How to Backup before Upgrading to 4.0

[kamrul]

vBulletin 4.0 Beta - Restore to previous Version if Upgrade Fails

Before you get all excited and go trying to upgrade yourself let's make sure you have some "headache medicine" ready!

PLEASE NOTE THIS BEFORE YOU START: http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showp...5&postcount=18 and that means the old sayings are true, patience is a virtue and curiosity killed the cat .

1. Check the Minimum Requirements found here:
http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showt...m-Requirements
OR HERE:
http://www.vbulletin.com/faq.php#faq-125

If your Hosting account/Server is not up to par, it might not upgrade at all! If you attempt to upgrade like my stubborn grandmother then go ahead we know how you are but at least do the following first...

2. Backup your Database and Files so you can restore to your current version on your live board now i.e. 3.5/3.6/3.7/3.8 etc.

How to do this Mike?

2a. Database - Cpanel? phpMyAdmin? Do you have any of these? If so go in and export a copy of your site, click the export tab and then click "Save as file" near the bottom and let it run the backup saving it to a folder on your computer. (If you don't have phpMyAdmin etc please look into MySQLDumper found here: http://www.mysqldumper.net/ & Special Thanks to FF|Skyrider for the reminder!! http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showt...=1#post1840565)
2b. FTP (i.e. Filezilla) or the Cpanel File Manager or Legacy File Manager? Filezilla I find to be quicker than Cpanel but long story short you want to backup all the files, every single folder and file. Why? Well if you have problems while upgrading to 4.0 you have already uploaded the new files so they will not work if you try to restore if the upgrade fails .
2c. Download your current version (3.6 or 3.7/3.8 etc etc) and I mean the exact same version your forum is running now before the upgrade this will be needed to restore if required.

3. Turn off ALL MODIFICATIONS. You can do this by disabling them all but the best and highly recommended way of doing this is by locating your config.php file and edit it (make a copy of it first and do not use notepad to edit use an external editor such as notepad ++ google it etc) and at the top below <php? add this:

define('DISABLE_HOOKS', true);

*YOU MUST DISABLE MODS BEFORE UPGRADING, not afterwards when it failed the first time, NOW.

4. Your all backed up! Run the upgrade script, you can find details in one of the two readme files included in your 4.0 zip i.e. vb4_readme.html OR vb4_readme.txt.

Did it work? If yes then great! Enjoy

If no then post your problem here: http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/forum...47-vB-4-0-Beta and wait for a reply, you might have a solution just one post away

Big forum or you just don't want your live site to stay down while you wait on a fix.. is there a fix? Frantic are you? Well simply restore back to your previous version.

5. Depending on where the install script failed, it might not have modified you current database so you see errors because it's new files for 4.0 not communicating properly w/ the 3.x database . Simply re-upload your previous versions files (see step #7) as if you were updating and then run the install script, there is an option to run it anyways please click that and proceed.

If it did not alter the DB then you should see your live site back up! If it still shows errors then you might be in trouble and want to post here: http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/forum...47-vB-4-0-Beta and wait for a reply otherwise you will need to restore your backed up database or do a fresh install and have all your members re-register .

6. Restoring but at the same time

6a. You can try restoring your database via phpMyAdmin but some host have file upload or session limits/timeouts in place. You can ask them to restore it for you which is the quickest way.

They won't restore or charge $$$.$$ ?

6b. Now you must do the rest plain and simple, buck up and let's get this done Good Sir! (or Lady )

There's an EXPORT and IMPORT option in phpMyAdmin look for it in yours, some host though have timeouts or limited sessions in place as mentioned above so you attempting to restore it will never work unless you use something like BIGDUMP. Here is some more info on automated backups (do this when you have time ) which has links for BIGDUMP so you can upload a large Database.

http://www.xoops.org/modules/smartfaq/faq.php?faqid=214

From that page, credit to XOOPS see post for details on author:



6c.Check out this information as well posted by Floris!





7. Your files... Upload all of them back to the same directory and all the files are as they were with the database now restored!

Again, in regards to restoring your Database, if it's getting to you that bad and you can't wait simply contact your host and ask for their assistance.

I hope it goes well for many of you, I had to save a 3.8 forum last night from an owner who jumped then gun and tried to install herself http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showt...of-upgrade-php so I thought I would post this up since many will be here for 4.0 ?'s and support just like many will only be on vbulletin.com!

Mike

Per my post on vBulletin.org located here --> http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showthread.php?p=1914102

I decided to make this after this incident:
http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showt...of-upgrade-php

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I'm trying to help another member out so if you tackled a few issues yourself and have time to look it over he and I would both be very appreciative! http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showt...no-CMS-or-Blog & THANKS!
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kamrul Reviewed by kamrul on 17th Nov 2009. How to Backup before Upgrading to 4.0 vBulletin 4.0 Beta - Restore to previous Version if Upgrade Fails Before you get all excited and go trying to upgrade yourself let's make sure you have some "headache medicine" ready! PLEASE NOTE THIS BEFORE YOU START: http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showpost.php?p=1914115&postcount=18 and that means the old sayings are true, patience is a virtue and curiosity killed the cat ;). 1. Check the Minimum Requirements found here: Rating: 5

[TheEagle]

nice tutorial

[kamrul]

thnx and welcome