Upgrade Failed from 3.10.12 to 4.4.4

[mowen10]

Hi All,

I have had a site which was running version 3.9 and I managed to update this to 3.10.12 successfully. The live site no longer works due to the PHP version and I am try to get this fixed on my localhost.

After creating a copy of my site and database, I then went through the Components > Joomla Update > Upload & Update option and added the Joomla 4.4.4 Update Package but this failed at 90.2% and showed the following error:

Invalid AJAX data

So I came across this post which mentioned installed Akeeba Admin Tools.
viewtopic.php?t=999657

So I started again, copied the version, along with database and installed Admin Tools and went through all the fixes. After this I then went through the update.

This time it failed at 90.2% but different error:

Sorry, there was a problem we could not recover from.
The server returned a "500 - Whoops, looks like something went wrong.

I will posting my FPA results as well.

[mowen10]

FPA:

Joomla! Instance :: Joomla! 4.4.4-Stable (Pamoja) 16-April-2024
Joomla! Configured :: Yes | Writable (666) |
Configuration Options :: Offline: false | SEF: true | SEF Suffix: false | SEF ReWrite: false | .htaccess/web.config: No | GZip: false | Cache: false | CacheTime: 15 | CacheHandler: file | CachePlatformPrefix: false | FTP Layer: false | Proxy: false | LiveSite: | Session lifetime: 15 | Session handler: database | Shared sessions: N/A | SSL: 0 | Error Reporting: default | Site Debug: false | Language Debug: false | Default Access: Public | Unicode Slugs: false | dbConnection Type: pdomysql | PHP Supports J! 4.4.4: Yes | Database Supports J! 4.4.4: Yes | Database Credentials Present: Password missing |

Host Configuration :: OS: Windows NT | OS Version: 6.3 | Technology: AMD64 | Web Server: Apache/2.4.41 (Win64) OpenSSL/1.1.1c PHP/7.4.4 | Encoding: gzip, deflate, br | System TMP Writable: Yes | Free Disk Space : 7.31 GiB |

PHP Configuration :: Version: 7.4.4 | PHP API: apache2handler | Session Path Writable: Yes | Display Errors: 0 | Error Reporting: 22527 | Log Errors To: C:\xampp7.4\php\logs\php_error_log | Last Known Error: | Register Globals: | Magic Quotes: | Safe Mode: | Allow url fopen: 1 | Open Base: | Uploads: 1 | Max. Upload Size: 40M | Max. POST Size: 40M | Max. Input Time: 60 | Max. Execution Time: 120 | Memory Limit: 512M

Database Configuration :: Version: 10.4.11-MariaDB (Client:mysqlnd 7.4.4) | Database Size: 4.56 MiB | #of Tables with config prefix:  96 | #of other Tables:  0 | User Privileges : GRANT PROXY

PHP Extensions :: Core (7.4.4) | bcmath (7.4.4) | calendar (7.4.4) | ctype (7.4.4) | date (7.4.4) | filter (7.4.4) | hash (7.4.4) | iconv (7.4.4) | json (7.4.4) | SPL (7.4.4) | pcre (7.4.4) | readline (7.4.4) | Reflection (7.4.4) | session (7.4.4) | standard (7.4.4) | mysqlnd (mysqlnd 7.4.4) | tokenizer (7.4.4) | zip (1.15.6) | zlib (7.4.4) | libxml (7.4.4) | dom (20031129) | PDO (7.4.4) | bz2 (7.4.4) | SimpleXML (7.4.4) | xml (7.4.4) | xmlreader (7.4.4) | xmlwriter (7.4.4) | apache2handler (7.4.4) | openssl (7.4.4) | curl (7.4.4) | fileinfo (7.4.4) | gd (7.4.4) | gettext (7.4.4) | mbstring (7.4.4) | exif (7.4.4) | mysqli (7.4.4) | pdo_mysql (7.4.4) | pdo_sqlite (7.4.4) | Phar (7.4.4) | ftp (7.4.4) | Zend Engine (3.4.0) |
Potential Missing Extensions ::

Switch User Environment :: PHP CGI: No | Server SU: No | PHP SU: No | Potential Ownership Issues: No

