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When all child sites disappear from the Manage Sites table, the most common cause is database corruption. This guide covers how to diagnose the issue and repair your database to restore your sites.

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What You’ll Learn

  • Check for MySQL configuration issues
  • Repair the database using WordPress built-in tools
  • Repair the database using phpMyAdmin
  • Restore from backup as a last resort

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Prerequisites

  • FTP or file manager access to your Dashboard site
  • Ability to edit wp-config.php
  • cPanel or phpMyAdmin access (for database repair method)
  • Recent backup (optional, for restore method)

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Check MySQL Configuration

Before repairing the database, verify that the ANSI_QUOTES MySQL mode is not causing the issue.
1

Check MySQL modes

Go to MainWP > Info > Server Information and locate the MySQL Modes row.MainWP Server Information page showing MySQL Modes section
2

Verify ANSI_QUOTES is disabled

Confirm that ANSI_QUOTES is not listed in the MySQL modes. If it is enabled, contact your hosting provider to disable it.

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Repair Database Using WP_ALLOW_REPAIR

WordPress includes a built-in database repair feature that requires minimal technical knowledge.
1

Download wp-config.php

Connect to your Dashboard site via FTP and download wp-config.php from the WordPress root folder.
2

Add the repair constant

Open wp-config.php in a text editor and add this line before the if ( !defined('ABSPATH') ) line:
define( 'WP_ALLOW_REPAIR', true );
wp-config.php showing WP_ALLOW_REPAIR constant
3

Upload the file

Save the file and upload it back to your server, overwriting the existing copy.
4

Access the repair page

In your browser, go to:
https://yourdashboard.com/wp-admin/maint/repair.php
Replace yourdashboard.com with your actual Dashboard URL.WordPress Database Repair page with repair options
5

Run the repair

Click Repair and Optimize Database. This option repairs corrupted tables and optimizes performance.
6

Verify completion

Scroll to the bottom of the results page. You should see the message: “Repairs complete. Please remove the following line from wp-config.php to prevent this page from being used by unauthorized users.”
7

Remove the repair constant

Edit wp-config.php again and remove the WP_ALLOW_REPAIR line you added. Upload the file to your server.
8

Verify sites restored

Go to MainWP > Sites > Manage Sites and confirm your child sites are visible again.
Always remove the WP_ALLOW_REPAIR line after repairing. Leaving it enabled allows anyone to access the repair page without authentication.

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Repair Database Using phpMyAdmin

If the WordPress repair method doesn’t work, try repairing directly through phpMyAdmin.
1

Open phpMyAdmin

Log in to your hosting cPanel and open the phpMyAdmin module.
2

Select your database

In the left sidebar, click your WordPress database name. If you’re unsure which database to select, check the DB_NAME value in your wp-config.php file.
3

Select tables to repair

If you know which table is corrupted, select only that table. Otherwise, click Check all to select all tables.phpMyAdmin interface showing table selection and Repair option
4

Run repair

From the dropdown menu at the bottom, select Repair table and click Go.
5

Verify completion

phpMyAdmin displays the repair results. Once complete, go to your Dashboard and verify your sites are restored.

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Restore from Backup

If database repair doesn’t resolve the issue, restore your Dashboard database from a recent backup.
1

Access your backup

Locate your most recent Dashboard database backup. This may be in your hosting account, a backup plugin, or an offsite backup service.
2

Restore the database

Use phpMyAdmin, your hosting control panel, or your backup plugin to restore the database.
3

Verify restoration

After restoring, log in to your Dashboard and verify your child sites are visible.
Restoring a backup may result in some data loss if changes were made after the backup date. Re-sync all sites after restoration to ensure current data.

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If Nothing Works

If you’ve tried all methods and your sites are still missing, contact MainWP Support for assistance.

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Self-Check Checklist

  • Verified ANSI_QUOTES MySQL mode is disabled
  • Attempted WordPress built-in repair
  • Attempted phpMyAdmin repair (if needed)
  • Restored from backup (if needed)
  • Removed WP_ALLOW_REPAIR from wp-config.php
  • Child sites visible in Manage Sites table