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Help for someone new to upgrading Vanilla Forums.

SmittySmitty New
in Vanilla 2.0 - 2.8

Hey everyone,

First I apologize for being a bit new to this upgrade process, and please bare with me if this has been discussed before... i searched, and replied to an older thread on this matter, but thought I'd create a new thread... but I'm real nervous upgrading from 2.0.18.4 to 2.0.18.8. I've read the above, and have backed up:

  1. Create a Backup

Back up your database
Back up your uploads/ folder
Back up your conf/config.php

However, and this may seem like silly clarification to many, but the Vanilla Forums Documentation instruction is to next"

  1. Update your files

Upload your new version of Vanilla 2

Upload how? Just drop the new files onto the old ones via FTP? Or, is there something I'm missing.

Is this upgrade necessary?

If anyone can assist me with some 'hand holding' help in order to ensure this upgrade goes well, I'd be very grateful. Clearly more detailed instruction on the upload part is what I'm after, as it feels a bit vague to me because I've never upgraded the forum before.

Thanks!

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Comments

  • whu606whu606 MVP

    @Smitty

    The update to 2.0.18.8 resolves security vulnerabilities, so should definitely be done.

    If you've got a back up of your DB, there's really not too much that can go wrong.

    If you want to make reverting extra simple (in case of problems) clone your current Vanilla folder. Then you have a copy of your Vanilla exactly how it is.

    The upload documentation recommends making a back up of your Uploads folder, and your config.php file. (If you clone your current Vanilla folder, you'll have those anyway.

    Yes, you simply ftp the new files over your current Vanilla folder.

    Upload your new version of Vanilla 2
Delete all the .ini files in your cache/ folder
Navigate to the page in your forum that updates your database: www.yourforum.com/utility/update (or www.yourforum.com/index.php?p=/utility/update)

    You're done.

  • x00x00 MVP
    edited May 2013

    there is very little difference between those two versions other than the security fixes. rest easy.

    grep is your friend.

  • SmittySmitty New

    @whu606 said:
    Smitty

    The update to 2.0.18.8 resolves security vulnerabilities, so should definitely be done.

    If you've got a back up of your DB, there's really not too much that can go wrong.

    If you want to make reverting extra simple (in case of problems) clone your current Vanilla folder. Then you have a copy of your Vanilla exactly how it is.

    The upload documentation recommends making a back up of your Uploads folder, and your config.php file. (If you clone your current Vanilla folder, you'll have those anyway.

    Yes, you simply ftp the new files over your current Vanilla folder.

    You're done.

    Awesome. Thanks for spelling it out, too! I'll do this and report back!

    @x00 said:
    there is very little difference between those two versions other than the security fixes. rest easy.

    Good to know, however, i do want to know how to do this properly for other updates, so it's good I finally dive in! Appreciate the comment!

  • whu606whu606 MVP
    edited May 2013

    The link you gave to your forum is now not working.

    Try clearing your cache/ini files again.

  • SmittySmitty New

    Ok, so my upgrade last night didn't work. I ended up dropping my 'cloned' folder (copy) back onto my server and it fixed everything back to normal (hopefully that is ok to do, it seemed to work fine).

    So, here is what I did last night, if anyone can help me figure out why my upgrade didn't work last night, it's much appreciated.

    Last night I:

    1. Uploaded new version of Vanilla 2
    1. Deleted all the .ini files in cache/ folder
    2. Navigated to the page in forum that updates your database: www.myforum.com/utility/update

    So, after all this, my forum reloaded, and I saw existing topics and things looked normal, however, every time I clicked on anything, a discussion, my inbox, an user profile, anything, it would just go to a "Page Not Found" page on my website (404 error). I couldn't even access my dashboard, nothing, no link at all, other than www.myforum.com/forums, worked.

    After massive panic, and attempts to look through forum posts, I finally dropped my 'cloned' folder back onto my server, replacing the new 'forum' folder, and all returned to normal (but of course not upgraded, however)...

    So my major questions here are:

    1) Is dropping my 'cloned' forum folder back onto my server, replacing the newly uploaded 'forum' folder, ok to do? Again, all looks good, but I want to make sure I don't encounter any future issues. Is that how a proper restore can be executed?
    2) How do I get the upgrade to take? Or, is there an alternative way to upgrade.

    Thanks in advance for the help, and thanks whu606 for some guidance last night.

  • whu606whu606 MVP

    Can I check some things?

    This assumes that your current Vanilla installation is in a folder called 'Forum' (it doesn't actually matter what it is called.)

    What program did you use to unzip the 2.0.18.8 Vanilla package?

    What program did you use to ftp the unzipped files to your server?

    When you ftp'd the new files, you definitely sent them to the 'Forum' folder of your previous installation.

  • SmittySmitty New

    @whu606 said:
    Can I check some things?

    1. This assumes that your current Vanilla installation is in a folder called 'Forum' (it doesn't actually matter what it is called.)

    2. What program did you use to unzip the 2.0.18.8 Vanilla package?

    3. What program did you use to ftp the unzipped files to your server?

    4. When you ftp'd the new files, you definitely sent them to the 'Forum' folder of your previous installation.

    1. Yes, 'forums' was the old folder name, which contained all of the files and is the url to the forum itself (mysite.com/forums). So, when i had to restore everything, I tool my 'cloned' /forums folder and just dropped it back on top of the one I had just upgraded (or attempted to upgrade).

