Moving forum

[peranders]

I need better instructions for moving a forum.

You can do the moving in two ways:
Just import the old database into a fresh forumstallation

Import the old database and also move the old installation, by this all templates and mods will be included.

Instructions for importing a database and using a fresh forum.

1 Make a backup of the database. Can be done inside SMF
Choose ADMIN -> Forum Maintenance ->Forum Maintenance - Backup Database -> Check all alternatives. (Save the table structure. Save the table data. (the important stuff.) Compress the file with gzip ) Save the file on your harddisk or somewhere else.

2 Unzip and upload the whole SMF package in the new location (server)

3 Download repair_settings.php from here
http://www.simplemachines.org/download/?tools
http://www.simplemachines.org/download/index.php?thanks;filename=repair_settings.php

4 Upload repair_settings.php to the same folder as the SMF package.

5 Create a new database (if you have permissions for this) and call it "SMF" or something

6 Create a user for the database (if you have permissions for this) and call him/her "SMF_user" or something.

7 Open phpmyadmin or similar program for importing the database. Choose the database and run a sql query. This query is done by importing the backupfile which also has table deinitions inside and hit the button "run". In a moment (can be long if the database is big) you will have a blueprint copy of the old database in the new location.

Now you must match names with the settings.php

9 Make the file http://www.yourdomain.com/smf/settings.php writable if it's not already in that condition.

8 Hit http://www.yourdomain.com/smf/repair_settings.php Adjust all values and hit SAVE SETTINGS. If you can't write to settings.php you will get notified about that.

The old database is now imported to a fresh forum. If you want all of your old templates, mods etc, fetch those and install them or take the whole folder from the old place and just move it but this may be harder. You can also get corrupted files but I'll imagine that this is quite possible.