My website won't go online...

[Marmotta]

Hi all,
I've designed and populated a website on localhost, and now I've tried (unsuccessfully) to have it go online.
I've searched in this forum with various keywords (blank page, website online etc. but found nothing that could help me)

I used Akeeba backup (and Im used to use it to redeploy my local website on another PC without any problem), and I made a copy of the DB too via PhpMyadmin.

On the distant host, I own a domain, I've created a mysql database and a ftp account.

I have the possibility to install joomal on the host system but I heard it wasn't necessary so I first tried without it.

I uploaded the content of the www local folder (backup content) to a folder "mysitename" in www folder of distant site (because I have another website that I would like to host on the same domain hosting, that's why I created a "mysitename" folder). I considered using a subdomain and created one too, but that's not my current concern.

I used the PHPMyadmin of the distant host to import my local database backup.

I manually modified configuration.php file on the distant site with TopStyle5 to provide the domain name and Db name with the distant values.

But when I go to www.mydomain.net I just have a blank page (no error). When I try to go to www.mydomain/mysitename I get a 404 error.

So I tried to install Joomla on the distant host. I provided the DB name provided by the host and normally populated with the import of local DB, and I deployed Joomla, but when I go to the administration, the site is empty.
When I go to www.mydomain/mysitename, I don't have any error any longer, but a very basic home page with my site name and a login box.

Here is my basic online site page:

My localhost Joomal system info:


the distant host joomla system info:


Please don't hesitate to ask if you need further info.

I think there is something very basic I'm not doing, but I must admit I haven't found what it is...
I would be very grateful for your help !
Thanks,
Marmotta

[wwhite]

If you are using Akeeba
Take a backup of the site you want to transfer

Copy or ftp the .jpa backup file to your new servers root (sometimes httpdocs)

copy or ftp the kickstart.zip to the same place

using cpanel or whatever your host has create a new database and database user

Also, using cpanel file manager unzip the kickstart package you uploaded and rename kickstart.php to something else like mykickstart.php

then run MyDomain/mykickstart.php in your browzer, supply the database and user credentials and follow the directions to restore the site with the content

[Marmotta]

Hi, thanks for your answer.
By .jpa backup file, do you mean the file Akeeba generates as a backup of the site? If so, I use .zip extention, is it a problem?

I cannot find any kickstart.zip file, I only have a kickstart.transfer.php and a kickstart.txt files, in my administrator/component/com_akeeba/Master/Installers folder. Do you mean one of those?

Thanks again for your answer!
Best regards,
Marmotta

[Marmotta]

I finally managed something!
I re-installed Joomla on my host server. The deployment asked for a database, as previously, and I proceeded.
Looking at the DB, I found that the tables had overwritten the tables I had previoulsy imported through PHPmyadmin.
So, using PHPmyadmin, I deleted the new tables and rename the backuped ones with the proper prefix.

Finally my website is online... BUT it doesn't look at all like it should. I got a message "The template for this display is not available. Please contact a site administrator". I had menus that don't show, preventing a user to login, for example.

I'll open another discussion regarding this new trouble.
Thanks for you quick answer !
best regards,
Marmotta

[wojsmol]

Hi Marmotta
Yes @wwhite is referring to backup generated by Akeeba Backup. You can download kickstart package from https://www.akeebabackup.com/download/a ... 5-4-0.html.

[wwhite]

the backup file should be at YourSiteRoot/administrator/components/com_akeeba/backups
and the default extension for them is .jpa check the timestamps on the files

[AMurray]

By the way the JPA format is recommended (and it says that in the utility itself) rather than ZIP format.

[Marmotta]

Thanks to the three of you for your answers!
During a training on joomla the coach told us to use the .zip format for Akeeba backup (and honestly I don't remember if he told us why), so I obediently used it.

I'll get the kickstart package, thanks also for the link!

Best regards,
Marmotta

[leolam]

Why are you not reading the manuals and digesting how this all works before doing things and posting questions about issues that are very well described?

https://www.akeebabackup.com/documentat ... ation.html
https://www.akeebabackup.com/documentat ... ation.html

Leo

[Webdongle]

The problem is (imho) you are not correctly identifying the folder on your server that is the root folder for your domain.

Create a file called test.html and put some text in it (no need for html tags just text)
ftp test.html to your server
Point your browser at yoursite.com/mysitename/test.html

If you see the text then you have the correct folder.
ftp yourbackup.jpa and kickstart.php to that folder
Point your browser at yoursite.com/mysitename/kickstart.php

If kickstart.php doesn't unpack your files or the installer doesn't run then there is something wrong with your server. If they unpack and the installer runs but it wont install ... then there is something wrong with your server or you are not putting in the correct database details or your database user hasn't enough privileges.

[leolam]

Appreciated WD but sometimes it is better to let people READ actually instead of being lazy.....

Leo

[Webdongle]

It looks like he has read a lot and accomplished a lot. Just something not quite correct with his setup or methodology. Possibly something simple but pinning it down will be easier using the jpa file.

[pilgrim011]

I had similar problems, but with internet providers help, it seems that I solved them. Website is online now, but I need to migrate all the existing content from my Github, and that will take a while...