I've recently refreshed a copy of a hosted website on my local PC's WAMP server. I downloaded a ZIP of the site–home folder and subfolders, imported an SQL export of the WP DB, adjusted wp-config.php to change the appropriate hosting references, and the front end works just fine., I can browse the pages and content. The localhost is on a folder called \wamp64\www\choa, so the URL "http://localhost/choa" is working.
On the back-end however, I can't log in via "http://localhost/choa/wp-admin". The login screen pops up, and I l know it recognizes the correct password (because I test with a wrong password and it sends back the Error: for incorrect password), but when I do enter the correct password, instead of going to the dashboard, it returns me to the log-in prompt.
So localhost/choa/wp-admin calls wp-login as follows: http://localhost/choa/wp-login.php?redirect_to=http%3A%2F%2Flocalhost%2FCHOA%2Fwp-admin%2F&reauth=1 I enter my correct password, but the screen refreshes, no error message.
BUT, I can login directly via localhost/choa/wp-login.php — in this case i enter my username and password and it goes to the dashboard.
Any ideas why wp-admin does not work, even though wp-login does?