Is there any alternative to upgrade 2.5.x to 3.5.1 except the method via the joomla.org-update server?

[malte23]

Hello,

I am currently in the process of evaluating an upgrade from Mambo/Joomla 1.0 up to the latest version. I am currently at Joomla 3.5.1 in combination with uddeIM 4.0, Kunena 4.0.12 and CB 2.0.10. My journey does not yet end. So far, most of the steps I achieved with archived plugin- and Joomla-versions.

So far so good. The 2.5.28 to 3.5.1 upgrade I achieved with the help of this thread and post (viewtopic.php?p=3089560#p3089560).

I suspect at some point (its already been 10 years now) the upgrade-possibility to 3.5.1 will cease to exist. For those people who will do this in the future (or the future me working on another similar project) I would like to ask if there is any alternative way of upgrade, once the 3.5.1 disappears from the official update directory/server.

Thanks in advance and best regards

[AMurray]

Later updates to 3.5.1 probably won't disappear in the short term. Currently you can still install these 3.x versions, either through Joomla Update (should be an automatic process). Alternatively you can find the download install / update packages at https://downloads.jooomla.org/cms/joomla3. Noting there's been almost seventy (70) releases of Joomla since 3.5.1, you have your work cut out for you. You could probably skip the minor versions and for instance, go from 3.5.1 to 3.6.0, 3.6.0 to 3.7.0 and so forth through to 3.10.x (which is the latest (and final) in the 3.x series, with support ending August this year (2023).

If you really need them the 2.5.x packages are also still available, https://downloads.joomla.org/cms/joomla25.

If you choose the correct 'update channel' (should be "Default") in the Update component, it should recognize and find the relevant subsequent updates you need for the 3.x series at each step (or it may even attempt to update straight to 3.10.x from 3.5.1).

Make sure you backup at each update (recommend using Akeeba Backup - I think Akeeba still has legacy versions of their backup software) and ensure your extensions work, and other relevant system requirements are met, including PHP version at each point.

Below, the first two links are relevant while you're updating/migrating within the 3.x series. The third link is for migrating to 4.x from 3.10.

https://docs.joomla.org/J3.x:Updating_J ... ll_Method)

https://docs.joomla.org/J3.x:Updating_f ... ng_version

https://docs.joomla.org/Joomla_3.x_to_4 ... _Migration

If you have future projects I'd start with Joomla 4, as that will be the only supported version after August 2023.

[malte23]

Hello and thanks for your answer,

Alternatively you can find the download install / update packages at https://downloads.jooomla.org/cms/joomla3.

This is what i am interested in. I tried to download the upgrade package like that and install it via the module-installer without success. However the live update works. Which package would be the right one and where do you manually install it for the upgrade to succeed?

[sozzled]

Here is the solution:

J! 2.5.28 was released on 31 December 2014, 8 years ago, and needs PHP 5.6 to work; you need PHP 5.6 to update to J! 3.x. If you do not have access to PHP 5.6 you cannot update J! 2.5.28.

The references—the "hints" you found—are outdated and unreliable.

J! 2.5.28 can be updated to J! 3.x takes a small amount of time (about an hour or two); some of your installed extensions will not work with J! 3.x—you will almost certainly not be able to use the site template you were using with J! 2.5.28—and the whole process could take a day or two to finish. J! 3.5.1 is not the “end point”, it’s just one stage in the process and your objective should be to upgrade to J! 3.10.11 … in several stages.

The solution:

1) Make sure upload_max_filesize = 64M and post_max_size = 128M (as minimum settings), allow_url_fopen must be enabled and you will need a reliable, stable connection to the internet.
2) Download the J! 3.4.8 installation package to your PC.
3) Use the Extension Manager » Upload Package File and enter the location of the J! 3.4.8 installation in the text box.
4) Click Install. You will be logged out when the installation is completed.
5) Login to the backend again. Go to Extensions » Manage » Update.
6) Click Clear Cache (top left of screen)
7) Now you can go to Components » Joomla! Update and you will see that J! 3.6.5 is the next available version.
8) Update to J! 3.6.5.
9) Then go to Components » Joomla! Update again, click Clear Cache (top left of screen), and you should see that J! 3.10.11 is the next available version.
10) Update to J! 3.10.11.
11) You can now use a higher version on PHP from this point (e.g. PHP 7.4 but no higher).

Good luck. I hope this helps.

This solution is not foolproof. I have successfully used this procedure a dozen or more times to upgrade J! 2.5.28 websites to J! 3.10.11.