Apache Modules :: core | mod_win32 | mpm_winnt | http_core | mod_so | mod_access_compat | mod_actions | mod_alias | mod_allowmethods | mod_asis | mod_auth_basic | mod_authn_core | mod_authn_file | mod_authz_core | mod_authz_groupfile | mod_authz_host | mod_authz_user | mod_autoindex | mod_cgi | mod_dav_lock | mod_dir | mod_env | mod_headers | mod_include | mod_info | mod_isapi | mod_log_config | mod_cache_disk | mod_mime | mod_negotiation | mod_proxy | mod_proxy_ajp | mod_rewrite | mod_setenvif | mod_socache_shmcb | mod_ssl | mod_status | mod_version | mod_php7 | Apache/2.4.41 (Win64) OpenSSL/1.1.1c PHP/7.4.4 |
Potential Missing Modules :: mod_expires | mod_deflate |

Core Folders :: images/ (Writable) | components/ (Writable) | modules/ (Writable) | plugins/ (Writable) | language/ (Writable) | templates/ (Writable) | cache/ (Writable) | logs/ (Writable) | tmp/ (Writable) | administrator/components/ (Writable) | administrator/modules/ (Writable) | administrator/language/ (Writable) | administrator/templates/ (Writable) | administrator/logs/ (Does Not Exist) | api/ (Writable) |

Database statistics :: Uptime: 4430 | Threads: 7 | Questions: 2932 | Slow queries: 0 | Opens: 567 | Flush tables: 1 | Open tables: 110 | Queries per second avg: 0.661 |

Components :: Site ::
Core ::
3rd Party:: WF_AGGREGATOR_DAILYMOTION_TITLE (2.5.6) ? | WF_AGGREGATOR_VIMEO_TITLE (2.5.6) ? | WF_AGGREGATOR_VINE_TITLE (2.5.6) ? | WF_AGGREGATOR_[youtube]_TITLE (2.5.6) ? | WF_FILESYSTEM_JOOMLA_TITLE (2.5.6) ? | WF_LINKS_JOOMLALINKS_TITLE (2.5.6) ? | WF_MEDIAPLAYER_JCEPLAYER_TITLE (2.5.6) ? | WF_POPUPS_JCEMEDIABOX_TITLE (2.5.6) ? | WF_POPUPS_WINDOW_TITLE (2.5.6) ? | WF_LINK_SEARCH_TITLE (2.5.6) ? | WF_ANCHOR_TITLE (2.5.6) ? | WF_ARTICLE_TITLE (2.5.6) ? | WF_AUTOSAVE_TITLE (2.5.6) ? | WF_BROWSER_TITLE (2.5.6) ? | WF_CHARMAP_TITLE (2.5.6) ? | WF_CLEANUP_TITLE (2.5.6) ? | WF_CLIPBOARD_TITLE (2.5.6) ? | WF_CONTEXTMENU_TITLE (2.5.6) ? | WF_DIRECTIONALITY_TITLE (2.5.6) ? | WF_FONTCOLOR_TITLE (2.5.6) ? | WF_FONTSELECT_TITLE (2.5.6) ? | WF_FONTSIZESELECT_TITLE (2.5.6) ? | WF_FORMATSELECT_TITLE (2.5.6) ? | WF_FULLSCREEN_TITLE (2.5.6) ? | WF_IMGMANAGER_TITLE (2.5.6) ? | WF_INLINEPOPUPS_TITLE (2.5.6) ? | WF_KITCHENSINK_TITLE (2.5.6) ? | WF_LAYER_TITLE (2.5.6) ? | WF_LINK_TITLE (2.5.6) ? | WF_LISTS_TITLE (2.5.6) ? | WF_MEDIA_TITLE (2.5.6) ? | WF_NONBREAKING_TITLE (2.5.6) ? | WF_PREVIEW_TITLE (2.5.6) ? | WF_PRINT_TITLE (2.5.6) ? | WF_SEARCHREPLACE_TITLE (2.5.6) ? | WF_SOURCE_TITLE (2.5.6) ? | WF_SPELLCHECKER_TITLE (2.5.6) ? | WF_STYLE_TITLE (2.5.6) ? | WF_STYLESELECT_TITLE (2.5.6) ? | WF_TABLE_TITLE (2.5.6) ? | WF_TEXTCASE_TITLE (2.5.6) ? | WF_VISUALBLOCKS_TITLE (2.5.6) ? | WF_VISUALCHARS_TITLE (2.5.6) ? | WF_XHTMLXTRAS_TITLE (2.5.6) ? |

