WordPress 2.6 Is A Go! Upgrade Now.

About five days ago, WordPress 2.6 was released. As usual, we were a bit wary of the latest version for fear of glitches and other potential problems. After all, the previous release of WP version 2.5 was wrought with problems, which necessitated the quick release of version 2.5.1.

So we decided to hold off on upgrading any of our preexisting blogs, and only used 2.6 for new websites. However, now after previewing the new features of this latest version, and performing test upgrades on our local servers, it looks like WordPress 2.6 is a go.

But before you upgrade, it is important to be aware of what could go wrong.

Potential Problems After Upgrade

With all websites, especially if custom themes are used, there is potential for things to go wrong when software is upgraded. We have listed a few problems below, along with some quick fixes.

1. Can’t Login

If you can’t log into WordPress, this is probably due to cookie problems. Simply remove your cookies by going to Tools->Options (or Internet Options) in your browser. In Firefox, if you don’t want to delete all of your cookies, simply click on the ‘show cookies’ option. From this screen, find the cookies corresponding to your website’s WP installation and delete them.

2. Blank Page

Some users have also reported seeing a blank page on their domain after installation. This may be caused by one of more of the following:

1. Deletion of theme files. Verify that you have not overwritten your wp-content directory, and ensure that your theme files are located within it.
2. Incomplete transfer of required files. For some reason or another, all WordPress files may not have been transfered. Fix this by uploading the core files again.
3. Errors related to your server configuration and resources. If you believe that this is the problem, contact your web host.

3. Permalinks Not Working

Probably the most common error after upgrade, the permalink structure might not work. To fix this, delete the .htaccess file that is currently in your root directory. Then update the permalink structure from within WordPress by going to Settings->Permalinks. This should generate a new .htaccess file, and your permalink structure should be restored.

Note: There is one exception to this rule which deals with websites that use index.php in the permalink structure. If your website uses this structure, you will need to stay tuned for version 2.6.1 for a fix. See WordPress.org for more details.

4. Plugin Incompatibility Erors

You might also encounter various plugin incompatibility errors. Remember, this is a new version. Not all plugin authors have had time to make updates. So before you upgrade, be sure to see if all of your plugins are not compatible, or if there are other 2.6-compatible plugins which could give your website the same functionality.

Now Go Get It!

In addition to the added features, this latest version also has enhanced security, including support for SSL. So if you don’t foresee any major problems, we recommend that you upgrade your blog.

Finally, we recommend that you backup all of your data and files prior to upgrading. This includes your entire wp-content directory, your wp-config file, all databases, as well as any other modified files. This will ensure that you will be able to restore your website if anything goes wrong during the upgrade process.

For more information or support, please visit the WordPress.org for upgrade manuals and the support forum.