Changing Web Host - Possible?

[thumbsucker]

I am currently hosted with Pair Networks on their Advanced Plan. It works fine, but is SLOW and their database has been unavailable for hours at a time sporadically. I run Photopost, Vbulletin, and Movable Type (blog).

I am considering moving to another host and getting a dedicated server. I am considering GoDaddy.com's $80-90 dedicated server option.

1. Can someone recommend a VERY reliable web hosting company that offers affordable dedicated servers (under $80-90 per month)?

2. Is it possible to migrate all my existings Vbulletin user database + posts, Photopost images/data, and Movable Type data to another host?

Thank you.

[Chuck S]

I dont know about cheap dedicated servers but to move things you simply copy all files and databases to the new host server. You then edit the config files to place the proper path to photopost and vb etc and input the proper mysql database names and connect info.

You can then login and update your photopost data and uploads paths in admin.

[Garrynz]

http://www.google.com/search?q=%22de...ostingtalk.com

[russbo]

Chuck
Happy New Year. Dedicated Photopost user am I, trying to reinstall Photopost instead of being with the madness on the Las Vegas Strip...

Anyway, I tried to move my extensive Photopost from one server to another, copying all files, setting all permissions, changing config.inc (and not having config.int (old version perhaps?)), without any success.

So, followed advice found from some guy on this forum, who basically installed a fresh version on his new server, moved all the data, then deleted all of the tables in the new photopost mysql EXCEPT "settings", and uploaded all of his old mysql photopost tables except settings. Said it worked well

Well, my new installation works fine. I have all the old mysql tables moved to the new server, and all the data, and the new photopost doesn't "see" any of it.

Is there anyway of "rebuilding", or what have you, to get the new installation to work with this method???

Thanks
rich
russbo.com

[Chuck S]

I could never understand why some people do things the hard way.

New installs are more work cause you still have to do an upgrade. Basically what you need to do now if you have a new install is this.

1. make sure data directory of the old install is copied to the new data directory

2. drop every table on the new database except settings

3. restore all the old tables to the new database except the settings table

4. run the upgrade script running every upgrade from the last one you ran on.

[russbo]

I could never understand why some people do things the hard way.

Classic!

The easy way didn't work for me, I really don't know why. (I did not upload the updated board, just the 4.82 one). I have no doubt that I did something wrong, somewhere. The lack of config.int kind of threw me.

So I did a fresh install, did your first three steps, had not done the fourth.

Tried to run the fourth but it would not upgrade from 4.82. Browser just hung there. Did the other upgrade steps, successfully, old database still doesn't show.

I shall upgrade my original 4.82 photopost first, on my previous. Upload all files and databases to new server. Change config.inc and config.int (which wasn't in my 4.82) on new server. Make the appropriate sacrifice to the UNIX gods.

And we shall see what happens...

Thanks Chuck! Appreciate the help. Have a happy and safe New Year, where ever you are.

rich
russbo.com/org

[russbo]

Chuck, got it to work. It was all server paths.

But, I can't log into the admin area because whenever I do, it calls to my OLD server.

What file do I alter to redirect the html log in to the new server??

[Chuck S]

Well you need to check all the paths and url's in the settings table of the database

Make sure the right server path is in the config file and that you updated the config file with any new database info

[russbo]

Well, it's all a bit bizarre. I've done that already, in the settings table of mysql, and the config files, and I have it all working. Perfectly.

Except when I log into the admin area, it accepts me, and redirects back to the photopost/index.php page, instead of the photopost/adm-index.php page.

I've checked everything I can think of; I really don't know why this is happening. I've had Photopost for years.... Absolutely bewildered.

Do you have any idea why this is redirecting me back to the index page? It recognizes me as an admin, as the index page has an "admin" option on it.

Thanks!

http://host429.ipowerweb.com/~russbo...ploadphoto.php

[Chuck S]

How about cookie settings vb has a default cookie prefix of bb I bet you did not enter this in settings table line 172

[russbo]

Ah. Don't have a line 172 in my new photopost mysql settings table. But, I didn't have it in my old one either, which worked flawlessly. My vb/includes/config.pho shows that I am using vb cookie prefixes of "bb"..

What's the best way to put that in, not being a mysql god on this end? Using the INSERT command? Not sure what data to INSERT though.
ID 172
title vbulletin cookie
varname ????
description vbulletin cookie
setting bb
optionorder ?????
section ?????

All as function ASCII?

Just curious over here, in my travels of working with this, in my NEW photopost mysql database, I have the old uploaded photopost mysql databases (without the pp_prefix), and a complete set of new ones (duplicates actually) with the pp_ prefix. Now, as I've already proven to all that I have created the hardest way to move servers, I'm not surprised that I did this. I think it occurred during mone of my "fresh install" attempts, which, worked and integrated well, but never recognized the old data for some reason. Both settings tables have correct url and server paths. Do I keep the pp_ ones, or the old non pp_ ones? They apparently are NOT identical; the settings table in the pp_ version as things about users being registered to send e cards, photopost image directory URL, etc. A little more.