Components :: Admin ::
Core :: com_actionlogs (3.9.0) ? | com_admin (4.0.0) 1 | com_ajax (4.0.0) 1 | com_associations (4.0.0) 1 | com_banners (4.0.0) 1 | com_cache (4.0.0) 1 | com_categories (4.0.0) 1 | com_checkin (4.0.0) 1 | com_config (4.0.0) 1 | com_content (4.0.0) 1 | com_contenthistory (4.0.0) 1 | com_cpanel (4.0.0) 1 | com_fields (4.0.0) 1 | com_finder (4.0.0) 1 | com_guidedtours (4.3.0) ? | com_installer (4.0.0) 1 | com_joomlaupdate (4.0.3) 1 | com_languages (4.0.0) 1 | com_login (4.0.0) 1 | com_mails (4.0.0) ? | com_media (3.0.0) 1 | com_menus (4.0.0) 1 | com_messages (4.0.0) 1 | com_modules (4.0.0) 1 | com_newsfeeds (4.0.0) 1 | com_plugins (4.0.0) 1 | com_postinstall (4.0.0) 1 | com_privacy (3.9.0) ? | com_redirect (4.0.0) 1 | com_scheduler (4.1.0) ? | com_search (3.0.0) 1 | com_tags (4.0.0) 1 | com_templates (4.0.0) 1 | com_users (4.0.0) 1 | com_workflow (4.0.0) ? | com_wrapper (4.0.0) 1 |
3rd Party:: Admintools (6.1.11) 1 | Akeeba (6.4.0) 1 | JCE (2.5.6) 1 |

Modules :: Site ::
Core :: mod_articles_archive (3.0.0) 1 | mod_articles_categories (3.0.0) 1 | mod_articles_category (3.0.0) 1 | mod_articles_latest (3.0.0) 1 | mod_articles_news (3.0.0) 1 | mod_articles_popular (3.0.0) 1 | mod_banners (3.0.0) 1 | mod_breadcrumbs (3.0.0) 1 | mod_custom (3.0.0) 1 | mod_feed (3.0.0) 1 | mod_finder (3.0.0) 1 | mod_footer (3.0.0) 1 | mod_languages (3.5.0) 1 | mod_login (3.0.0) 1 | mod_menu (3.0.0) 1 | mod_random_image (3.0.0) 1 | mod_related_items (3.0.0) 1 | mod_search (3.0.0) 1 | mod_stats (3.0.0) 1 | mod_syndicate (3.0.0) 1 | mod_tags_popular (3.1.0) 1 | mod_tags_similar (3.1.0) 1 | mod_users_latest (3.0.0) 1 | mod_whosonline (3.0.0) 1 | mod_wrapper (3.0.0) 1 |
3rd Party:: Simple Email Form (2.1.0) 1 |

Modules :: Admin ::
Core :: mod_custom (3.0.0) 1 | mod_feed (3.0.0) 1 | mod_frontend (4.0.0) ? | mod_guidedtours (4.3.0) ? | mod_latest (3.0.0) 1 | mod_latestactions (3.9.0) ? | mod_logged (3.0.0) 1 | mod_login (3.0.0) 1 | mod_loginsupport (4.0.0) ? | mod_menu (3.0.0) 1 | mod_messages (4.0.0) ? | mod_multilangstatus (3.0.0) 1 | mod_popular (3.0.0) 1 | mod_post_installation_messages (4.0.0) ? | mod_privacy_dashboard (3.9.0) ? | mod_privacy_status (4.0.0) ? | mod_quickicon (3.0.0) 0 | mod_sampledata (3.8.0) 0 | mod_stats_admin (3.0.0) 1 | mod_submenu (3.0.0) 1 | mod_title (3.0.0) 1 | mod_toolbar (3.0.0) 1 | mod_user (4.0.0) ? | mod_version (3.0.0) 1 |
3rd Party::

