Comments on: Lessons learned moving Wordpress blogs to a new server http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2008/01/11/lessons-learned-moving-wordpress-blogs-to-a-new-server/ Sat, 22 Nov 2008 09:17:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Eric M. http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2008/01/11/lessons-learned-moving-wordpress-blogs-to-a-new-server/#comment-46707 Eric M. Sat, 12 Jan 2008 19:27:15 +0000 http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2008/01/11/lessons-learned-moving-wordpress-blogs-to-a-new-server/#comment-46707 Another method of backing up is the Wordpress Export features ("Manage" > "Export"), which creates a .xml file with the content of all of the posts. This is a good option for people who are not comfortable with with dealing with mysql. I'm a huge fan of the command line method Alan Levine describes above; >> # mysql u=username -p wp_database_name < wp_dump_file.sql You can run this command as a cron job to create backups on a regular schedule. Another method of backing up is the Wordpress Export features (”Manage” > “Export”), which creates a .xml file with the content of all of the posts. This is a good option for people who are not comfortable with with dealing with mysql.

I’m a huge fan of the command line method Alan Levine describes above;
>> # mysql u=username -p wp_database_name < wp_dump_file.sql
You can run this command as a cron job to create backups on a regular schedule.

]]> By: Wesley Fryer http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2008/01/11/lessons-learned-moving-wordpress-blogs-to-a-new-server/#comment-46698 Wesley Fryer Sat, 12 Jan 2008 13:05:13 +0000 http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2008/01/11/lessons-learned-moving-wordpress-blogs-to-a-new-server/#comment-46698 Glad your experiences with Dreamhost have been positive so far, Dave. Let's hope it continues! I told someone yesterday I hoped my new ISP would work out great forever. That's probably unrealistic... but change is so hard! It is certainly possible to learn a lot during a change like this, but that doesn't necessarily make it easier or desirable. Glad your experiences with Dreamhost have been positive so far, Dave. Let’s hope it continues! I told someone yesterday I hoped my new ISP would work out great forever. That’s probably unrealistic… but change is so hard! It is certainly possible to learn a lot during a change like this, but that doesn’t necessarily make it easier or desirable.

]]> By: Dave Solon http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2008/01/11/lessons-learned-moving-wordpress-blogs-to-a-new-server/#comment-46688 Dave Solon Sat, 12 Jan 2008 04:19:51 +0000 http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2008/01/11/lessons-learned-moving-wordpress-blogs-to-a-new-server/#comment-46688 Wes, I feel (or felt) your pain just a few months ago. I moved from FatCow hosting to Dreamhost. So far, everything is running great. FatCow has really gone downhill in the last year or two, so I would say stay away from them. Dreamhost has been great so far. Good luck, and happy blogging! Wes,

I feel (or felt) your pain just a few months ago. I moved from FatCow hosting to Dreamhost. So far, everything is running great. FatCow has really gone downhill in the last year or two, so I would say stay away from them. Dreamhost has been great so far.

Good luck, and happy blogging!

]]> By: Meg Ormiston http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2008/01/11/lessons-learned-moving-wordpress-blogs-to-a-new-server/#comment-46660 Meg Ormiston Fri, 11 Jan 2008 15:22:21 +0000 http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2008/01/11/lessons-learned-moving-wordpress-blogs-to-a-new-server/#comment-46660 Wes, Sorry to hear your pain. I am also in the process of moving my web site and blog. Thanks to my great Twitter friends I also moved to siteground. I was so impressed I also moved my husband's site over. I totally agree with you the about how much you learned in the process. I have so much more work to do to control the beast that has become www.techteachers.com I need to roll up my sleeves and send my family packing for the weekend. Just kidding, but need a block of time! Your comments about the need for problem solving is so key! Everyone needs a new set of skills for the 21st Century! Wes,
Sorry to hear your pain. I am also in the process of moving my web site and blog. Thanks to my great Twitter friends I also moved to siteground. I was so impressed I also moved my husband’s site over.
I totally agree with you the about how much you learned in the process. I have so much more work to do to control the beast that has become http://www.techteachers.com I need to roll up my sleeves and send my family packing for the weekend. Just kidding, but need a block of time!
Your comments about the need for problem solving is so key! Everyone needs a new set of skills for the 21st Century!

]]> By: Alan Levine http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2008/01/11/lessons-learned-moving-wordpress-blogs-to-a-new-server/#comment-46659 Alan Levine Fri, 11 Jan 2008 15:17:38 +0000 http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2008/01/11/lessons-learned-moving-wordpress-blogs-to-a-new-server/#comment-46659 I've moved CogDogBlog at least twice and a few other WP blogs without too many headaches, but there are usually little gotchas-- sorry yours were larger. The wp-backup plugin makes it easy to do your periodic backups. The "backup" is really a long, long series of database commands to recreate your database, including inserting all of the data from your posts. So for an "old" blog, its quite a large file. One thing that happens is that phpMyAdmin usually has a file size limit for the file it can import. This means if you wish to do it via the web, you may have to split that big *.sql file into smaller pieces. The quicker, but geekier, method is to load that file on your web server, log in via a terminal app, and run a command like: # mysql u=username -p wp_database_name < wp_dump_file.sql Also, on a Mac, (I dont think it happens in newer systems), sometimes the *.mysql file ends up with Mac style carriage returns where it needs unix style. LineBreak is a handy app for dealing with this http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/13491 Happy blogging! I’ve moved CogDogBlog at least twice and a few other WP blogs without too many headaches, but there are usually little gotchas– sorry yours were larger.

The wp-backup plugin makes it easy to do your periodic backups.

The “backup” is really a long, long series of database commands to recreate your database, including inserting all of the data from your posts. So for an “old” blog, its quite a large file.

