MyBB Community Forums

Full Version: Advice needed on 'importing' forums from one server to another
You're currently viewing a stripped down version of our content. View the full version with proper formatting.
Pages: 1 2
Hey guys (and girls),

For a while I've been wanting to set up a forum, and I've eventually decided on using myBB ('cause it seems awesome).

I've got a copy working on my computer at home (I have apache and php instaled...), but now I'm wanting to go 'live' on the internet with this forum.

I've installed mybb successfully on my server, and I'm wondering if there's an easy way to import all the work that I've done on the forum.

Or should I import the database first and then run the installer? Or would that overwrite the information I've just imported?

I don't have any posts that I'm wanting to import, just the forum structure itself. It took me a while to put it all together, and if there's any way to save it, I'd like to try.

Any advice on this would be much appreciated.

Regards.
Rachael .
After you installed the forum, you need to transfer all the custom pictures to the webhost. Remember to copy it to the same place related to the forum as you had it on your computer.
Then you take the backup of the local database and transfer it to the webhosts database.
Finally you have to change the settings in the admin CP/General settings. It's the adress of the forum that needs to be changed back.

This may not be the easiest way, but it worked for me Toungue

Have I forgot something? (got a bad feeling...Rolleyes)
I don't have any images I need moving across... It's literally just the forum structure.

So I just take a backup of the database and import it onto the new server?
Yep, that and modify your forum path and probably update your cookie settings.
I'll give it a go and let you know how I get on then...

Thanks for your help.
Squiddy Wrote:After you installed the forum, you need to transfer all the custom pictures to the webhost.
...snip...
Have I forgot something? (got a bad feeling...Rolleyes)

rachael Wrote:I don't have any images I need moving across... It's literally just the forum structure.

So I just take a backup of the database and import it onto the new server?

MrDoom Wrote:Yep, that and modify your forum path and probably update your cookie settings.

Hold on there, I'm noob at this but have been reading up in the forums in preparation for moving my forum to another host.
Rachel you mentioned you have done a bunch of work on the forum structure. My understanding is if this includes theming and modified templates, then you do better to ftp your whole current (structured) directories to the host and not do a clean install, which I understand would wipe out a lot of your work.

If this isnt an option then you have to export themes, templates and database and reassemble the whole lot on the host.

The how is the bit I'm still trying to work out.
DaddyK Wrote:Hold on there, I'm noob at this but have been reading up in the forums in preparation for moving my forum to another host.
Rachel you mentioned you have done a bunch of work on the forum structure. My understanding is if this includes theming and modified templates, then you do better to ftp your whole current (structured) directories to the host and not do a clean install, which I understand would wipe out a lot of your work.

If this isnt an option then you have to export themes, templates and database and reassemble the whole lot on the host.

The how is the bit I'm still trying to work out.

Technically you don't need to install your forum again. To move your forums from one server to another, you basically need to copy the files from one server to the other (don't forget to CHMOD inc/settings.php to 666). Then export your MySQL database and import it in the new server. Update the inc/config.php file with your new MySQL info, and you should be able to see your forum. Finally fix up any other settings in the Admin CP.
Squiddy Wrote:After you installed the forum, you need to transfer all the custom pictures to the webhost. Remember to copy it to the same place related to the forum as you had it on your computer.
Then you take the backup of the local database and transfer it to the webhosts database.
Finally you have to change the settings in the admin CP/General settings. It's the adress of the forum that needs to be changed back.

This may not be the easiest way, but it worked for me Toungue

Have I forgot something? (got a bad feeling...Rolleyes)


ehm, quite useful for me, i think
I saw this in a related thread from around January

pepotiger Wrote:Select all table but unmark mybb_settings only, becaus whene you restor the DB that table well direct your toplinks to the old links

Basically in his "Tutorial" he advocates backing up all tables from old server except mybb_settings. Then doing an install on the new server followed by deleting all tables except mybb_settings. And then restoring the rest of the tables.

This complication isn't seen in many other posts on the subject which just mention editing your "/inc/config.php" file. And then fixing a few settings from admin-cp.

1) What is the difference between there two methods, advantages/disadvantages ... or is their purpose different.

2) I don't understand the reasoning for not using the original mybb_settings table from the old host.

Can one of the Guru's give me some insight in case I am missing something here.

Edit: OK nevermind I found this buried deeper in the thread :-
pepotiger Wrote:and BTW, I was wrong whene I saied you have to install a new version, you don't have to do that, just upload your old files, and change the config file with the new data and reset your setting thats all.

How many members have been misdirected by this - can I suggest pepotiger fix the original since it is an "accepted" tutorial and thus improve what is in other aspects a hugely useful tutorial.
DaddyK Wrote:I saw this in a related thread from around January

pepotiger Wrote:Select all table but unmark mybb_settings only, becaus whene you restor the DB that table well direct your toplinks to the old links

Basically in his "Tutorial" he advocates backing up all tables from old server except mybb_settings. Then doing an install on the new server followed by deleting all tables except mybb_settings. And then restoring the rest of the tables.

This complication isn't seen in many other posts on the subject which just mention editing your "/inc/config.php" file. And then fixing a few settings from admin-cp.

1) What is the difference between there two methods, advantages/disadvantages ... or is their purpose different.
pepotiger's method shouldn't be used. You would lose all the existing settings you had, and if you installed any modifications/plugins which added new settings it would cause problems until you re-add the custom settings.

You should, instead, restore the mybb_settings from the old host, and once you can access the forum, change the URL settings in the Admin CP to reflect your new site.

DaddyK Wrote:2) I don't understand the reasoning for not using the original mybb_settings table from the old host.
I don't either Toungue

DaddyK Wrote:Can one of the Guru's give me some insight in case I am missing something here.

Edit: OK nevermind I found this buried deeper in the thread :-
pepotiger Wrote:and BTW, I was wrong whene I saied you have to install a new version, you don't have to do that, just upload your old files, and change the config file with the new data and reset your setting thats all.

How many members have been misdirected by this - can I suggest pepotiger fix the original since it is an "accepted" tutorial and thus improve what is in other aspects a hugely useful tutorial.

Can you post a link to the original thread, and one of us will fix it Smile

Thanks.
Pages: 1 2