Libraries ::
Core ::
3rd Party::

Plugins ::
Core :: plg_actionlog_joomla (3.9.0) ? | plg_api-authentication_basic (4.0.0) ? | plg_api-authentication_token (4.0.0) ? | plg_authentication_cookie (3.0.0) 1 | plg_authentication_joomla (3.0.0) 1 | plg_authentication_ldap (3.0.0) 0 | plg_behaviour_compat (4.4.0) ? | plg_behaviour_taggable (4.0.0) ? | plg_behaviour_versionable (4.0.0) ? | plg_captcha_recaptcha (3.4.0) 0 | plg_captcha_recaptcha_invisible (3.8) ? | plg_content_confirmconsent (3.9.0) ? | plg_content_emailcloak (3.0.0) 1 | plg_content_fields (3.7.0) 1 | plg_content_finder (3.0.0) 0 | plg_content_joomla (3.0.0) 1 | plg_content_loadmodule (3.0.0) 1 | plg_content_pagebreak (3.0.0) 1 | plg_content_pagenavigation (3.0.0) 1 | plg_content_vote (3.0.0) 1 | plg_editors-xtd_article (3.0.0) 1 | plg_editors-xtd_fields (3.7.0) 1 | plg_editors-xtd_image (3.0.0) 1 | plg_editors-xtd_menu (3.7.0) 1 | plg_editors-xtd_module (3.5.0) 1 | plg_editors-xtd_pagebreak (3.0.0) 1 | plg_editors-xtd_readmore (3.0.0) 1 | plg_extension_finder (4.0.0) ? | plg_extension_joomla (3.0.0) 1 | plg_extension_namespacemap (4.0.0) ? | plg_fields_calendar (3.7.0) 1 | plg_fields_checkboxes (3.7.0) 1 | plg_fields_color (3.7.0) 1 | plg_fields_editor (3.7.0) 1 | plg_fields_imagelist (3.7.0) 1 | plg_fields_integer (3.7.0) 1 | plg_fields_list (3.7.0) 1 | plg_fields_media (3.7.0) 1 | plg_fields_radio (3.7.0) 1 | plg_fields_repeatable (3.9.0) ? | plg_fields_sql (3.7.0) 1 | plg_fields_subform (4.0.0) ? | plg_fields_text (3.7.0) 1 | plg_fields_textarea (3.7.0) 1 | plg_fields_url (3.7.0) 1 | plg_fields_user (3.7.0) 1 | plg_fields_usergrouplist (3.7.0) 1 | plg_filesystem_local (4.0.0) ? | plg_finder_categories (3.0.0) 1 | plg_finder_contacts (3.0.0) 1 | plg_finder_content (3.0.0) 1 | plg_finder_newsfeeds (3.0.0) 1 | plg_finder_tags (3.0.0) 1 | plg_installer_folderinstaller (3.6.0) ? | plg_installer_override (4.0.0) ? | plg_installer_packageinstaller (3.6.0) 1 | plg_installer_urlinstaller (3.6.0) ? | plg_installer_webinstaller (4.0.0) 1 | plg_media-action_crop (4.0.0) ? | plg_media-action_resize (4.0.0) ? | plg_media-action_rotate (4.0.0) ? | plg_multifactorauth_email (4.2.0) ? | plg_multifactorauth_fixed (4.2.0) ? | plg_multifactorauth_totp (3.2.0) ? | plg_multifactorauth_webauthn (4.2.0) ? | plg_multifactorauth_yubikey (3.2.0) ? | plg_privacy_actionlogs (3.9.0) ? | plg_privacy_consents (3.9.0) ? | plg_privacy_content (3.9.0) ? | plg_privacy_message (3.9.0) ? | plg_privacy_user (3.9.0) ? | plg_quickicon_downloadkey (4.0.0) ? | plg_quickicon_eos (4.4.0) ? | plg_quickicon_eos310 (3.10.0) ? | plg_quickicon_extensionupdate (3.0.0) 1 | plg_quickicon_joomlaupdate (3.0.0) 1 | plg_quickicon_overridecheck (4.0.0) ? | plg_quickicon_phpversioncheck (3.7.0) 1 | plg_quickicon_privacycheck (3.9.0) ? | plg_sampledata_multilang (4.0.0) ? | plg_search_categories (3.0.0) 1 | plg_search_contacts (3.0.0) 1 | plg_search_content (3.0.0) 1 | plg_search_newsfeeds (3.0.0) 1 | plg_search_tags (3.0.0) 1 | plg_system_accessibility (4.0.0) ? | plg_system_actionlogs (3.9.0) ? | plg_system_cache (3.0.0) 0 | plg_system_debug (3.0.0) 1 | plg_system_fields (3.7.0) 1 | plg_system_guidedtours (4.3.0) ? | plg_system_highlight (3.0.0) 1 | plg_system_httpheaders (4.0.0) ? | plg_system_jooa11y (4.2.0) ? | plg_system_languagecode (3.0.0) 0 | plg_system_languagefilter (3.0.0) 0 | plg_system_log (3.0.0) 1 | plg_system_logout (3.0.0) 1 | plg_system_logrotation (3.9.0) ? | plg_system_privacyconsent (3.9.0) ? | plg_system_redirect (3.0.0) 0 | plg_system_remember (3.0.0) 1 | plg_system_schedulerunner (4.1) ? | plg_system_sef (3.0.0) 1 | plg_system_sessiongc (3.8.6) ? | plg_system_shortcut (4.2.0) ? | plg_system_skipto (4.0.0) ? | plg_system_stats (3.5.0) 1 | plg_system_task_notification (4.1) ? | plg_system_updatenotification (3.5.0) 1 | plg_system_webauthn (4.0.0) ? | plg_task_check_files (4.1) ? | plg_task_demo_tasks (4.1) ? | plg_task_requests (4.1) ? | plg_task_site_status (4.1) ? | plg_user_contactcreator (3.0.0) 0 | plg_user_joomla (3.0.0) 1 | plg_user_profile (3.0.0) 0 | plg_user_terms (3.9.0) ? | plg_user_token (3.9.0) ? | plg_webservices_banners (4.0.0) ? | plg_webservices_config (4.0.0) ? | plg_webservices_content (4.0.0) ? | plg_webservices_installer (4.0.0) ? | plg_webservices_languages (4.0.0) ? | plg_webservices_media (4.1.0) ? | plg_webservices_menus (4.0.0) ? | plg_webservices_messages (4.0.0) ? | plg_webservices_modules (4.0.0) ? | plg_webservices_newsfeeds (4.0.0) ? | plg_webservices_plugins (4.0.0) ? | plg_webservices_privacy (4.0.0) ? | plg_webservices_redirect (4.0.0) ? | plg_webservices_tags (4.0.0) ? | plg_webservices_templates (4.0.0) ? | plg_webservices_users (4.0.0) ? | plg_workflow_featuring (4.0.0) ? | plg_workflow_notification (4.0.0) ? | plg_workflow_publishing (4.0.0) ? |
3rd Party:: PLG_ACTIONLOG_ADMINTOOLS (6.1.11) 0 | plg_editors_codemirror (5.65.15) 1 | plg_editors_jce (2.5.6) 1 | plg_editors_tinymce (5.10.9) 1 | plg_quickicon_akeebabackup (1.0) 1 | plg_quickicon_jcefilebrowser (2.5.6) 1 | PLG_SYSTEM_ADMINTOOLS (6.1.11) 1 | PLG_SYSTEM_AKEEBAACTIONLOG (1.0) 0 | PLG_SYSTEM_AKEEBAUPDATECHECK (1.1) 0 | PLG_SYSTEM_AKVERSIONCHECK (6.1.11) 1 | PLG_SYSTEM_BACKUPONUPDATE (3.7) 0 | plg_system_jce (2.5.6) 1 |

