Moving from one host to another

[MrPhil]

For the heck of it I updated it up to 1.1.11 , by going in and out of admin and clicking on the update link each time. It doesn't find any bugs.
Is this of any value, or is it worthless, since it was created from scratch with a new admin user and password?

If you had a working 1.1.3 with your data, the best path would have been to upgrade to 1.1.11, not forgetting to run "upgrade.php" at each step, to bring your database up to 1.1.11 format.

Also worthless because it includes an /smf/ in the URL unilke my old URL    .com/index.php   ?

At OLD host hostmonster the default installation scattered smf throughout my home files, rather than put it in a tidy folder, so my URL for the last 2 years, and all links from websites, youtubes, internal post to post links in the forum, search engine cataloging, etc. are to
.com/index.php      without the     /smf/

Leave it in /smf/. That's the best structure -- to have your forum in its own subtree, so that you can add and delete other applications at will, without fear that they're going to step on each other. It also leaves your root directory uncluttered. If you're on an Apache server (any Linux, some Windows installations), you can use URL rewriting in your .htaccess file to have visitors "see" .com/ as your site location, while visits are transparently rerouted to .com/smf/.  If you're on an IIS server, I don't know what the equivalent is. Don't forget that your Settings.php file has to show .com/ as the URL to get to the forum, but ...public_html/smf/ (or whatever) to get to the files.

[kat]

OO! I didn't know about that .htaccess thing!

Ta, Mr. P!

[user1234]

As long as you don't overwrite anything crucial to something else, you'll be OK.

When you upload them, you'll be asked before you overwrite anything, anyway.

I think the chances of there being duplicate files is nigh-on zero.

By the way, if you use Filezilla, make sure the transfers are set to "Binary", not "Auto".

Bug in Filezilla, unfortunately.

I just realized all I have to do is highlight the individual file and click on "move" and direct it to move up one level.
I moved one up to my root httpdocs (main) file and moved it back to smf folder without a problem.

[user1234]

It also leaves your root directory uncluttered. If you're on an Apache server (any Linux, some Windows installations), you can use URL rewriting in your .htaccess file to have visitors "see" .com/ as your site location, while visits are transparently rerouted to .com/smf/. 

Would "visitors" include search engines "seeing" it the same way they have for the last 2 years?

[user1234]

For the heck of it I updated it up to 1.1.11 , by going in and out of admin and clicking on the update link each time. It doesn't find any bugs.
Is this of any value, or is it worthless, since it was created from scratch with a new admin user and password?

If you had a working 1.1.3 with your data, .....

I had a working 1.1.11 with my data.
The version that is uploadable with a button at my host is 1.1.3
I think the one at hostmonster is an old version too.

..... the best path would have been to upgrade to 1.1.11, not forgetting to run "upgrade.php" at each step, to bring your database up to 1.1.11 format.

It seemed to work just fine. All I had to do was jump into administration, then jump out. When I came back there was another message to update. All 10 or so updates only took a few minutes to do.

But to create the database with the magic button to begin with, I started with a new username, password, etc.
Should I use my old admin username and password, or doesn't it matter once the database backup is uploaded?

[MrPhil]

As long as your Settings.php knows the new user name and password, all will be well. They are only used to get access to the database by SMF.

And yes, search engine spiders are "visitors".

[user1234]

I finally found the mySQL database upload place. There is a "database" section in my account that I had .... shall we say underappreciated!

I was looking in the wrong place, and then later when I mucked around a little in it, it wasn't opening the window mySQL offsite window because of popup blocking that I didn't notice.

OK, my excitement is growing.
Please excuse all the stupidity I displayed and time of yours I have wasted K@

Now I have a shiny new updated to 1.1.11 version of the forum in my files.
Admin name and password are the same as my old forum
But I can throw it out easily as I already have twice before.

So do I try to go into that database to upload the dinky 20 kb "database" backup first?
Then do I try to do it again with the full forum backup next?

Then maybe do the little trick to change the URL of the site?
The following instructions at my host don't include installing the forum with a button click.
Is the whole installation already in the backups I have?
Should I throw out the smf forum that I installed before beginning?


To import an existing database:

   1. On your Home page, click Databases.
   2. Click Add New Database.
   3. Enter a name for the database.

      We recommend that you choose a name that starts with a Latin alphabet symbol and comprises only alphanumeric and underscore symbols (up to 64 symbols).
   4. Select the database type that you are going to use: MySQL, PostgreSQL or Microsoft SQL Server. Click OK.
   5. To set up database administrator's credentials, click Add New Database User.
   6. Type a user name and a password that will be used for accessing the contents of the database. Click OK.
   7. Click the DB WebAdmin icon in the Tools group.

