Fix MySQL errors when cloning WordPress in Softaculous
Softaculous cannot clone a Multisite network. What the missing-table error means, and which tool to use instead.
If cloning a WordPress installation in Softaculous fails with an error like
Table 'example_wp276.ie23f_blogs' doesn't exist, the installation is a
Multisite network and Softaculous cannot clone it. Applies to shared and
reseller hosting on cPanel.
The table named in the error is the giveaway. wp_blogs, wp_site,
wp_sitemeta and wp_signups exist only in a Multisite network. Softaculous
sees the Multisite flag in wp-config.php, expects those tables, and stops when
its clone does not have them.
If the site does not need to be a Multisite
Some sites carry the Multisite flag without ever having been converted — it gets added while following a guide and then left behind. If no network was ever created, turn it off:
-
Open
wp-config.phpin the site's root directory. -
Find:
define( 'WP_ALLOW_MULTISITE', true ); -
Change
truetofalse. -
Save, then retry the clone.
Only do this if the installation is not actually running a network. Check
first: if the admin bar has a My Sites menu, or wp_blogs exists in the
database, it is a real network and disabling the flag will break it. Use one
of the tools below instead.
If it is a real Multisite
Use a tool that supports networks.
WP Toolkit — clone between cPanel accounts or domains. See Clone a WordPress site with WP Toolkit.
Installatron — open it from cPanel's Software section, select the installation and use Clone. See Migrate WordPress with Installatron.
After cloning a network
A Multisite network stores its domain in the database in more places than a
single site does — wp_blogs and wp_site both hold it, alongside the usual
options. A clone that loads but sends you to the original domain has not had
those updated. Check them before assuming the clone failed.
Related
Check whether LiteSpeed Cache is working
Confirm your pages are being served from LSCache using the response headers, and understand what a hit, a miss and no header at all each mean.
WordPress Multisite with subdomains
Point each Multisite subdomain at the network's document root in cPanel or DirectAdmin, so the sites resolve instead of 404ing.