Continually returns to wp-login.php

OK, I was able to get the page to load something different. I tried using a wrong password and it told me it was wrong. So, I tried to log in again with the proper password and it just refreshed the page again, almost as if I have cookies blocked (which I don’t, and like I said, I have tried this on 4 other browsers, all of which are straight out of the box with no plugins)

I found a bunch of solutions from like 8 and 9 years ago when this was a WordPress problem, fixed back in WP 1.7 or whatever. I also found a more recent solution where you turn your local firewall off and try it, but it didn’t work…

This is so frekn FRUSTERATING!! I am guessing there needs to be a tweak in a file somewhere, I checked the .htaccess and it is the same as the one from one of my other sites.

Any help, point in a direction would be helpful

Another option was to disable the plugins via the /wp-content/plugins/ folder. I went in and just renamed the folder to kill all plugins, and still getting the same thing, endless loop back to the wp-login.php

The major reason why I need into the backend is to switch the theme, is there a way to manipulate a file through FTP to change the theme?

Is this a multisite install?

no, straight normal 3.8.1 out the box with a custom theme (blankslate)

is there anything in your functions.php that could be doing it??

Alternatively you can change the theme in your xx_options table of the database…

What would I look for in the functions.php? I didn’t touch that file in weeks. I changed the whole functions.php file between various themes and none of them worked.

thank you for the xx_options table help. That puts me in the right theme, which helps for now!

I still need access to the back end, I have until Monday to get this site working! GAH!!

I still need access to the back end, I have until Monday to get this site working! GAH!!

You may end up needing to hire someone: https://jobs.wordpress.net

If I was getting paid for this, I am a student working for a non-profit organization…

I’m sorry but these are volunteer-driven forums and a lot of the time people don’t get they want quick enough if they have deadlines.

Yes, I know it might not be quick, I can limp along for a few more days working on the files through FTP, hoping someone knows whats is going on in the next few days. I only posted this a few hours ago, so I still have hope in the community.

All the other threads with this same issue pointed to problems with wordpress itself in early versions or firewall problems. I am guessing it is a simple fix if only I knew what was causing the redirect.

If all you want to do is change themes there are 2 ways. Using ftp or the file manager supplied by your host, rename the theme you want to change themename-old. That should force wordpress to open with the default theme.

Thanks Kmessinger, that will get me through for the next few days, but I need to access the backend to change some of the website specific stuff. I will hold out for a few more days, but I think I am looking at re installing WP, such a pain in the butt!

I tried logging in from a friend’s computer thinking that maybe there was something wrong with my system or firewall but I had the same exact problems, and she logged in right after me no problem.

Is there a way to trace what my site is doing after I hit enter? (find out what protocols it is running, what pages it is accessing, etc?)