Repair a Corrupted WordPress Database: Safe Methods

What this problem is

Your database has corrupted tables, causing errors, missing content, or a database connection error.

Why it happens

• Server crashes or abrupt shutdowns
• Disk issues or quota exhaustion
• MySQL problems under high load

Prerequisites

• Full database backup (before repair)
• Access to wp-config.php and/or phpMyAdmin

Diagnosis

In phpMyAdmin, check tables for errors. WordPress may also show: One or more database tables are unavailable.

Detailed steps

Method A) WordPress built-in repair

1. Add in wp-config.php:

define("WP_ALLOW_REPAIR", true);

2. Open /wp-admin/maint/repair.php and run Repair (or Repair and Optimize).
3. Remove the line from wp-config.php after finishing.

Method B) phpMyAdmin repair

1. Select all WordPress tables.
2. Choose Repair table.

Expected results

• Tables repaired and site errors stop

What to do if it fails

• Restore from backup if repairs worsen corruption
• Ask hosting to run MySQL checks or restore from server backups

Best practices

• Keep automated backups and monitor disk/inodes to avoid corruption events