MySQL Administrator says the instance of mysql actually running uses /tmp/mysql.sock
phpinfo() shows: Client API version 4.1.13a
but MySQL Admin says MySQL Client Version 5.0.4

So I think PHP is looking for the old instance of mySQL.

I edited /etc/php.ini: mysql.default_socket = /tmp/mysql.sock — no luck

I reset the password manually – probably not necessary:
set password for ‘wpuser’@’localhost’=OLD_PASSWORD(‘xxxxxxxx’); — nope

I tried setting define(‘DB_HOST’, ‘my.host.com’); — No luck

Added “Error: $my_errstr;” to the code in wp-db.php but it doesn’t report anything.

I flushed the browser cache each time.

Running out of ideas.
Thanks in advance for your time.

Solved – somehow the user’s privileges had been removed. I restored them and all’s well.