Help with new forum

[papaw]

I have very poor computer skills, but have run a forum on Vbulletin for six years. Recently my host was attacked and infested with a malware attack that affected my website and forum. I have changed hosts, but the files used to build the forum have been lost. I want to rebuild my forum with SMF, but am concerned that I don't have the knowledge to do it. What avenue should I pursue to find help? Free or very cheap would be good.

[kat]

First step, I would suggest, is to have a good read, here:

http://wiki.simplemachines.org

It explains almost everything to do with SMF.

Welcome to the forum, too, PawPaw!

[Illori]

smf themselves does not provide services to convert other forums to smf, if you would like i could move this thread to the help wanted board, where people can request such help from others in the community that may specialize in such work.

there are some threads in the Converting to SMF board that may be of interest to you.

[papaw]

Ashamed to tell you that I have some sort of blockage as soon as I see some of the instructions that I am sure are perfectly clear to you guys, but not to me. My original forum was set up for me by a mentor that is no longer available. I managed the forum well, and had no trouble handling the CP, but as for installation and mods, I am lost.

I don't need to convert, the other forum files are lost and gone. I will start over.
Sorry, I didn't see the "Help Wanted" forum. Move this if that is what is needed.

[kat]

the files used to build the forum have been lost.

No conversion possible, I took that to mean.

[Illori]

do you have your database still? if you do then a conversion is still possible, even without the files.

otherwise if you are starting over fresh and wish to have smf installed for you, you may be interested in a charter membership http://www.simplemachines.org/charter/

[papaw]

Correct. My nephew is a web developer, but not conversant in forum building. He says the php files are either corrupted or lost.
The forum was hosted on Dreamhost, and when it suffered a malware attack, I "parked" the domain, and now the files are GONE!

[papaw]

We only have the database for the web page, not for the forum.
http://www.papawswrench.com/index.htm

[kat]

You may well still have the forum database, then.

If you have, you can possibly convert, as Illori said.

Check that out, can you?

[Illori]

without the database for the forum you will have to start fresh, you may want to look at the link for charter membership linked above if you want the forum installed for you.

[papaw]

I have posted in the Help wanted section.