This error has emerged recently because of the surge of updates from WordPress. Not every web host is created equal. The error you are receiving is both a WordPress issue and a web hosting/server issue.

Fix For “Updating failed. Error message: The response is not a valid JSON response”

The steps below are the recommended order to solving the problem. You will need access to your cPanel, Plesk dashboard, File Manager, or FTP. Consult your web host or your web manager if you have problems accessing these locations.

1) Plugins – In File Manager, go to wp-content, and rename the plugins folder by adding .bak to it. The new folder should now be named “plugins.bak”. Head back to your website and try to create or update a post. If this fixes the problem, then it’s most likely one or more installed plugins causing the problem. Find the plugin(s) that are causing the issue, remove it, rename your plugins folder back to normal, and try testing your posts again. If you are still receiving the error after renaming the entire plugins folder, rename your folder back to “plugins” and head to step 2.

2) HTACCESS File – In File Manager, in the main directory where your WordPress is installed, rename the .htaccess file to .htaccess.bak. Head back over to your website and try creating or updating a post. If this works for you great, if not, rename .htaccess back by removing .bak from it, then head to step 3.

3) Index File – In File Manager, in the main directory where your WordPress is installed, rename the index.php file to index.php.bak. Head back over to your website and try creating or updating a post. If this works for you great, if not, rename index.php back by removing .bak from it, then head to step 4.

4) Site URL – In your WordPress dashboard, on the left-side navigation, goto Settings -> General. Make sure your WordPress Address (URL) and Site Address (URL) are correct. Try removing www. from the address and see if that fixes the issue. If this works for you great, if not, head to step 5.

5) SSL – Make sure your SSL Certificate is installed correctly. In your URL bar, on the left side of your website address, the lock should be solid. If not, you can experience errors. Download and install an SSL Plugin from the plugin section of WordPress. If you already have SSL installed on the server level, an SSL plugin will help you to detect and install it properly on your WordPress website. If this solves your problem, great, if not, head to step 6.

6) Permalinks – In your WordPress dashboard, on the left-side navigation, goto Settings -> Permalinks. Click on the first option Plain, then hit Save Changes. On the same page, click on the option Post Name, then hit Save Changes. Head back and try creating or updating a post. If this solves your problem, great, if not, head to step 7.

7) PHP – Make sure you a running the latest version of PHP on your server. To check this, log into cPanel or Plesk Dashboard. Goto PHP, then select version 7.1 or higher.

WordPress is constantly updating their software. It’s important to keep up with their updates to prevent security breaches on your website. Because WordPress updates are more frequent, use the above-mentioned steps to solve any errors you may experience going forward.

If you need any more help on this issue, feel free to leave a comment below.

The post WordPress Error Message Not A Valid JSON Response (Solution) appeared first on New Computer Inquiry.

Fixing a HTTP Error 500

Ordered from simple to complex, below are methods to fixing a HTTP Error 500.

Method #1 – Temporarily Disabling the .HTACCESS file

Problem:

Your .HTACCESS file has a line of code in it preventing the website from loading. This particular entry could be made from one of your plugins, themes, or an outside influence.

Solution:

To disable the .HTACCESS file, simply:

1. Log into your cPanel, Plesk, or Web Host Management Dashboard
2. Goto File Manager
3. Locate the .HTACCESS file and rename it by adding the following extension .bak
4. Your file should look like this: .htaccess.bak

Method #2 – Increasing PHP Memory Limit

Problem:

Your website load is heavy, due to certain plugins or your active theme. When you reach or exceed the PHP memory limit, you may experience a HTTP Error 500.

Solution:

1. Open notepad or a text editor on your computer.
2. Input this line of code: memory=128MB
3. Save the file as php.ini
4. Log into your cPanel, Plesk, or Web Host Management Dashboard
5. Goto File Manager
6. Upload the php.ini file

Method #3 – Temporarily Disabling Plugins

Problem:

One or more of your plugins may have been corrupted, out-of-date, or incompatible with your version of WordPress.

Solution:

1. Log into your cPanel, Plesk, or Web Host Management Dashboard
2. Goto File Manager
3. Goto Wp-Content -> Plugins
4. Rename the plugins folder to plugins.off
5. If the Error 500 disappears and your website is loading, rename your plugins folder back to default “plugins”.
6. Enter your plugins folder and rename all of the folders by adding .off to the end. Enable (remove “.off”) from each plugin one by one until you no longer receive the Error 500 again.
7. Delete the plugin/folder that is giving you the problem.

Method #4 – Updating to a newer or latest version of PHP

Problem:

Your web server may be outdated and you are using an older version of PHP. Either your WordPress Core, Themes, Plugins, or a combination of all 3 no longer support the older PHP version.

Solution:

Update your PHP to the latest version. Using 5.6 or higher is recommended. We recommend using a web host that supports 7.0 or higher, as 5.6 will eventually be phased out.

1. Log into your cPanel, Plesk, or Web Host Management Dashboard
2. Look for “PHP” or Programming Languages
3. Select PHP Version 5.6 or Higher
4. Click Save or Update.

Method #5 – Updating Core WordPress Files

Problem:

Your existing WordPress files are out-of-date, a file is missing or corrupt, or one or more of your files have been compromised.

Solution:

1. Log into your cPanel, Plesk, or Web Host Management Dashboard
2. Goto File Manager
3. Delete ONLY the following folders: wp-admin and wp-includes
4. With fresh files downloaded from the official WordPress website, re-upload both folders.
5. Upload and overwrite all existing files in the main directory. DO NOT touch the wp-content folder.

Still having trouble getting your website to load? We recommend contacting your web manager or your web hosting company, they can diagnose and fix the problem. Any other questions, feel free to sound off in the comment section below.

The post How To Fix a HTTP ERROR 500 on a WordPress Website appeared first on New Computer Inquiry.