# Re-installed Local, local sites are not being displayed **URL:** \ **Category:** Support\ **Created:** [March 3, 2021, 1:16pm UTC](https://community.localwp.com/t/re-installed-local-local-sites-are-not-being-displayed/24679 "2021-03-03T13:16:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Volkan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.localwp.com/volkan/32/12714_2.png) [@Volkan](https://community.localwp.com/u/Volkan)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2021, 1:16pm UTC](https://community.localwp.com/t/re-installed-local-local-sites-are-not-being-displayed/24679/1 "2021-03-03T13:16:34Z")
### Issue Summary Re-installed Local, old sites (created by Local) are still in my local computer but is not being displayed in Local Sites (Local Dashboard). - Tried import existing sites, Local throwed an error saying “has existing data”. - Also, changed the new site defaults/ site path (to the old one). Any idea how to connect these sites with Local? ![1](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/uploads/lwpforums/original/2X/4/456c85f07d718ff080d6d7687c2beff56093f9bc.png) ![2](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/uploads/lwpforums/original/2X/4/46f8041efa5604655b5a82099f183abd30bb2cc3.png) ---
**Author:** ![jake](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.localwp.com/jake/32/4465_2.png) [@jake](https://community.localwp.com/u/jake)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2021, 10:44am UTC](https://community.localwp.com/t/re-installed-local-local-sites-are-not-being-displayed/24679/2 "2021-03-04T10:44:45Z")
> **[Import/Export a WordPress Site](https://localwp.com/help-docs/getting-started/how-to-import-a-wordpress-site-into-local/)** > > This help document will walk you through how to import and export a site to and from Local. It will also go over how to restore from only Local site files. Table of Contents: Local is pretty flexible… > **[How can I import a site into Local by Flywheel](https://community.localwp.com/t/how-can-i-import-a-site-into-local-by-flywheel/636/2)** > > Hi Bud, The best way would be to turn it into a .zip and let Local do the work for you. The basic layout of the zip looks something like this: database.sql (anything ending in .sql in the root of the .zip will be recognized) /wp-content All... ---
**Author:** ![Volkan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.localwp.com/volkan/32/12714_2.png) [@Volkan](https://community.localwp.com/u/Volkan)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2021, 12:12pm UTC](https://community.localwp.com/t/re-installed-local-local-sites-are-not-being-displayed/24679/3 "2021-03-04T12:12:30Z")
Which part is helping Jake? ---
**Author:** ![ben.turner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.localwp.com/ben.turner/32/5366_2.png) [@ben.turner](https://community.localwp.com/u/ben.turner)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2021, 10:10pm UTC](https://community.localwp.com/t/re-installed-local-local-sites-are-not-being-displayed/24679/4 "2021-03-05T22:10:25Z")
I think that the issue is that those files are in the same place that Local is trying to create the new sites in. Can you try temporarily moving those site files to a different location like the Desktop and then continue with zipping each site folder and dragging and dropping it onto Local? ---
**Author:** ![Volkan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.localwp.com/volkan/32/12714_2.png) [@Volkan](https://community.localwp.com/u/Volkan)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2021, 10:39pm UTC](https://community.localwp.com/t/re-installed-local-local-sites-are-not-being-displayed/24679/5 "2021-03-05T22:39:19Z")
Thank you Ben, I have tried it yesterday and it works. But still, isn’t it weird that when I reinstall Local, I need to move/zip/import existing files? Why does Local need so much effort? Best, V. ---
**Author:** ![ben.turner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.localwp.com/ben.turner/32/5366_2.png) [@ben.turner](https://community.localwp.com/u/ben.turner)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2021, 5:08pm UTC](https://community.localwp.com/t/re-installed-local-local-sites-are-not-being-displayed/24679/6 "2021-03-08T17:08:18Z")
It depends on how Local was re-installed. If Local’s configuration folder was left intact when re-installing, then the environment info along with the various runtime things (like the raw DB files) should still be there, and Local will know about those sites. If Local’s configuration folder was deleted during re-installing Local, then the site files will still exist, but Local won’t know anything about the actual site (hence why they seem like they have disappeared.) ---
**Author:** ![Volkan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.localwp.com/volkan/32/12714_2.png) [@Volkan](https://community.localwp.com/u/Volkan)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2021, 9:18pm UTC](https://community.localwp.com/t/re-installed-local-local-sites-are-not-being-displayed/24679/7 "2021-03-10T21:18:36Z")
Thank you Ben, what you have said makes perfect sense. I have not change anything while installing and sure raw DB files are not deleted but I will check again. I think your answer clerify the issue because I have reset Windows and it keep documents but delete all system files etc. Thank you again. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.localwp.com/system/32/1_2.png) [@system](https://community.localwp.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2021, 9:18pm UTC](https://community.localwp.com/t/re-installed-local-local-sites-are-not-being-displayed/24679/8 "2021-06-08T21:18:38Z")
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