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How to move a phpBB forum from one server to another - the easy way!
#1
Objective:  To move the contents of phpBB 3.2 from one server to another.  The server of origin went up in smoke yesterday.  I needed to move the backups to a new server.


SIMPLEST WAY OF MOVING A PHPBB FORUM FROM ONE SERVER TO ANOTHER

1. Change DNS:  Change name servers of domain at domain registrar and wait for DNS to fully propagate.  Mine propagated fast.

2. Add on domain in cPanel of new server:  That went quick and easy as well.

3.  Create new database at destination server:  I had saved the config.php content info of the old server, and was able to recreate the new database with identical info.

4. Organize backup files of old server: I unzipped my backup.tar.gz - selected all of the folders and files at the root of the domain in the home directory.  And then zipped them into a zipped folder - domaincontent.zip. I also isolated the database.sql backup file but also had a good backup available which I'd made in the phpBB Admin Panel.

5.  Import database.sql backup: you can do this with phpmyadmin.  You do this by selecting the new database you created, and then clicking on the import tool in the index of links at the top of phpmyadmin.  

6. Upload zipped backup folder - domaincontent.zip:  Use cpanel File Manager or FTP to upload domaincontent.zip folder to the root of the domain.   I then unzipped the contents of the zipped folder.

7.  Finally I typed the domain URL into the index line of my browser (prayed as well), and my Forum appeared as though nothing had changed before.  Except of course I lost a few posts from 10 January to date.  It's a very low-profile quiet Forum, so really no harm done.


LESSONS LEARNED FOR PHPBB BACKUPS

There are three very important backups needed:  

1. Make a copy of all of the folders and files at the root of the domain.  Copy them with an FTP tool, zip them and keep them in a safe place.  

2. Second even more important backup is the database.  You can export it with phpmyadmin.  Or you can use the phpBB Admin Panel to create the sql file.

3. Copy the content of your config.php file at the root of the domain and keep it in a safe place.


THESE ARE ALL OF MY ERRORS BEFORE I FINALLY GOT IT RIGHT

I'd had a VERY MISTAKEN expectation that all I needed to do is create a new installation of phpBB, import the old.sql database with phpmyadmin, upload the two backup folders to the root of the domain, and phpBB ACP would take care of the rest when I clicked on restore backup.  That completely sidetracted me.

My last backups were on 10th of January.  Fortunately not too long ago.  I had made detailed backups in my phpBB Admin Panel.  I thought I'd made two backups:  one of the complete Forum and the other of my database.  But took some painful lessons today to realize both were actually backups of the database.  Fortunately I also made a complete backup of my cpanel hosting account that had all of the Forum files on it together with a backup of the database as well.  In the end I learned that the cpanelbackup.tar.gz  was much more valuable than the backups I had made in the phpBB ACP.  

To make things even more challenging with the above plan was the phpBB version on the server of origin was out of date. It was 3.2.2, and the current version 2.3.5.    All of my backups were technically out of date if I were to use an up to date download.

So I first used the cpanel softaculous in the destination (new) server to create a new instance of phpBB forum.  I then used the database that the new installation created, to import the backup.sql file.  My first attempt was to use the zipped file, but the version of zip phpbb uses, wasn't compatible and phpmyadmin identified serious errors.  I then deleted the installation, created a new installation and this time I unzipped the backup.sql file first, then uploaded it with the File Manager, and phpmyadmin was happy with that.

BUT - nothing showed up when I tried the domain URL in my browser.  It just came up with a new installation of phpBB with no content in it. After reading plenty of how-to discussions in phpBB.com, I then learned I had to find a way to get the installation folder back into the new installation so I could update the database - softaculous must have deleted the phpBB installation folder at the end of the installation of the new phpBB.  I tried to add the installation file from an up to date download on my computer, but everything failed after that point - totally frustrating to figure out how to update only the database.  I then deleted this installation as well and then finally after a cup of tea did what I should have done right the first time round.  I ignored the backups I'd taken with the phpBB ACP and only worked with the backup I created of my cpanel account. I created a new database only, but not a new installation. For those without cpanel, best backup is to make a copy of all of the files and folders at the root of the domain.  Second best backup is to make a database backup from phpBB ACP.  And third thing to do is to keep a copy of the config contents in a safe place for backup.
Terminal
Thank you to Post4VPS and VirMach for my awesome VPS 9!  
#2
I guess you could do the DNS change bit at the end. That way the it will remain up throughout the whole process. May put in read only mode for the time period as a safety concern.
Then you could call it a seamless migration. ha ha
Sincere Thanks to VirMach for my VPS9. Also many thanks to Shadow Hosting and cubedata for the experiences I had with their VPSs.
#3
(02-16-2019, 02:18 AM)rudra Wrote: I guess you could do the DNS change bit at the end. That way the it will remain up throughout the whole process. May put  in read only mode for the time period as a safety concern.
Then you could call it a seamless migration. ha ha