    2. I am on a mac, and the program that i use is "Archive Utility" (Version 10.8 (63.1)).

    3. FileZilla is my FTP client.

    4. Yes. When I replaced the files (attempted my upgrade), i renamed the folder that had all the files 'forums' and dropped it into filezilla replacing my then-current 'forums' folder... it was the same structure /forums/all the files (meaning, i didn't forget to ensure that I was dropping in everything in another additional folder or anything).

  • peregrineperegrine MVP
    edited May 2013

    You should try copying unzipped new core source files over again and make sure .htaccess is correct.

    I may not provide the completed solution you might desire, but I do try to provide honest suggestions to help you solve your issue.

  • SmittySmitty New

    @peregrine said:
    You should try install again and make sure .htaccess is correct.

    What do you mean correct, what would I need to look out for or verify with it? Thanks!

  • peregrineperegrine MVP

    I jumped in the middle. Are you using version 2.0.18.8 currently or not.

    Am I correct you went back to a previous version because it didn't install.

    I may not provide the completed solution you might desire, but I do try to provide honest suggestions to help you solve your issue.

  • SmittySmitty New

    @peregrine said:
    I jumped in the middle. Are you using version 2.0.18.8 currently or not.

    Am I correct you went back to a previous version because it didn't install.

    Yes, I am still using 2.0.18.4, as the newest version did not properly install. You said make sure .htaccess is correct. What I'm saying is that's vague to me, not sure what I'm looking for to validate against. Again, this is my first upgrade of Vanilla Forums, so I may need a touch more clarification to understand what needs doing along those lines. Thanks man.

  • peregrineperegrine MVP
    edited May 2013

    Usually when you get 404 errors page not found - it can often be because .htacess is incorrect.

    just wondering when you "upgraded" to 2.0.18.8 whether the .htaccess somehow changed, since it seems to work correctly in 2.0.18.4 for you.

    If you want to try the upgrade again.

    • schedule a downtime for your forum
    • keep a copy of config.php locally on your home pc in case you mung it up.
    • back up database
    • download the core.
    • unzip and ftp files over
    • Delete all the .ini files in your cache/ folder
    • run utility/update/ (or utility/upgrade) can't remember which).

    if you still get 404 errors.

    check your access log and see where it is trying to go or use chrome webdeveloper tools (or whatever) ans ee where the 404's are attempting to go.

    then post you .htaccess file and where your forum is located and the errors

    and someone can probably help you through it.

    I may not provide the completed solution you might desire, but I do try to provide honest suggestions to help you solve your issue.

  • SmittySmitty New

    @peregrine said:
    Usually when you get 404 errors page not found - it can often be because .htacess is incorrect.

    just wondering when you "upgraded" to 2.0.18.8 whether the .htaccess somehow changed, since it seems to work correctly in 2.0.18.4 for you.

    If you want to try the upgrade again.

    • schedule a downtime for your forum
    • back up database
    • download the core.
    • unzip and ftp files over
    • Delete all the .ini files in your cache/ folder
    • run utility/update/ (or utility/upgrade) can't remember which).

    if you still get 404 errors.

    check your access log and see where it is trying to go.

    then post you .htaccess file and where your forum is located and the errors

    and someone can probably help you through it.

    Thanks. Much appreciated.

  • SmittySmitty New

    Again thanks, but I do wonder if I will understand this part enough:

    check your access log and see where it is trying to go.

    then post you .htaccess file and where your forum is located and the errors

    Worries me enough not to even try it :)

  • peregrineperegrine MVP

    Ask your host provider how to access your access log.

    download chrome and use the webdeveloper tools. its not hard. Its how you learn.

    I may not provide the completed solution you might desire, but I do try to provide honest suggestions to help you solve your issue.

  • SmittySmitty New

    @peregrine said:
    Ask your host provider how to access your access log.

    download chrome and use the webdeveloper tools. its not hard. Its how you learn.

    Thanks again!

  • avantime4mikeavantime4mike ✭✭

    @Smitty I am also in a similar position trying and failing miserably to upgrade in the past, see:- http://vanillaforums.org/discussion/21428

    I'm so glad I found this discussion. reading through it I see

    @whu606 said:
    This assumes that your current Vanilla installation is in a folder called 'Forum' (it doesn't actually matter what it is called.)

    I also noticed

    @Smitty said:
    I renamed the folder that had all the files 'forums' and dropped it into filezilla replacing my then-current 'forums' folder... it was the same structure /forums/all the files

    My point is your installation is in a file called "forums" not "forum", the S will make all the difference. I'm pretty sure my problem is the same as my install folder is called "vanilla2" not "forum".

    I'll let you solve yours first whilst watching from a safe distance :-)

  • avantime4mikeavantime4mike ✭✭

    Or if you have already solved the problem, what was it?

  • whu606whu606 MVP

    @avantime4mike

    The folder name shouldn't make any difference at all.

    My Vanilla installation, for example, is in a folder called whu606, as that is a sub-domain of my main website.

    For those struggling with upgrades, I would suggest creating a new folder, uploading the version you want to upgrade to, and then using Vanilla porter to import your current DB.

    Add in your themes & plugins, and when you are good to go, point your links to the new folder, or rename the new folder to your current installation's folder.

  • avantime4mikeavantime4mike ✭✭

    @whu606 I saw that but thought it was exclusively for importing from forums using other software. I am currently using version 2.0.17.8 and so lots of newer plugins won't work. You guys make it sound so easy but I'm so nervous about messing it up again. Thanks for your suggestion, I'll have a look at porter again in depth.

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