WordPress 3.0.1 fails with auto update- on our server, every time. Haven’t figured out what causes it- other than possibility of some problem with Fantastico installs.

We’ve also had quite a few hangs in plugin updates- where the installer fails in the process. The solution to plugins was often to go to the Upgrades folder- and just copy the plugin upgrade file over into the plug-in folder. Or- to delete the Upgrades folder and recreate it with the same permissions: 755

However with the WP upgrade- it’s not getting hung up in the upgrades folder.

Here is our workaround:

Manually update it- which means using an FTP program.We like Transmit on the Mac, but you can also use the free FireFTP plugin for Firefox.
Download the new version- and then copy every file except the WP-content folder over on top of your old files- and replace.

When you do anything in WP-admin – it will prompt you to update the database.

After that – if it still says it’s in maintenance mode- delete the .maintenance file in your root directory.

And you should be running WP 3.0.1