Not updating!

[mhh_rabih]

Dear support, 

Hope my message finds you well.

Actually I'm running mybb forum.
The current version is 1.6.8

I tried to update but always time out. Server support and Mr. .xxxxxx. from mybb also tried but in vain.

I would like to ask if mybb staff  can guide someone to me to carry out the update. 

Please reply to me in PM to discuss more private....

Hope to hear from you soon.

Best regards.

[Wires]

You may find it easier to upgrade in smaller intervals than jumping straight to the latest version of MyBB.

[mhh_rabih]

Thanks for kind reply....

Sounds good.

Since we are going to jump from old mybb to newest thus most plugins will not work... so need update as well.

For this reason, I kindly ask some one from mybb staff to contact me in PM... I really have good offer...

Best regards.

[effone]

Any specific reason to get a staff member involved in your site issues?
Kindly note that even if a staff member willing to go ahead and help you but that doesn't mean MyBB carries any responsibility for your site.

[Serpius]

Any specific reason to get a staff member involved in your site issues?
Kindly note that even if a staff member willing to go ahead and help you but that doesn't mean MyBB carries any responsibility for your site.

Shouldn't this post be moved over to this forum Requests / Services / Jobs ?

That seems to be the most logical place to move it to.

[User 2877]

Can I tell you that it's not worth it. Seriously consider just staying on 1.6x branch. You probably should update to the last 1.6x branch though.

[MinusPL]

Simplest way: Update to the newest 1.6.x version (also create backup before update).
THEN do proper backup of all files and database. Also doublecheck if this backup is working - it is crucial due to sometimes failing upgrade process.
If you do proper backup after updating to newest 1.6.x version get one of the first 1.8 versions. It's more likely to complete upgrade process with earlier versions of 1.8.
Please note that all plugins should be disabled before upgrade, also it would be good to switch to default theme. As far as I know none 1.6 themes work on MyBB 1.8. Also DO NOT USE OLD PLUGINS OR THEMES on upgraded forum - it will cause additional problems. If upgrade finishes properly then you should update 1.8 to the newest available version (that would be 1.8.18 at the moment). Note that due to some changes in 1.8.18 you should avoid getting pre 1.8.18 custom theme, or update templates to newest versions like in default ones.

Here are some things that may be broken initialy:
- Old plugins using javascript most likely won't work. MyBB 1.8 uses jQuery, 1.6 used prototype - these two libraries are not compatible and will cause problems if you use old plugins that used prototype.
- Old themes from 1.6 won't work. In 1.8 majority of templates were redesigned etc. There are too many changes.


Also remember ALWAYS DO PROPER BACKUPS BEFORE ANY UPDATE. If things can go wrong, they most likely will go wrong. Always have backup to revert any changes or have a point where you can start over whole process.

[Serpius]

Can I tell you that it's not worth it.  Seriously consider just staying on 1.6x branch.  You probably should update to the last 1.6x branch though.

Seriously?

That's a DUMB idea because there are a ton of security issues with older versions.

That statement comes across as being hypocritical because you had stated that one of the reasons why you HAD to upgrade last year from 1.6.xx to 1.8.xx was due to security issues with the older version of MyBB.
So, making that suggestion doesn't sound logical coming from someone like yourself. 

Also, MyBB 1.9.xx version is coming down the pike soon and the further MyBB moves away from the older versions, the more likely that the support for the older versions will not be there.

---

Simplest way: Update to the newest 1.6.x version (also create backup before update).
THEN do proper backup of all files and database. Also doublecheck if this backup is working - it is crucial due to sometimes failing upgrade process.
If you do proper backup after updating to newest 1.6.x version get one of the first 1.8 versions. It's more likely to complete upgrade process with earlier versions of 1.8.
Please note that all plugins should be disabled before upgrade, also it would be good to switch to default theme. As far as I know none 1.6 themes work on MyBB 1.8. Also DO NOT USE OLD PLUGINS OR THEMES on upgraded forum - it will cause additional problems. If upgrade finishes properly then you should update 1.8 to the newest available version (that would be 1.8.18 at the moment). Note that due to some changes in 1.8.18 you should avoid getting pre 1.8.18 custom theme, or update templates to newest versions like in default ones.

Here are some things that may be broken initialy:
- Old plugins using javascript most likely won't work. MyBB 1.8 uses jQuery, 1.6 used prototype - these two libraries are not compatible and will cause problems if you use old plugins that used prototype.
- Old themes from 1.6 won't work. In 1.8 majority of templates were redesigned etc. There are too many changes.


Also remember ALWAYS DO PROPER BACKUPS BEFORE ANY UPDATE. If things can go wrong, they most likely will go wrong. Always have backup to revert any changes or have a point where you can start over whole process.

@mhh_rabih

Follow MinusPL's suggestion. This is the BEST way to do this!

