Nervous upgrader needing reassurance!

[Duffield1]

Please forgive this question, which is probably so billy-basic that most people will be slapping their heads and wondering how I ever actually installed SMF in the first place!  I've looked on many threads to see if anyone else has asked them, but can't find an answer that I clearly understand.

I am running a forum with SMF 1.1.12 - tried to upgrade to later versions using the forum's upgrade tools, but it never worked, always reporting errors.  I want to move to 2.0.1 but am terrified that I'll lose all my content.

The site has got a number of mods that I have made along the way - some using packages, some manually, and I'm prepared to lose all of those and effectively start tweaking the appearance of the site to how I want it when I do the upgrade, but want to make sure that the upgrade happens efficiently and in the least possible time.

I am worried about running an upgrade package as the upgrades within 1.1 haven't been working, but equally, am I able to effectively install 2.0 over the current one and retain the content?  I know how to do backups et al, but really want to avoid having to use them!

Can anyone offer any help or advice on how to do it using terms that an internet dimwit would understand?

[kat]

"Upgrading for dummies", kinda thing?

How's this?

http://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/Upgrading

As long as you read my sig, before attempting anything, you'll be fine.

Don't forget to back-up the database AND the software, will you?

[Duffield1]

I must be really dumb, as that was one of the documents that confused me - I don't remember having to set files as editable when I did the original install and I have no idea what CHMOD is!  But I'll give it a go - there's just the pressure that all the members are relying on me, and I don't want to screw it up for them!

[Duffield1]

One thing I did wonder about is the site's theme - we currently use a customised version of Dilber MC.  Will this carry over to the new site, or will it revert back to the SMF default? 

[kat]

You'll lose ALL of your themes, I'm afraid. (One reason why I'm still using SMF v1.5). Before you upgrade, it's probably best to delete them.

If you look at the theme site, there're some v1 themes that have been modified to work with v2.

I'm pretty sure that Dilber's not one of them, I'm afraid.

CHMOD is a Linux/*nix thing. It's just another way of saying "File permissions".

"Changed Mode" is what it stands for.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chmod

Don't worry about letting your members down.

As long as you backup EVERYTHING, first, the worst that can happen, is that you'll screw the upgrade and need to restore your backup.

[Duffield1]

***It has all gone horribly wrong!!!*** 

I followed the upgrade instructions to the letter, and something has gone wrong - I have an error message saying:
Fatal error: Call to undefined function tidyBoards() in /home/intelli7/public_html/Sources/Load.php(2151) : eval()'d code on line 134


My Dilber theme and all my customisations are still active, so the site's theme is as it was in 1.0.12, but the boards have all gone haywire, I can't get into the admin function (only 'Messages' shows up in the bar) and I can only see one board.

If it helps (mods - please feel free to delete this if it is against the rules!) the site is www.intelligentanswers.co.uk

Help!

[kat]

It all looks fine, to me!

As tidyBoards isn't part of Load.php, I'm guessing that not all files got overwritten.

Try uploading just that file (It's in "Sources",obviously), overwriting what you have.

Maybe upload all those "Sources" files, just to make sure?

[Duffield1]

Thank you - managed to fix it by finding the manual way of getting to the Admin board and removing the Dilber theme.  Phew!

[kat]

WooHoo!

NOW...

Read my sig.

Backup, before you do anything else.

Don't forget the database, too.