Templates :: Site :: bling_v2 (1.0) 1 | cassiopeia (1.0) ? |
Templates :: Admin :: atum (1.0) ? |

[AMurray]

[Edit]:What local server are you running e.g. XAMPP or WAMPServer (we'd recommend WAMP as you can install PHP versions as modules - as many as you like, so I'd be installing for instance, PHP 7.4, 8.0/8.1/8.2. The software comes with some of these already, others can be found at https://wampserver.aviatechno.net/ along with the main software, and the required C++ Runtime files for Windows.

The Oops something went wrong is a 500 error. Please enable Debug and PHP Error Reporting and post any further errors to this thread.

I would sort out that PHP issue given PHP 7.4.4 is a few years EOL now. (even though J4.x minimum is 7.2.x, its recommended to run PHP 8.2.x).

Perhaps the error is caused by your front-end template "bling v2 (1.0)" (I can't find any reference to that I a Google search)

You need to update those third party plugins too:

• Akeeba Backup (should be v 9.5.2 (runs on PHP 7.4, Joomla 4.4). Your version is 6.4.0 that only runs on JOomla 3.9 and PHP 5.4 - not compatible with J4.4
• Akeeba Admin Tools should be 7.5.2 (runs on PHP 7.4.x, JOomla 4.4.x). Your version 6.1.1 (from Joomla 3.10, PHP 7.2) - not compatible with J4.4
• See Akeeba compatibility chart comparing their extensions versions against Joomla and PHP versions
• Simple Email form is only for Joomla 3, not Joomla 4.
• JCE is out of date. The current release is 2.9.63; your version 2.5.6 (nine years old...).

As far as I can see, these extensions (your currently installed versions) are not compatible with Joomla 4.4 and should have been red-flagged in the pre-update compatibility check. You would have needed to either obtain newer versions, disable the extensions (or uninstall if necessary), and then install compatible versions later.

[Webdongle]

...

After creating a copy of my site and database, ...

Was that a copy of the working site prior to the failed update?
or
A copy of the broken site after the failed update?

[mowen10]

[Edit]:What local server are you running e.g. XAMPP or WAMPServer (we'd recommend WAMP as you can install PHP versions as modules - as many as you like, so I'd be installing for instance, PHP 7.4, 8.0/8.1/8.2. The software comes with some of these already, others can be found at https://wampserver.aviatechno.net/ along with the main software, and the required C++ Runtime files for Windows.

The Oops something went wrong is a 500 error. Please enable Debug and PHP Error Reporting and post any further errors to this thread.

I would sort out that PHP issue given PHP 7.4.4 is a few years EOL now. (even though J4.x minimum is 7.2.x, its recommended to run PHP 8.2.x).

Perhaps the error is caused by your front-end template "bling v2 (1.0)" (I can't find any reference to that I a Google search)

You need to update those third party plugins too:

• Akeeba Backup (should be v 9.5.2 (runs on PHP 7.4, Joomla 4.4). Your version is 6.4.0 that only runs on JOomla 3.9 and PHP 5.4 - not compatible with J4.4
• Akeeba Admin Tools should be 7.5.2 (runs on PHP 7.4.x, JOomla 4.4.x). Your version 6.1.1 (from Joomla 3.10, PHP 7.2) - not compatible with J4.4
• See Akeeba compatibility chart comparing their extensions versions against Joomla and PHP versions
• Simple Email form is only for Joomla 3, not Joomla 4.
• JCE is out of date. The current release is 2.9.63; your version 2.5.6 (nine years old...).

As far as I can see, these extensions (your currently installed versions) are not compatible with Joomla 4.4 and should have been red-flagged in the pre-update compatibility check. You would have needed to either obtain newer versions, disable the extensions (or uninstall if necessary), and then install compatible versions later.

AMurray, thanks for your reply. I am running both XAMPP 3.1.0 and 3.2.4. The site was built and working on PHP 5.4 and Joomla 3.9 and then copied over along with the database onto XAMPP 3.2.4. Again this was working on the localhost. Just to clarify the site was working live on PHP 7.2 as well but has fallen over in the last few months hence trying to now fix.

Also the front-end template bling v2, is actually the protostar template which I copied and then renamed, so apologies should have mentioned that on the original post.

The steps I took on the XAMPP 3.2.4 was to leave the extensions as they were and because I came across the previous post with the AJAX error that mentioned about installing Admin Tools and having success migrating the site to Joomla 4, I took the same steps.

[mowen10]

...

After creating a copy of my site and database, ...

Was that a copy of the working site prior to the failed update?
or
A copy of the broken site after the failed update?