Good job, @MinusPL

[User 2877]

That statement comes across as being hypocritical because you had stated that one of the reasons why you HAD to upgrade last year from 1.6.xx to 1.8.xx was due to security issues with the older version of MyBB.

But now I speak from first-hand knowledge. That's not hypocritical, that's experience. I'd also like to see where I stated that I had to ugprade due to security issues with MyBB. Because I mainly updated to try and keep up with MyBB branch not because I felt there was any clear security risk running 1.6x. I did want to make sure that I didn't go so far out of touch with branch that I would lose out on updates and features. Also I was concerned about PHP standards. I wanted to keep PHP updated but at some point 1.6x might not work on PHP 7. So that could be the security issue I was concerned about. I also planned on a responsive design but I thought (incorrectly too I'll add) that it would be easier to do on 1.8x.

That's a DUMB idea because there are a ton of security issues with older versions.

Most of the security risks I face now are related to changes in 1.8x. I was running 1.6x for many years and had very few exploits reported to me. I thought I'd be safer waiting for a higher version in the 1.8x branch and so I did 1.8.10 (I think) but immediately found many bugs and exploits in the 1.8x branch that did not exist in 1.6x. Things were broken which previously worked. I can't say that there has been many new features added that made it worth it.

Even right now I refuse to ugprade to 1.8.18 because just the minor upgrades break too much stuff and are unreliable. Updates are suppose to fix problems not cause more.

Also, MyBB 1.9.xx version is coming down the pike soon

lol, our definitions of "soon" must be vastly different.

Ultimately I do not recommend someone running a heavily modified site in the 1.6x branch to upgrade to 1.8x. They should get latest 1.6x version and pay attention to security fixes and manually patch their forums. OP sounds like he already has trouble. Doing the upgrade is going to be an issue for him.

[Serpius]

That statement comes across as being hypocritical because you had stated that one of the reasons why you HAD to upgrade last year from 1.6.xx to 1.8.xx was due to security issues with the older version of MyBB.

But now I speak from first-hand knowledge.  That's not hypocritical, that's experience. I'd also like to see where I stated that I had to ugprade due to security issues with MyBB.  Because I mainly updated to try and keep up with MyBB branch not because I felt there was any clear security risk running 1.6x.  I did want to make sure that I didn't go so far out of touch with branch that I would lose out on updates and features.  Also I was concerned about PHP standards. I wanted to keep PHP updated but at some point 1.6x might not work on PHP 7.  So that could be the security issue I was concerned about.  I also planned on a responsive design but I thought (incorrectly too I'll add) that it would be easier to do on 1.8x.  

All in one breath, you said that it wasn't a security issue, then you say that it was. So... which is it?

Again, as I stated before, the support for the older MyBB versions will probably go away, not of MyBB's doing, but of the old versions of PHP being deprecated and no longer supported. It only makes sense for MyBB's newer software to support the new PHP versions. 

That's a DUMB idea because there are a ton of security issues with older versions.

Most of the security risks I face now are related to changes in 1.8x.  I was running 1.6x for many years and had very few exploits reported to me.  I thought I'd be safer waiting for a higher version in the 1.8x branch and so I did 1.8.10 (I think) but immediately found many bugs and exploits in the 1.8x branch that did not exist in 1.6x.   Things were broken which previously worked. I can't say that there has been many new features added that made it worth it.  

Even right now I refuse to ugprade to 1.8.18 because just the minor upgrades break too much stuff and are unreliable. Updates are suppose to fix problems not cause more.

Your refusal to upgrade is silly. Most of the upgrades to resolve security issues were easily fixed. 
I ought to know this because my admin found a lot of these vulnerabilities/exploits which were fixed with a few pieces of code.
You have plenty of staff on your website that could have easily fixed those issues without experiencing little or no downtime of your website.

Also, MyBB 1.9.xx version is coming down the pike soon

lol,  our definitions of "soon" must be vastly different.  

Ultimately I do not recommend someone running a heavily modified site in the 1.6x branch to upgrade to 1.8x.  They should get latest 1.6x version and pay attention to security fixes and manually patch their forums.  OP sounds like he already has trouble.  Doing the upgrade is going to be an issue for him.

Have you noticed that there haven't been any security fixes specifically for the 1.6.xx series in YEARS? 
Manually patch one's own website? 
Didn't you try that last year? How well did that turn out for you?

We all know that you experienced a lot of issues when you finally upgraded your website from 1.6.xx to 1.8.xx last year.
Not upgrading MyBB for 6 years (or was that 7 years) is of your own doing and no one else.
You have no one to blame, but yourself.

However, giving advise to someone NOT to upgrade to 1.8.18 is still foolish regardless of your rationale.

(to avoid "hijacking" this thread, I will not comment further on this)

---

-- SNIP --

Resorting to insulting me in PM is really a class act on your part. (NOT!)

Stooping down to a low level of insulting people in PMs is really stupid.

Then, you put my username on your ignore list immediately after you insulted me in a PM shows your true colors.

Good job.