      An interface to phpMyAdmin, phpPgAdmin, or ASPEnterpriseManager database management tool will open in a separate browser window.

If you have a MySQL database:

   1. Click Query window in the left frame, click the Import files tab,
   2. Select the text file that contains the data and click Go.
   3. Click the Insert data from a text file link.

If you have a MS SQL database:

   1. Click the name of your database in the left frame
   2. Click Query (the magnifying glass button)
   3. Copy the text of your script into the text area and click Run Query.

To manage your databases and their contents, use your favorite MySQL, PostgreSQL, or Microsoft SQL Server client or the Web based database management tool accessible from Parallels Plesk Panel (Home > Databases > database name > DB WebAdmin).

[kat]

Either way round should work.

As long as the database name and login details are correct, you should be good to go!

[user1234]

Either way round should work.

As long as the database name and login details are correct, you should be good to go!

Is the forum installation included in the data backups and forum backup that I saved?

[kat]

Er... without looking I wouldn't have a clue.

You can always use your archiver to look at what's in them.

The sql one will be your database.

[user1234]

Er... without looking I wouldn't have a clue.

You can always use your archiver to look at what's in them.

The sql one will be your database.

I later realized what you meant when you said I had a 10 PM limit in here.
Since I ran out of PMs do you want to contact me or have me contact you some other way? Like replying back and forth in my yahoo email account?
Do you think you calling the host with questions might help?

Now an ignorant question. Regarding the password, is "@" an acceptable character to use in one?

[kat]

Yep.

It accepted it, so all's good.

That 10 PM thing can be a right pain in the arse, at times.

Do you have an IRC client? (Opera has one, built-in)

There's an SMF support chatroom, if you have.

Ask your host about that restore thing, first, though.

[user1234]

Yep.

It accepted it, so all's good.

That 10 PM thing can be a right pain in the arse, at times.

Do you have an IRC client? (Opera has one, built-in)

There's an SMF support chatroom, if you have.

Ask your host about that restore thing, first, though.

Did you get the popup window with the links in it in this step?

   7. Click the DB WebAdmin icon in the Tools group.

[kat]

The Help files don't seem to bear any similarity to what I can see.

For example, it says "Go to Home > Backup Manager."

I click "Home" and there IS no backup manager!

"Tools" group?

There isn't one! There is, inside "databases". That just let's me create a new db, nothing else.

What I've done, thus far, is create a directory, inside "httpdocs" named "smf". At the moment, I'm upping the contents of your actual forum, into that.

I hope that's the right place. With CPanel, it's public_html. Anyway, even if it's the wrong place, we have another backup.

[kat]

OO! Hang on!

Progress!!!

[user1234]

What I've done, thus far, is create a directory, inside "httpdocs" named "smf". At the moment, I'm upping the contents of your actual forum, into that.

I hope that's the right place. With CPanel, it's public_html. Anyway, even if it's the wrong place, we have another backup.

"httpdocs" is the equivalent of "public_html" or at least that's where all my website files are currently.
Their tec support answers the phone very quickly.

[kat]

I tried restoring the database and get an error.

#1153 - Got a packet bigger than 'max_allowed_packet' bytes

I'm trying, again.

These bloody hosts all seem to think we all have 50 meg upload speeds... **Rolls eyes**.

Fancy them using popups. My popup blocker was killing it.

Gotta lurve Plesk...

[user1234]

I tried restoring the database and get an error.

#1153 - Got a packet bigger than 'max_allowed_packet' bytes

I'm trying, again.

I got that message twice with the file that I sent you, that I presume is smaller than the file you are trying to upload.

These bloody hosts all seem to think we all have 50 meg upload speeds... **Rolls eyes**.

Fancy them using popups. My popup blocker was killing it.

Gotta lurve Plesk...

Exact same thing happened to me as I reported yesterday.
I kept waiting for it to pop up and didn't notice the little pop-up blocker warning on my browser right away.

[kat]

I tried running SET GLOBAL max_allowed_packet=1000000000; to get around that error.

I got "#1227 - Access denied; you need the SUPER privilege for this operation"

Might need to contact your host, if my retry fails.

[user1234]

I tried running SET GLOBAL max_allowed_packet=1000000000; to get around that error.

I got "#1227 - Access denied; you need the SUPER privilege for this operation"

Might need to contact your host, if my retry fails.

If I clean install SMF with their button and run updates to 1.1.11 like I did on the 3 installations I installed and played with and then removed yesterday, is there a different backup that can be downloaded from hostmonster that may somehow go on top of that?

I tried it yesterday with that backup file I sent you, and it uploaded, but the two didn't marry.

Like you found, it seemed like I had to create a separate database, in order to get to the tools button available to launch the pop-up window to function.
Or is the full backup I did directly from my forum (that I sent you) sufficient, once the forum is in place?