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It's really quite simple - but one screwy action will make your life difficult.  This little tutorial is for Non-Technical people (beginners) - Geeks can use it too.

Here's how I do my Joomla! moves - and it works everytime:

1. Dump the original Joomla MySQL Database

• Go into your Web Hosting Control Panel and Locate the MySQL Database that your Joomla! installation is using
• There should be a link for PHPMyAdmin that will take you to your Database Administration
• Once in PHPMyAdmin select the Joomla! database and open it up so that ALL of the tables are displayed
• With all the tables displayed press the button labeled EXPORT (located on the topmost horizontal menu)
• In the 'EXPORT' selection box SELECT ALL of the tables (hold the SHIFT key to select multiple items in the list] - Do NOT mess with any of the settings and checkboxes, leave everything as is
• Go to the Bottom of the page and hit the 'GO' Button - this will bring up the database's code in the SQL language - THIS IS THE DUMP
• Copy and Paste the contents of the 'DUMP' into Notepad or minimize that browser window, since you will need to copy and paste that dump into the new database.
  

2. Install Joomla! on your new server

• Simply...Install Joomla! on your new server
• This involves creating a new database and database username - don't worry about the names, just choose anything you like
• Choose NOT to install SAMPLE DATA -- you don't need any data right? Cause you have your own, old, data...right?

3. Import the Old Database Dump into the New Database

• Now go into your control panel for the new web site
• Locate the MySQL database that the new Joomla! installation is using and then go the PHPMyAdmin page for that database
• Now select the new database and make sure there is NOTHING in the database - if there is anything in the database then you will see a listing of the tables inside the database appear on the page (You have to Select all of them and choose DROP from the drop down selection list) - You will know the database is empty when no tables show up on the database's PHPMyAdmin page.
• Click on the button labeled 'SQL' on the topmost horizontal navigation bar - this will bring up an Empty Text Box labeled "Run SQL query/queries on database"
• Now Copy and Paste the original database DUMP into this Text Box (this is the content you pasted into notepad or left in a minimized browser window)
• Finally, Hit the 'GO' button - you will now see that your content as been added to the database and a huge list of tables appear in the database structure

4. Completing the Move...

• You now have to 'OVERWRITE' all of the essential Joomla! folders that site on the new site with the folders from the old site - this will add all of the stuff you've customized like Components & Modules you've installed, Templates and files you've edited, etc...
• These are the ESSENTIAL FOLDERS to Copy over (and OVERWRITE)
• • administrator
    components
    editor
    help
    images
    includes
    language
    mambots
    media
    modules
    templates

5. Everything is DONE and DUMPED! Troubleshooting...

• That's it...Mission Accomplished.
• If you have a new domain name (as opposed to keeping the old domain name and simply transferring to another host) and things don't seem to be working properly then all you have to do is edit the CONFIGURATION.PHP file that sits on your Joomla! installation Root.
• The edits to make on the configuration.php file are simple: Just replace any instance of your Old Domain Name with Your New Domain Name.
• Make sure that the MySQL version is the same for both websites -- people have had trouble importing SQL dumps because they're using different versions - some webhosts allow you to choose between MySQL 4.0 or 5.0 so be aware

You can contact me if you have any trouble with the process...and I'll help you get it done.

When I choose the tables (I only selected a handful at first) and clicked DROP, it appears to have erased the entire table?  Now the dump/import won't work.

SOLUTION - I went back to the first step, the dump from the old site, and added the option for Structure / Add If Not Exists.  Now the SQL statement recreated the table, too.

Also, I'd just like to point-out that some (most?) hosts provide access to phpMyAdmin through the URL, /phpmyadmin.  At least, that's how I had to access it on my new host -- which is actually a backup site I'm running myself on an Ubuntu server I built myself!

I've a question.
After installing new joomla, can i first install manually all  components i used in my "source" previous server in order to make all upgrade possible to newer version, and then copy over new database the "source" tables?
Ther's some contermeasures?

Yes.  You are correct.  You can manually upload via FTP all of your old Component/Module/Mambot files to your new joomla installation.  You can certainly change the order of the items I listed above - but I suggest you use that specific order so that you don't have any conflicts.

Hi,

Im in the process of moving a few accounts. I used the backup feature in cPanel to do my home directory backup and my database backup. I restored both files on my new server and all files seem to be in place. However, I am getting the following error when I try and access the website:


Warning: main(/home/colorse/public_html/includes/version.php) [function.main]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /home/color7/public_html/includes/joomla.php on line 71

Fatal error: main() [function.require]: Failed opening required '/home/colorse/public_html/includes/version.php' (include_path='.:/usr/lib/php:/usr/local/lib/php') in /home/color7/public_html/includes/joomla.php on line 71

Did I do the backup/re-install wrong? Is there a simple fix for this?

