Fatal Error: create_initial_taxonomies in wp-setting.php

[DMONAHAN]

HI. My client informed me that his site is down and I do not know what this code means.

Fatal error: Call to undefined function create_initial_taxonomies() in /home/03/17/2021703/web/wp-settings.php on line 206

What do I do to fix it? I have a strong belief that it was corrupted when his hosting site, Hostway went down for several hours. Could that been a problem?

Please help!

[boonebgorges]

Hi DMONAHAN - welcome to Trac.

It sounds like your client has an incomplete version of the WordPress files. I suggest downloading a new copy of WordPress, and replacing everything in your client's wp-admin and wp-includes directories with the corresponding files from the new WordPress download.

For further support requests, please check out ​https://wordpress.org/support. Thanks!

[DMONAHAN]

I don't understand how it was affected when the website was up and running all along until this point of hosting corruption. I can't even get into WP dashboard to backup the work that was done. How can I do that?

I reupload a new copy of Wordpress and replacing everything in my client's wp-admin and wp-includes directories, will it affect all the work that has been done?

[boonebgorges]

I can't even get into WP dashboard to backup the work that was done. How can I do that?

You'll have to connect via FTP or SFTP or SSH. If you don't have the credentials to do that, reach out to your host to explain your situation, and have them reinstall WordPress.

I reupload a new copy of Wordpress and replacing everything in my client's wp-admin and wp-includes directories, will it affect all the work that has been done?

WordPress stores content in a database, and plugins/themes/uploads are stored in the wp-content directory. Replacing WP system files will not affect any client-created content.