ERROR: The file ‘wp-config.php’ already exists

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I clicked on the ‘Update WordPress’ link in the admin dashboard of my WordPress site, and I am getting this error: 

"The file 'wp-config.php' already exists. If you need to reset any of the 
configuration items in this file, please delete it first. You may try installing now."

When I try to click the “installing now” link, it seems that WordPress is installing fresh. I want to keep all of the content of my WordPress installation.

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I have tried to change the name of the wp-config.php file but that didn’t do anything.

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16 comments

  1. Is just a browser cache.

    On first URL load, you are redirected from domain.ext to domain.ext/wp-admin/setup-config.php

    If you are on Chrome, just open the developers console, go to “Network” tab. Reload the page and right click anywhere in the console, and hit “Clear browser cache”.

    Now refresh again and you will see your website

  2. I ran into this same issue while I was transferring a site. The issue ended up being with the .htaccess file. I fixed it by resetting my permalinks. There may be other causes to this issue but this worked for me:

    1. Click on General => Permalinks
    2. Click Save Changes (to reset permalinks)

  3. Try to display the website first on the incognito tab. If it works correctly, clear the browser cache.

    Once the page refresh has been completed, the website will appear.

    You can use the following shortcuts to clear the browser cache.

    Windows: Ctrl + F5
    Mac OS: CMD + Shift + R

  4. This usually happens when you use an old version of WordPress files or old database, and you use partly new files of WordPress.

    All you need to do is to delete all WP files and install a fresh WordPress (new files unzipped from a new version of WordPress) and use an empty database.
    If you’re planning to migrate or move from another website, you should use the export/import function built in wordpress.

  5. he file wp-config.php already exists. If you need to reset any of the configuration items in this file, please delete it first. You may try installing now.

    Answer:- Please Clear Your browser’s cache.

  6. Did I miss the party?
    Today I have a problem like what you experienced 5 years ago. The solution is: Remove all caching plugins (Cloudflare, Jetpack, Litespeed).

  7. Maybe you could try to delete ‘wp-config.php’ file, or take a backup of this file in different folder and then try again.

  8. If you are using bluehost and did not do the one click install :

    I solved this problem by deleting the default error pages 404.php 500.php etc…

    I do not know why exactly this was causing this issue… Sorry for the sloppy answer but tried clearing cache and recreating the .htaccess file it didn’t work.

  9. I removed the added spaces that the WordPress’s own web ‘easy installer’ created in the wp-config.php file to help me out.

    Guess the WordPress’s own wp-config.php ?checker? isn’t compatible with WordPress’s own installer. Wow.

    Once the added spaces were removed, site comes up fine. I simply modeled the spacing that is in the wp-config-sample.php file.

  11. More likely it is cache issue and this error comes when we try to install one WordPress inside of another sub folder of the cpanel in the same WordPress installation and it will be mostly resolved when you try to check it in the private window or another browser

  13. If someone is still for a solution.
    This happened to me on an existing site while trying to update.
    the problem was following line in wp-config.php near the end.

    /** Sets up WordPress vars and included files. */

require_once(ABSPATH . 'wp-admin/setup-config.php');

    Removing this fixed the problem.
    Hope this helps.

  14. RESOLVED: I had the same problem. post hack situation on other account, shared hosting and server NUKED. Luckily I had the backup files from one of the WP plugins but the main page didnt load, I could only go to 404 and from there to other pages but not main page, the error was wp-config eists…install…blah blah blah…..so I tried everything, multiple re-installs, changed the wp_prefix as per previous install on the fresh install and nothing helped, even ordered paid support from the backup plugin developer as I was sure that it fooked because I had Opencart also installed there but the backup was intended for WP only, my web developer also did something, perhaps removed the OC bits from DB, but thank god i managed to resolve it on my own(and justhost),. so I contacted the justhost for the SECOND TIME and they told me that the account is on VARNISH i.e. some sort of automated cache limit, so I told them to take it off and they wanted to know what have I done to reduce the LOAD to the server, so I told this and that and two seconds later everything loaded perfectly. took me about 20 hours to get main page loading, plus probably it will take 10 hours for fine tuning of the site. anyway if you contact jour host make sure you ask them if they are not blocking cahce as the first time I got in contact they couldnt help me.

  15. I also meet with same error and Mr Pierre R is right its just a cache. Just clear your cache or check in private window. All fine.

  16. if someone have still this error..
    goto->admin->setup.php (delete this file error will be solve)
    hope this will help.

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