Thanks!
Paul

Worked like a charm.

Except I can see any images  - I have uploaded the images from the old site, but nothing. The Joomla image/icons show up, but nothing else.

Have check images folder via ftp and they're all in there...

any ideas...

Paul - assuming you followed the steps and had no other issues...it seems that the file "version.php" is missing from the "../includes" directory.  Just upload that one file and everything should be great -- sometimes FTP progs miss a few files at upload.

Please give me the address of your website and I'll take a peek at the source code...You can email me at: redlens [at] gmail [dot] com

Figured it out late last night... FTP had failed and corrupted some files... It's all good now.

Thanks for the painless walkthrough.

Hello, I've successfully moved a few databases from one server to another, but now that I'm doing the same for another joomla web site, I'm having problems when importing the DUMP in the new server (Dreamhost)

So I created an empty db, then login into phpmyadmin, select the new database, go to mysql, and paste the text content of the db dump file, and this is what I get:

Error

SQL query:

-- phpMyAdmin SQL Dump
-- version 2.8.0.1
-- http://www.phpmyadmin.net
--
-- Servidor: custsql-pow08
-- Tiempo de generación: 03-08-2007 a las 13:02:12
-- Versión del servidor: 4.1.22
-- Versión de PHP: 4.4.4
--
-- Base de datos: `klitekphp`
--
CREATE DATABASE `klitekphp` DEFAULT CHARACTER SET latin1 COLLATE latin1_swedish_ci;

MySQL said: Documentation
#1007 - Can't create database 'klitekphp'; database exists

Any ideas of why is this hapening?

This is happening because the database KLITEKPHP is already there...see, when you are copying the new text dump it includes commands to create that database...but you have already created one of the same name in order to paste the dumped text.

I suggest two options.

Erase ALL DBs from that website and simply import the dump into the SQL query window --- this will allow create a new DB called KLITEKPHP for you.

The other option is to create a database and name it something generic like: database1 then import the DB into that one.

------

The very best thing to do is to erase ALL DBs from that website and follow the instructions I posted in the first post to the tee - I guarantee it will work, we have done this on Dreamhost before.

I did figure that out after a wile when attempting to import the text file. The data base is fine now (I think) I deleted many times, the problem here I guess is with the path, it must be something really obvious that I'm missing here, but still can't see a way how to solve the issue with the paths. thank you for your answer

Hi Redlens

Thanks for your tutorial. I am new to Joomla! HTML etc, but have, in a few months, created 5 great sites that work well. I have used your instructions to move a few sites from local to Hosting. It normally works ok but this time I have had a few issues. I got around most of them with the error code provided but now am stuck with this (Joomla! site is unavailable sign)

http://www.tao-medicina-natural.com/

As an extra note. I don´t know if it is linked with this or a new topic, since doing this transfer I seem to have duplicate modules in both Admin and Site menus. I everything in Site and Admin Module manager in the admin back-end of Joomla is duplicated. I am using the same DB but with different prefixes. Seems to have worked before but now I am getting errors. I have created a seperate post for the dupliacte module issue but thought I would mention it in case it was relevant. http://www.elijame.com is the site.

Thanks anyone who is knowledgable enough to help me out with this. I can´t get into the admin panle but this should be the system info if it is of help-

PHP built On:  Linux infong 2.4 #1
Database Version: 5.0.41-log
PHP Version: 4.4.7
Web Server: Apache/1.3.33 (Unix)
WebServer to PHP interface: cgi
Joomla! Version: Joomla! 1.0.12 Stable [ Sunfire ] 25 December 2006 01:00 UTC
User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; es-ES; rv:1.8.1.6) Gecko/20070725 Firefox/2.0.0.6

thanks alot for this

I'm trying to create a development site using JSAS. The installation of JSAS couldn't be easier! Also the export/import was successful as well. I copied over the essential source folders and all the files (except the configuration.php). After this process, I am able to see the modules in the file system and I can see the data in the tables (that relate to the modules), but when I go to my Admin panel, the modules are not available (such as menus, search modules, etc). Any ideas? Thanks in advance!

---update---

It was all about the configuration.php file!! I followed the tutorial with pics (posted on this site). I'm up and running in a local development area now. Thanks for listening.

1-2-3 did it yes
thanks 

Did you ever fix this?

Is the tutorial you mention still around as the link you quote does not work?
  Move Your Site to Another Server
« on: July 04, 2007, 02:19:58 PM » 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I would also refer to the post titled "Moving Your Site Tutorial w/Pics" <-- BEST tutorial ever made for this topic (http://forum.joomla.org/index.php/topic,149110.0.html)

Hi Redlens,

No I didn´t get a fix for the duplicate modules. I haven´t looked at that site for a while as I have concentrated on others. However, I would like to know the reason and a fix for knowledge. I was searching the forum and noticed a lot of other people with the same propblem and no solution, so if there is ananswer it would help a lot of others too.

