htaccess issue?

What are your permalink settings? They should match the URLs you have generated, so something like /2010/11/5/name-of-the-post

Once you save those settings, there’s a box at the bottom that gives you some code. You have to open your .htaccess file (using FTP) and paste that information inside and reupload.

@brando: stuartathompson is wrong.

Have you moved your database and files to the new host yet? If so, is there a .htaccess that already exists?

Can you get into WordPress admin? If so, set your permalinks to default and save. That will override other permlink settings in .htaccess and give you the “standard” setting. If you get a warning that your changes couldn’t be saved because .htaccess wasn’t writable, then you will need edit .htaccess with FTP.

If you can’t get into WordPress admin, delete the exisiting .htaccess and you’ll revert to default permalinks.

have not moved to new host yet,
yes i can get in to the wordpress admin , where do i reset the permalinks,
bear with me as i am a wordpress novice, i am doing this for a friend.

No problem, but you should also see Moving WordPress ? WordPress Codex before you start the move.

See Using Permalinks ? WordPress Codex but if you’re moving, you don’t need to reset them where you’re at, unless you want the site to work right now before the move.

ok, got it working by setting permalinks to default, now can i set it back to a different setting so they are “pretty” so to speak?

Yes, on either the new or old host, but if WordPress tells you it can’t save the changes to .htaccess, then you need to be able to edit that file with FTP. And if you’re on a Windows host, that host needs to allow the use of .htaccess.

ok thank you very much !

So songdogtech, you’re recommending the exact process I wrote at the beginning. This is wrong how exactly?

Read the original post: he doesn’t want to set pretty permalinks, he needs to try and reset permalinks to default without FTP to begin with, and he’s in the middle of moving hosts. Much more complex than simply asking him what his settings are and telling him to edit .htaccess.