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# Troubleshooting
This page provides solutions to common issues you might encounter when using the "Fix 'Plugin file does not exist' Notices" plugin.
## Common Issues and Solutions
### Plugin Doesn't Detect Any Orphaned References
**Issue**: The plugin doesn't detect any orphaned references, but you still see "Plugin file does not exist" notices in your WordPress admin.
**Possible Causes and Solutions**:
1. **Different Source of Notices**:
- The notices might be coming from a different source, not related to orphaned plugin references.
- Check the exact wording of the notices and look for clues about their origin.
- Check if the notices appear on specific pages or under specific conditions.
2. **Non-Standard Storage Location**:
- Some plugins or themes might store plugin references in non-standard locations.
- Try enabling the "Deep Scan" option in the plugin settings to scan additional locations.
3. **Custom WordPress Modifications**:
- If your WordPress installation has custom modifications, they might be affecting how plugin references are stored or displayed.
- Consult with your developer or hosting provider about any custom modifications.
4. **Caching Issues**:
- Clear your browser cache and any server-side caches.
- Disable caching plugins temporarily to see if that resolves the issue.
### Plugin Doesn't Detect Orphaned References on the Plugins Page
**Issue**: The plugin doesn't detect any orphaned references when you visit the plugins page.
**Possible Causes and Solutions**:
1. **Browser Caching**:
- Your browser might be caching the plugins page.
- Try clearing your browser cache or using a private/incognito window.
2. **Plugin Conflicts**:
- Another plugin might be interfering with the plugins page.
- Try temporarily deactivating other plugins to see if that resolves the issue.
3. **Theme Customizations**:
- Custom theme modifications might affect how the plugins page is displayed.
- Try switching to a default WordPress theme temporarily to see if that resolves the issue.
4. **Server Configuration**:
- Some server configurations might affect how the plugin operates.
- Check your server's PHP version and ensure it meets the minimum requirements (PHP 7.0 or higher).
### Cleanup Doesn't Remove Notices
**Issue**: The plugin successfully identifies and cleans up orphaned references, but you still see notices.
**Possible Causes and Solutions**:
1. **Cached Notices**:
- The notices might be cached in your browser or by a caching plugin.
- Clear your browser cache and any server-side caches.
- Disable caching plugins temporarily to see if that resolves the issue.
2. **Multiple Sources of Notices**:
- There might be multiple sources of notices, and the plugin only addressed some of them.
- Run the scan again to see if it detects any additional orphaned references.
- Check the exact wording of the remaining notices to identify their source.
3. **Plugin Conflicts**:
- Another plugin might be interfering with the cleanup process.
- Try temporarily deactivating other plugins to see if that resolves the issue.
4. **Database Corruption**:
- In rare cases, database corruption might prevent the cleanup from being effective.
- Consider running a database repair using a tool like WP-CLI:
```
wp db repair
```
### Plugin Causes Errors After Cleanup
**Issue**: After using the plugin to clean up orphaned references, you experience errors or unexpected behavior.
**Possible Causes and Solutions**:
1. **Dependent Plugins**:
- Some plugins might depend on the orphaned references that were removed.
- Check your active plugins to see if any of them might have dependencies.
- Consider restoring from a backup if necessary.
2. **Custom Code Dependencies**:
- Custom code in your theme or other plugins might depend on the orphaned references.
- Check your theme's `functions.php` file and any custom plugins for dependencies.
3. **Incomplete Cleanup**:
- The cleanup process might have been incomplete, leaving your database in an inconsistent state.
- Try running the cleanup process again to ensure all orphaned references are removed.
## Advanced Troubleshooting
### WordPress Debugging
You can enable WordPress debugging to get more information about what's happening:
1. Add the following code to your `wp-config.php` file:
```php
define('WP_DEBUG', true);
define('WP_DEBUG_LOG', true);
define('WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', false);
```
2. Visit the plugins page and perform any cleanup actions.
3. Check the debug.log file in your wp-content directory for any relevant information.
### Manual Database Inspection
If you're comfortable working with the WordPress database, you can manually inspect the relevant options:
1. Use a tool like phpMyAdmin to access your WordPress database.
2. Look at the `wp_options` table (or the equivalent options table in multisite installations).
3. Check the values of the `active_plugins` and `active_sitewide_plugins` options.
4. Look for references to plugin files that don't exist in your `wp-content/plugins` directory.
### Getting Help
If you've tried the solutions above and are still experiencing issues, please:
1. Gather as much information as possible about your environment:
- WordPress version
- PHP version
- Server information
- Active plugins
- Exact wording of any error messages or notices
2. [Open an issue](https://github.com/wpallstars/wp-fix-plugin-does-not-exist-notices/issues) on GitHub with all the information you've gathered.
3. Be prepared to provide additional information if requested by the plugin developers.