Sorry I'm starting off your new year with a bang here.

rich

[Chuck S]

well if you dont have any of these settings cause your running 4.82 and in that case check your config-inc.php file for your cookie settings and make sure the cookie prefix variable is set in the config file.

Take note also that you can only run vb 3.0 with such an old version of Photopost and would need to upgrade should you decide to run VB 3.5

[russbo]

I have those settings in the Photopost; just have duplicate tables, one set with pp_, one set without.

I have successfully upgraded Vbulletin to 3.52 already.
I have successfully upgraded photopost to latest, on previous server, and uploaded that version to new server. It works also, showing all old data.

New version of Photoshop accepts vb log in data. However, for some reason, it won't allow me, the vb admin, access to the photopost admin.

Chuck, I hate to use up your time here. Is there a way I can open a support ticket, which I'll gladly pay for, to have this looked at professionally? I've been in and out of this "move" for over a day now, and I'm completely puzzled as to why I can't get admin access to Photopost. The rest of it works

http://host429.ipowerweb.com/~russbo...post/index.php

OH, the new host has not yet pointed "www.russbo.org" to "host429.ipowerweb.com". Though, I am using the latter in all the config and mysql settings tables.

Vbulletin is here:

http://host429.ipowerweb.com/~russbo...post/index.php

The cookies seem to be working between the two, here's an account to play with:
user id testtest
pwd test


Thanks. Let me know how to best proceed at this time. I just want to get this thing working, as we both have other things to do

rich

[Chuck S]

Well if you have successfully upgraded your photopost settings table should have the cookie settings entered in the database settings 171-173 in that table. 172 is the cookie prefix and should be set to your vb cookie prefix which is in your vb config.php file. Otherwise you will not get into admin.

[russbo]

Neither the pp_settings or the settings table of the photopost mysyql database have 171 to 173 in them. Nor does my original server's Photopost, which I successfully upgraded from 4.82 to latest, have those lines.

This explains why a new fresh installation on the new server, connects easily to my vb (but doesn't show the old data; can't get it to show the old data for some reason).

So, if I just add these tables, it should work? Not sure what they are, maybe I'll do a fake fresh install to find out what they are, if you don't have them readily available.

Thanks!. It's making sense now.

[russbo]

I did a fresh install, same server, directory "photopost521".
http://host429.ipowerweb.com/~russbo...t521/index.php


It integrates without issues, admin and otherwise, to vbulletin. (I added the vbulletin bb prefix option in the install this time; you're right, this is the issue)

I have one of two options:
-Try to add the vb prefix into my previous "photopost" installation to make the admin function work
-Try to add the old data to this new fresh install at "photopost521" (I've been unsuccessful in the past doing this, despite moving the data directory and uploading all of the other previous tables except settings)

Chuck, what do you think?

[russbo]

Got it to work.
Did fresh install, as I saw no way of getting into admin area (to adjust vb cookie prefix)
moved data directory
deleted all mysql tables except for settings.
uploaded other tables. (can't use drop command for some reason"
all works.

One heads up. In admin / scan database, the option "Check here to resync photo/comments usernames/update comments counts." destroyed my index page. had to reinstall yet again.

So, I guess I'm the new winner of the "how to move servers the hard way" contest.

Thanks for your help Chuck. It's been fun, and I've learned a lot doing this.

[Chuck S]

The upgrade scripts from 4.82 to 5.21 add in everything you need so it would appear you never ran these per the upgrade instructions.

One heads up. In admin / scan database, the option "Check here to resync photo/comments usernames/update comments counts." destroyed my index page. had to reinstall yet again.

You would need to elaborate on this as there is nothing in that would destroy your index it simply scan's the user table and updates the username in those photos and comments table based on userid. Good for when user's change there display name etc in forum integrations.

[russbo]

Chuck, I did it again. Had it all working, missed a few data 777 chmods, fixed that, ran the scan database / rebuild medium images, and get this

There seems to have been a problem with the Forum / Library database.
Please try again by clicking the Refresh button in your web browser.

An E-Mail has been dispatched to our Technical Staff, whom you can also contact if the problem persists.

We apologise for any inconvenience.

And now when I try to get into phpmyadmin on the new server, I get this:

Fatal error: Call to undefined function: pma_reloadnavigation() in /usr/local/apache/htdocs/phpMyAdmin-2.6.3/header.inc.php on line 135

Wow. Something isn't happy, lol... The ipline, lastonline and photo tables had warnings and needed "repair", which I've done. Still not working.

It was working fine. Not sure what rebuilding the medium images does to cause this. Any idea? How do I get it back? Reupload the photopost mysql database?

[russbo]

Reuploaded my saved database and got it all back. Not sure why rebuilding the medium images did that.

New fresh install, with previous tables other than settings put in, taken from my UPGRADED photopost on the previous server.