One thing that happens is that phpMyAdmin usually has a file size limit for the file it can import. This means if you wish to do it via the web, you may have to split that big *.sql file into smaller pieces. The quicker, but geekier, method is to load that file on your web server, log in via a terminal app, and run a command like:

# mysql u=username -p wp_database_name < wp_dump_file.sql

Also, on a Mac, (I dont think it happens in newer systems), sometimes the *.mysql file ends up with Mac style carriage returns where it needs unix style. LineBreak is a handy app for dealing with this http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/13491

Happy blogging!

]]> By: Wesley Fryer http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2008/01/11/lessons-learned-moving-wordpress-blogs-to-a-new-server/#comment-46654 Wesley Fryer Fri, 11 Jan 2008 12:18:46 +0000 http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2008/01/11/lessons-learned-moving-wordpress-blogs-to-a-new-server/#comment-46654 Thanks Kevin! Yes, I was going to take Siteground up on their offer for a free transfer. Initially it appeared I wouldn't be eligible because I had over 1 GB of data on my site, but I moved my podcasts (2.2 GB of 2.8 total) on my own and they were going to move the rest. I have 4 blogs to move, but their promotion only includes moving one... I was going to have them move my main blog, but I'm not sure what happened... I couldn't wait any longer so I went ahead and figured out how to get things moved over. POWWEB did do periodic blog backups too, I think with CPANEL as well... which was good from a peace of mind standpoint. I like to periodically have my own offline backups as well... I hadn't heard about that security vulnerability from a backup plugin before. It's good to know both it was fixed, and your host was on top of things to keep you safe! I neglected to mention in the original post that a Jan 9th "upgrade" that POWWEB did to its servers which affected UNIX permissions apparently took my main site offline. That was really the final straw for me in terms of switching blog hosts. I noticed late Wed night that my 3 blogs which were still working were using an older MySQL hostname, rather than the newer MySQL alias which POWWEB had instituted sometime back. The behavior of the MySQL server continued to be erratic at that point too, however, I could reset my password and temporarily get the blog back up for a few clicks, then it would lose the connection again. Very strange and frustrating. I also should note I had to update my Wordpress permalinks (Options - Permalinks) to get my old posts to again resolve and show up. Not sure why that was needed but it was. Yes, it was painful to thrash about on Twitter as well-- but it was good to receive some suggestions and ideas from others amidst the thrashing! I'm glad to be back as well... it quite literally felt like I had "lost my voice" or something when my blog was offline. Not a good feeling at all. I'm glad my blog muteness was shortlived. :-) Thanks Kevin! Yes, I was going to take Siteground up on their offer for a free transfer. Initially it appeared I wouldn’t be eligible because I had over 1 GB of data on my site, but I moved my podcasts (2.2 GB of 2.8 total) on my own and they were going to move the rest. I have 4 blogs to move, but their promotion only includes moving one… I was going to have them move my main blog, but I’m not sure what happened… I couldn’t wait any longer so I went ahead and figured out how to get things moved over.

POWWEB did do periodic blog backups too, I think with CPANEL as well… which was good from a peace of mind standpoint. I like to periodically have my own offline backups as well… I hadn’t heard about that security vulnerability from a backup plugin before. It’s good to know both it was fixed, and your host was on top of things to keep you safe!

I neglected to mention in the original post that a Jan 9th “upgrade” that POWWEB did to its servers which affected UNIX permissions apparently took my main site offline. That was really the final straw for me in terms of switching blog hosts. I noticed late Wed night that my 3 blogs which were still working were using an older MySQL hostname, rather than the newer MySQL alias which POWWEB had instituted sometime back. The behavior of the MySQL server continued to be erratic at that point too, however, I could reset my password and temporarily get the blog back up for a few clicks, then it would lose the connection again. Very strange and frustrating.

I also should note I had to update my Wordpress permalinks (Options - Permalinks) to get my old posts to again resolve and show up. Not sure why that was needed but it was.

Yes, it was painful to thrash about on Twitter as well– but it was good to receive some suggestions and ideas from others amidst the thrashing! I’m glad to be back as well… it quite literally felt like I had “lost my voice” or something when my blog was offline. Not a good feeling at all. I’m glad my blog muteness was shortlived. :-)

]]> By: Kevin Jarrett http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2008/01/11/lessons-learned-moving-wordpress-blogs-to-a-new-server/#comment-46649 Kevin Jarrett Fri, 11 Jan 2008 11:15:28 +0000 http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2008/01/11/lessons-learned-moving-wordpress-blogs-to-a-new-server/#comment-46649 Welcome back to the land of the living, Wes! It was painful watching you thrash about on Twitter! :( I thought SiteGround came with a free blog transfer service. Did they not offer to help with the process? Having learned the hard way, I now do full monthly backups (MySQL databases AND files) and weekly MySQL db's only. It's easy with cPanel, which I'm sure SiteGround is using. One thing I did learn is that you have to be careful about backup tools. I found a neat plugin that purported to be a one-click backup solution. My host actually shut my site down because of a vulnerability within it (which the author has since corrected). That was enough to convince me to do my backups manually! Again, welcome back! -kj- Welcome back to the land of the living, Wes! It was painful watching you thrash about on Twitter! :(

I thought SiteGround came with a free blog transfer service. Did they not offer to help with the process?

Having learned the hard way, I now do full monthly backups (MySQL databases AND files) and weekly MySQL db’s only. It’s easy with cPanel, which I’m sure SiteGround is using.

One thing I did learn is that you have to be careful about backup tools. I found a neat plugin that purported to be a one-click backup solution. My host actually shut my site down because of a vulnerability within it (which the author has since corrected). That was enough to convince me to do my backups manually!

Again, welcome back!

-kj-

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