Overview
When attempting to install WordPress through Softaculous, you may encounter the following error:
The WORDPRESS PACKAGE could not be found! Please report this to the server administrator.
This error indicates that Softaculous cannot locate the required WordPress installation package on the server. The package may be missing, corrupted, or inaccessible due to permission or synchronization issues.
Common Causes
The issue is typically caused by one of the following:
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Missing or corrupted WordPress installation package
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Incomplete Softaculous update
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Damaged Softaculous package cache
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Incorrect file permissions
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Failed communication with Softaculous update servers
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Corrupted Softaculous script definitions
Step 1: Verify the WordPress Package
Check whether the WordPress package exists on the server:
ls -lah /var/softaculous/wordpress/
If the directory does not exist or is empty, Softaculous has not downloaded the WordPress package correctly.
Step 2: Update Softaculous Packages
Run the Softaculous update process to download the latest application packages:
/usr/local/cpanel/whostmgr/docroot/cgi/softaculous/enduser/cli.php --update
Alternatively, execute the Softaculous cron task:
php /usr/local/cpanel/whostmgr/docroot/cgi/softaculous/cron.php
After the update completes, attempt the installation again.
Step 3: Rebuild the Softaculous Cache
If the package remains unavailable, clear the Softaculous cache and force a fresh download:
rm -rf /var/softaculous/*
Then run:
php /usr/local/cpanel/whostmgr/docroot/cgi/softaculous/cron.php
This will recreate the Softaculous package repository and download fresh application files.
Step 4: Verify File Permissions
Incorrect permissions may prevent Softaculous from accessing application packages.
Verify ownership and permissions:
chown -R root:root /var/softaculous
chmod -R 755 /var/softaculous
Step 5: Review Softaculous Logs
Check the Softaculous logs for package download failures or other errors:
tail -100 /var/softaculous/logs/softaculous.log
You may also review the cPanel error log:
tail -100 /usr/local/cpanel/logs/error_log
Step 6: Verify Script Definitions
Confirm that WordPress is present in the Softaculous script definitions:
grep -i wordpress /var/softaculous/scripts.php
If no results are returned, the script definitions may be corrupted and Softaculous should be updated or reinstalled.
Additional Checks
Verify that the server can reach Softaculous update servers and that outbound connections are not being blocked by:
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Firewall rules
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Proxy settings
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Security software
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Network restrictions
A failed package download can result in missing application packages.
Conclusion
In most cases, the issue is resolved by updating Softaculous and allowing it to re-download the WordPress installation package. If the problem persists after completing the steps above, gather the relevant log files and contact Softaculous support for further investigation.
