need to delete and reinstall – how?

  • Two of my websites were hacked by inserting js code files into the child themes. Even though I have removed the files, changed themes, and all that, there are a few quirks here and there. Like the security plug in says something is still looking for those js files which generates hidden 404s.

    I would like to delete the WP install then re-install. I’d obviously like to keep the database since one of them has stuff going back to 2003 (entered after I moved from html to WP). It was also my first install of WP so it’s been in place a looooong time. Might be good to sweep out the corners.

    So is this possible? Just deleting the files, reinstalling, and pointing it to the existing database? I’ll be doing a complete delete to ensure none of the evil files are left behind. I’ll save the image files that I have uploaded then re-upload them as needed. Anything else I need to do?

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  • Moderator James Huff

    (@macmanx)

    From Dashboard > Updates in your site’s Dashboard, hit the “Re-Install Now” button.

    That may not be enough though. If so, carefully follow this guide.

    When you’re done, you may want to implement some (if not all) of the recommended security measures.

    Thread Starter PaulaO

    (@holyroller)

    My webhost thinks it was doing via my FTP user but I’m not sure. I’ve changed all my passwords. I completely reinstalled the smaller of the two sites and that went well. I’m hesitant to do the larger as the database for it is quite large. I use AIO WP Security and Firewall. It didn’t alert me to the changed or inserted files because the dates of the files were set to be several years old. Or that is my theory.

    Thanks for the information! I am reading both and going to implement all I can.

Viewing 2 replies - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)
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