Hi Webdongle, it was a copy of a working site that I moved from XAMPP 3.1.0 that had PHP 5.4. I moved this into my XAMPP 3.2.4 version and again this was all working. I then recopied another version in case this was to break down as it did, as I wanted a working version in PHP 7.4.4.

[Webdongle]

Wamp is better than xampp imho

[mowen10]

Thanks Webdongle, I am in the process of installing Wamp at the moment. Just for my understanding what is the process of moving the site onto Joomla 4.

1. Switch off Extensions
2. Update new version

or is it not as straightforward as that?

[Webdongle]

Depends on your 3rd party extensions (that includes templates). When Joomla checks extensions it doesn't know if all are compatible. It is sometimes a matter of trial and error but you can create many folders in Wamp's \www folder.
e.g. \wamp64\joomlatest browser url would be localhost/joomlatest
N.B. Do not install sites in Wamp's \www itself.

You can find various versions of php and mysql for wamp at https://wampserver.aviatechno.net/

Hint
When you have successfully transferred your j3 site to wamp and it works then install the version of https://www.akeeba.com/compatibility.html for j3

You can then create a backup of files/database. Should your update fail then
1. You can create a new folder e.g. \wamp64\joomlatest2
2. Place the jpa and kickstart.php in the new folder
3. Point your browser at localhost/joomlatest2/kickstart.php and follow the install instructions.
(on wamp the database will be created by the install with the name you put in the field for database name[e.g. joomlatest2] )

[mowen10]

Thanks for this Webdongle, really appreciate the steps for guidance to hopefully get site migrated. Apologies, sorry for the dumb question, is JPA from the Akeeba site, and kickstart again, Akeeba Kickstart?

[AMurray]

Yes --- the JPA file is your backup archive created with Akeeba Backup.

Kickstart requires this JPA file (or files, if you did the backup in with 'part' files) to restore the site.

Restoring a site requires an empty folder in the chosen location (your localhost, or your web host) with only the archive file(s) and kickstart.php.

[mowen10]

Yes --- the JPA file is your backup archive created with Akeeba Backup.

Kickstart requires this JPA file (or files, if you did the backup in with 'part' files) to restore the site.

Restoring a site requires an empty folder in the chosen location (your localhost, or your web host) with only the archive file(s) and kickstart.php.

Great timing, was just placing the backup, as was going through the documention of the kickstart.php file and seen the jpa file in the Akeeba Backup. Thank you.

[mowen10]

Brilliant that all ran ok, do I now run the update to Joomla 4.4?

[Webdongle]

I find it so much easier with Akeeba and working on wamp. I backup after every update, if things go wrong and just create a new folder in wamps \www folder. Then A.N.G.I.E (the installer packed in the jpa backup) does the rest.

I append 01, 02 etc. on the end of the file name (and corresponding database) as I have been known to go into double figures when things go wrong
Especially when going from a very old version of J3 to J5 as I need to change the php and/or mysql versions.

[mowen10]

Thank you AMurray and Webdongle. I have managed to upgrade my site to Joomla 4.4.4 and I am now working on restoring my pages through the Cassiopeia template. The only thing I have noticed is that when I do change PHP versions to anything above 8, currently on version 7.4.33, then this throws up errors. Will get the site pages done before I move onto fixing that.

[Webdongle]

1. Make a backup
2. Create a new folder in wamp's \www folder
3. Change php to 8.1.0
4. Change mysql to 8.0.27
5. Install your backup into the new folder that you created in wamp's \www folder

If the backup won't install then repeat steps #2 to #5 changing the php and mysql to the minimum requirements that work.
If (once you install the backup) the update fails then repeat steps #2 to #5 changing the php and mysql until the backup installs and the update works.
You may find that it's 3rd party extensions that cause failures.
Just increment the folder names by appending numbers that will prevent confusing attempts.

You can find various php/database versions at https://wampserver.aviatechno.net/

[mowen10]

Hi Webdongle, site is now up and running with PHP 8.1, thank you so much for all your help and advise. Thank you AMurray as well for all your help as well, couldn't have done this without the 2 of you.

[Webdongle]

Can't speak for @mowen10 (but suspect he thinks similar) just passing on the help that was/is given to me.