Erasing files in File Manager to start fresh.

You should contact hostgator for support with this as it's not actually a problem with your cPanel.

You're getting that error as it seems you've deleted the index.php for the site itself.


If you want to learn a bit, download Joomla again and unpack it to your desktop. Now have a look at all the files in the distribution and compare to what you have on your account in the directories in question.

You have 2 choices here. Delete all files on the account that are the same files in the Joomla install you downloaded to your desk (comparing visually via FTP might be easiest here), or, upload all files again overwriting all files except the config file for joomla where you added your database details.

The files (correct versions) can be replaced at any time really. It's the database that's most important.

I'm quite sure hostgator can help you out with this in short order, give them a go.

 

Wow.

To be clear, you are inside the public_html directory above?

cgi-bin = system directory, leave it here.
domainname = addon domain directory I believe, leave it here.
ftp folder = not sure on this one inside public_html, assuming addon FTP account.
xmlrpc = the default Joomla install has a directory named this, no file though, IIRC.

You didn't mention it, and I should have asked I suppose, but if you've installed a script from Fantastico, you should remove it the same way you installed it. Through Fantastico.

If you remove files and folders manually instead, you won't get them all unless you know where to find them all and will not be able to install another Fantastico script in the directory until you do find them all.
(there is one hidden here for Fantastico: /.fantasticodata/Joomla)

Yes, possibly.

For instance, you might upload all files from the default Joomla installation to your public_html, letting your FTP client overwrite all files and folders.
(Note here, if you're not using a default Joomla theme but the /templates/ directory is still on the account, leave it as it holds the themes)

Once all files and folders are back on the account, edit the fle named configuration.php-dist to be named configuration.php
This is the file most important to you, as it tells these files where to look for data in the database. If you still have this file, all the better.

If not, it could get a bit bumpy here, you'll need to add a few things to this file.

For instance find this line in that file:
Database configuration section
Just under it, you see these items (with others, but these you need to edit).

var $host = 'localhost';
var $user = '';
var $password = '';
var $db = '';

To find those details, go to your cPanel, find the icon for MySQL Databases and click. On the next page you might find a database named
fAdEd247_joom1

To the right of that you will see the User listed for that database.

So, we now have the database_name and user_name, but unless you have his password, you might want to create a new user instead. It's easy enough to do and associate him with this database on the bottom of that page.

Once you have the user, the database and password details you need, add them to that configuration.php file mentioned above.

Example:

var $host = 'localhost';
var $user = 'fAdEd247_joom1';
var $password = 'fAdEd247password';
var $db = 'fAdEd247_joom1';

Now save that file to the server.

Of course I'm going from memory here, but with those details in place in the config file, and all the default files uploaded to the server, the site should now open and, if the database is intact, you might even be able to login as your user normally. I think.

There are lots more settings in that config file, but we've covered the most basic/important I believe.

That site should now come up in your browser.

 

That's ok, thanks all the same. Happy to have been able to help you a bit.

Just to be clear, these forums are for cPanel issues. Something like this should have been provided to you at your hosting companies support forums or trouble ticket system, or even on the Joomla support forums, IMHO.

It's not that I know this stuff so well, it's just that it's a very basic, easy to solve problem. I tend to steer towards those sorts of posts when I can.

:p

Good luck with the site!