Fatal error: Allowed memory size of 33554432 bytes exhausted

The above is a wordpress error.  One that I have struggled with over the years.  I’m not sure why this latest experienced occurred.  I believe something changed when a new server was installed.  When I encounter something I don’t know the answer to I turn to Google.  As expected, Google directed me to wordpress.org for the answer.  Unfortunately, all I found where the same answers that I found last time I had searched.

My blog was down for 24 hours until I found a solution.  The answer, while modified from the original, was on wordpress.org.  I found it with my third or fourth link down in my google search this morning.  Yesterday morning I was not so lucky with my selections.

A user had posted that they created a php.ini file and saved it in the wp_admin folder of wordpress.  All the file contained was this:

memory_limit = 256M ;
upload_max_filesize = 10M
post_max_size = 10M

Actually, it was just the first line and someone suggested the other two lines.  I created the file and placed it in the wp_admin folder.  It still didn’t work.  After a few more troubleshooting attempts I decided to try it in a different directory.  I copied it to the main wordpress directory. Viola!  It works!

Another reason why I think it had to do with the new server is my menu on my main site: PCPrime has suddenly disappeared.  It must have relied on an old version of PHP.  This isn’t the worst since I am going to overhaul the site before January 1.

update 12/29/12 – Trick did NOT work on another wordpress site of mine but it did work in the wp_admin folder.