True! Yesterday was a very intense Frihost day - realized how personally involved I'd been with Frihost.com. Forum went under in May 2018 and finally the server came to an end on Valentine's day of all days. When I checked yesterday morning the root of the server had been reloaded with a new OS, password changed and I'd been basically kicked out. The Forum below was on the server, so my brains were all scattered when I was trying a move that should have been as simple as the first steps above.

http://frihost.club

Frihost was my first ever Forum account. Very archaic but very special. phpBB is also archaic vs myBB but much more user-friendly once one gets the hang of the extensions. I chose phpBB as that is what the original frihost forum had been created in. phpBB2 - but almost unrecognizable as Bondings had completely recoded it with his own host panel, used it with a free version of DirectAdmin. If he had patented the coded version, it could have earned him lots of income, except he did it as a hobby when he was a student, wanted to learn how to create a web community (he did it very well) and then when he started his "day job" we never saw him again, however he kept sponsoring Frihost Forum and free hosting accounts until the Server's dying day on 14 Feb.
Terminal
Thank you to Post4VPS and VirMach for my awesome VPS 9!  
#4
Not to be rude, but it would've been much attractive and awesome if you'd have posted pics too. Other than that, thank you for the post Smile
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If you find my post/thread useful, you're supposed to +rep me. 
#5
A very well-written tutorial @deanhills.

In fact, it is far more than just a simple tutorial, as it contains a lengthy "Lessons learned" section that is useful for those also experience difficulties during their phpBB forum installation. Good job. Smile


#6
@dean
so you guys are still keeping that domain up ! nice !
i just read the post about frihost on gigarocket. Thats like a big historical account and you are like a goddamn historian. You know so much about what went down in free vps community and free hosting in general that i guess you write a book !
May be you should post some articles on medium detailing the developments. Just for the fun of keeping records at least.
Sincere Thanks to VirMach for my VPS9. Also many thanks to Shadow Hosting and cubedata for the experiences I had with their VPSs.
#7
(02-16-2019, 01:17 PM)Manal Wrote: Not to be rude, but it would've been much attractive and awesome if you'd have posted pics too. Other than that, thank you for the post Smile
Not rude at all Manal. Thank you for the heads up and constructive feedback.

(02-16-2019, 01:37 PM)tryp4vps Wrote: A very well-written tutorial @deanhills.

In fact, it is far more than just a simple tutorial, as it contains a lengthy "Lessons learned" section that is useful for those also experience difficulties during their phpBB forum installation. Good job. Smile
Thanks tryp4vps. Those lessons learned were really frustrating. I'm tempted to post my "tutorial" also at phpBB Forum. Tongue

(02-16-2019, 02:25 PM)rudra Wrote: @dean
so you guys are still keeping that domain up ! nice !
i just read the post about frihost on gigarocket. Thats like a big historical account and you are like a goddamn historian. You know so much about what went down in free vps community and free hosting in general that i guess you write a book !
May be you should post some articles on medium detailing the developments. Just for the fun of keeping records at least.
Thank you for the positive feedback rudra.  I've learned a lot, but you know, sincerely, I'm not just saying this, the more I learn the more I know how little I know.  There has never been a moment yet, where I felt I was on top of the game.  There's always something new added to how it works, which I think is a good thing as it's keeping me on my toes.

Take also for example phpBB.  Up to phpBB 3.0 I felt I knew how it worked. I'd been working with phpBB 2.0 to phpBB 3.0 as staff and also created a hobby Forum for myself. I could completely edit a theme and create a new one out of it.  I really loved how it worked.  And then slap bang a 360 degrees change happened with phpBB with version 3.2 when the creativity was taken out of the Admin Panel. It was impossible to upgrade a theme from 3.0 to 3.2 as they were worlds apart.  I guess the phpBB developers had done it to make phpBB more secure.  When I worked with 3.2 for the first time when I created it last year, it was a complete new learning curve.  One thing is for sure.  phpBB is not as sophisticated as myBB.  BUT, it is more efficient.  I haven't experienced one conflict yet.  Mind you, I still have to go through an upgrade first, and probably should count my words on that, until I've upgraded it once.  With our last myBB upgrade at Gigarocket, there were so many conflicts with the theme.  MyBB is nice because it's free, and it's also easy for a developer to create all kinds of new plugins, but it can be very frustrating to work with.

Terminal
Thank you to Post4VPS and VirMach for my awesome VPS 9!  
#8
i like flarum a lot. But these old forum softwares make it possible to see the whole picture from one screen. So I guess these are going to stay here for now.
I also wish there were free forum softwares as functional and feature rich as IPB and VBulletin. But I know that is dreaming too much.
Sincere Thanks to VirMach for my VPS9. Also many thanks to Shadow Hosting and cubedata for the experiences I had with their VPSs.



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