Thanks a lot redlens

Silver

I have to say,.. that finally finding this thread helped me quite a bit.  having beat my head into a wall for the last three days wasn't getting me anywhere. 

Following the Steps - 1-2-3-4 Helped tremendously,..  I always felt that it should be a easy thing to do,.. but it never seemed to turn out that way.  Having used the cPanel backup system,.. the restores never seemed to work correctly,    But following the steps and selecting only the folders listed in the doc worked.

Yet I have one question / rub.  My old site domain didn't have the folder Components..  The new install does.  Everything thus far seems to be working correctly,.. but I suppose time will tell.

Will this have much impact on the new site?

As far as the Folders component goes don't worry - it won't have any effect on your install.

Hi, I have read this post with interest - I think it covers the issue I may incounter soon.
I have created a test site with a hosting company, website address - http://www.godolphinoldgirls.co.uk
Joomla is sitting in a folder in the root directory /web/joomla/
I will need to move our domain name (which we own) http://www.godolphin.org to the new hosting company.
My question is, will I be able to access the Adminstrator front end once the domian name is pointed to it's new location?
Or will I have to modify the Configuration.php to point to the new domain?
To recap - I am using the following as a test bed:
http://www.godolphioldgirls.co.uk/joomla/
I will then have http://www.godolphin.org to relace http://www.godolphinoldgirls.co.uk to point at the index file in /joomla/ - so I will have:
http://www.godolphin.org/joomla/
Do you see any issues with this? I have some links within the website that point to specific files, which I know I will have to change (I have made a note of these), but will there be problems with the database looking for http://www.godolphinoldgirls.co.uk/joomla or will this be fixed by editing the configure.php file?
Any help would be very much appreciated.
P.S. Just to say how much I like Joomla, I have already changed my own website to it, it's such a nice platform - well done to everyone who have developed it - Great Job!
Cheers
Richard

Hello, I moved from GoDaddy to BlueHost.
My back end is working fine but I have a problem in the front end, i get this error:

Are we debugging???
Killed at line 192 in sef404.php: HEADERS ALREADY SENT (200)
URL=http://tecartex.com/siteoption=com_frontpage&Itemid=1:
OPTION=com_frontpage:


What did I do wrong, or what did I miss??
Please help.

Thanks,

AC

Update,

I changed the SEO settings to NO search engine friendly URLS and now I get a bunch of errors but the actual page loads

Please take a look and if you have any idea of what is creating the problem, please let me know.

Thank you!

I'm a new Joomla user and have spend soooo much time trying to move my site... your guide is perfect. Thanks so much!

@ Godolphin > You won't have any problem accessing the frontend or backend as long as you follow the instructions in this tutorial

@ tecartex > It seems like your problem is fixed at: http://www.tecartex.com. Regardless, make sure you uninstall the SEF component (sef404.php) - delete the components directories in both directories Root > Components and Administrator > Components.

I have developed a Joomla site at a developing server and the site is ready. But when i transfer the site to another web server (provided by the same hosting service company), the following problem happens:

1. The WYSIWYG editor extension i installed previously during the developing is not working anymore in the new server. (see probem_description.jpg)

2. The Admin site is not working properly as well. The main menu dissappears.(see problem_description2.jpg)

I will Shell to transfer the files, i tried many times but could not solved the problem.

I am wondering if it is the problem of the web server or FTP or database or is there anything i missed during transfering of the site.

If you need more information in order to check the problem, i could give you the username and password to go into the Admin sites.

Regards,

Liya

Firstly I would suggest that you run a fresh install using the directions in the tutorial at the top of this post. If you're Joomla! website was working perfectly before transferring it to a new server you will have a 100% Success Rate (if the server environment is the same i.e. SQL version, PHP version, etc.)

As far as FCK editor - if you want to work around this I would suggest using JCE editor -- I like it better and FCK conflicts with lots of other modules/components/templates anyway.

I've had the admin menu disappear before and the issue was fixed upon a clean install - I don't know what causes this.

I migrated a joomla site from one domain to another. Everything seemed to transfer fine except I cannot log in. When I go to the administrator url it shows me the site is down for maintenence page which I did turn on before I migrated. It does not give me the joomla log in page. I updated the configuration.php file to reference the new domain and db. Any idea what may be causing this?

Thanks in advance,
Rob

I would try to go into your configuration.php file and where it says:

Change it to read:


Let me know if this works.