Unable to migrate forum

Get help with installation and running phpBB 3.3.x here. Please do not post bug reports, feature requests, or extension related questions here.
Post Reply
khabbab
Registered User
Posts: 36
Joined: Tue Apr 19, 2011 12:42 pm

Unable to migrate forum

Post by khabbab »

Hi,

I want to move my phpbb forum from one server to another. I followed this official guide located here https://www.phpbb.com/support/docs/en/3 ... or-domain/

After taking backups from my previous forum, i created a simple phpbb forum on new server. Now i want to restore previous forum. New forum phpbb version is 3.3.4. I think the old forum version was also same but i am not sure. I do not want to go directly to database through phpmyadmin and restore the database because i will have to change DB name, tables names, DB password etc. So i am trying to use the DB backup and restore option in "maintenance" tab of admin control panel of my new forum. Here is the issue i am having:

I go to new forum's Admin control panel and try to restore the database but there is no backup appearing in the restore tab. I know i have to upload the backup to the /store folder inside the phpbb installation directory, which i did. But it seems the folder contents of that backup file are different. My backup folder contains sub folders of "VF", "MySQL" and then files of "mysql.sql-auth.sql", backup_meta_data file as well. The name of the backup file is "backup-2021.09.01_00-00-00_Mywebsite.tar.gz". I also have separate sql backups of database too but the restore tab does not pick the backup as valid backup file. Please see attached screenshot for reference.

PS: The old server has shut down my site, so i am left with only the backup files i have, i cannot access the old server at all.
Attachments
screenshot.JPG
User avatar
janus_zonstraal
Registered User
Posts: 6418
Joined: Sat Aug 30, 2014 1:30 pm

Re: Unable to migrate forum

Post by janus_zonstraal »

The name of the backup file is "backup-2021.09.01_00-00-00_Mywebsite.tar.gz"
Than why do we not see that file in the store folder?

I think making a new database with phpmyadmin and change the config.php file as described in the manuel is much easier.
Sorry! My English is bat ;) !!!
khabbab
Registered User
Posts: 36
Joined: Tue Apr 19, 2011 12:42 pm

Re: Unable to migrate forum

Post by khabbab »

janus_zonstraal wrote: Mon Sep 20, 2021 9:55 am
The name of the backup file is "backup-2021.09.01_00-00-00_Mywebsite.tar.gz"
Than why do we not see that file in the store folder?

I think making a new database with phpmyadmin and change the config.php file as described in the manuel is much easier.
Noted. Let me try the phpmyAdmin method to import the database. Two follow up questions:

1- After i import the database through phpMyAdmin. Where do i find the user name and password for that newly imported database?

2- Every configuration of the forum, plugins info, all settings of the forum they are all stored in database, correct?
User avatar
david63
Registered User
Posts: 20646
Joined: Thu Dec 19, 2002 8:08 am

Re: Unable to migrate forum

Post by david63 »

khabbab wrote: Mon Sep 20, 2021 11:25 am After i import the database through phpMyAdmin. Where do i find the user name and password for that newly imported database?
Only you will know that
khabbab wrote: Mon Sep 20, 2021 11:25 am Every configuration of the forum, plugins info, all settings of the forum they are all stored in database, correct?
99.9% of the time yes - it is possible that an extension may store some of its data outside of the database
David
Remember: You only know what you know and - you don't know what you don't know!

I now no longer support any of my extensions but they will start to become available here
khabbab
Registered User
Posts: 36
Joined: Tue Apr 19, 2011 12:42 pm

Re: Unable to migrate forum

Post by khabbab »

david63 wrote: Mon Sep 20, 2021 11:36 am
khabbab wrote: Mon Sep 20, 2021 11:25 am After i import the database through phpMyAdmin. Where do i find the user name and password for that newly imported database?
Only you will know that
khabbab wrote: Mon Sep 20, 2021 11:25 am Every configuration of the forum, plugins info, all settings of the forum they are all stored in database, correct?
99.9% of the time yes - it is possible that an extension may store some of its data outside of the database
I have the config.php file of old server. It has the user name and password of the database which i will import into new server. The username/password will remain same, right?
User avatar
david63
Registered User
Posts: 20646
Joined: Thu Dec 19, 2002 8:08 am

Re: Unable to migrate forum

Post by david63 »

khabbab wrote: Mon Sep 20, 2021 11:51 am The username/password will remain same, right?
It should be
David
Remember: You only know what you know and - you don't know what you don't know!

I now no longer support any of my extensions but they will start to become available here
khabbab
Registered User
Posts: 36
Joined: Tue Apr 19, 2011 12:42 pm

Re: Unable to migrate forum

Post by khabbab »

When importing the tables into new server through phpMyAdmin, i am getting following error. I think it is due to different version of DB engine? How to resolve it?

Error
Static analysis:

1 errors were found during analysis.

66 values were expected, but found 17. (near "(" at position 11306)

MySQL said: Documentation

#1064 - You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MariaDB server version for the right syntax to use near '' at line 1
Attachments
user-error-screenshot.JPG
User avatar
janus_zonstraal
Registered User
Posts: 6418
Joined: Sat Aug 30, 2014 1:30 pm

Re: Unable to migrate forum

Post by janus_zonstraal »

How did you make the backup from the old database?
Sorry! My English is bat ;) !!!
khabbab
Registered User
Posts: 36
Joined: Tue Apr 19, 2011 12:42 pm

Re: Unable to migrate forum

Post by khabbab »

janus_zonstraal wrote: Mon Sep 20, 2021 3:14 pm How did you make the backup from the old database?
Using export option in phpMyAdmin. I was able to export the data through bigDump, now i am facing the error below. I am certain that i updated the table prefix in config.php file in root of phpbb installation but it is still picking incorrect table prefix from somewhere. Can someone guide which other place the table prefix is mentioned?

Pls see attached.
Attachments
prefix_error.JPG
bigdumpResults.JPG
User avatar
janus_zonstraal
Registered User
Posts: 6418
Joined: Sat Aug 30, 2014 1:30 pm

Re: Unable to migrate forum

Post by janus_zonstraal »

Try to delete the production folder, you find it in the cache folder.
Sorry! My English is bat ;) !!!
khabbab
Registered User
Posts: 36
Joined: Tue Apr 19, 2011 12:42 pm

Re: Unable to migrate forum

Post by khabbab »

janus_zonstraal wrote: Mon Sep 20, 2021 3:39 pm Try to delete the production folder, you find it in the cache folder.
Thanks, now i am able to see the forum loading. But when i try to create a new post, i see this error below.

SQL ERROR [ mysqli ]

Table 'MyDB.phpbb_notification_emails' doesn't exist [1146]

please also see attached. Will i have to do full re-install the phpbb package ?
Attachments
version update.JPG
User avatar
janus_zonstraal
Registered User
Posts: 6418
Joined: Sat Aug 30, 2014 1:30 pm

Re: Unable to migrate forum

Post by janus_zonstraal »

Will i have to do full re-install the phpbb package ?
If you want to loose everything than yes.
Otherwise NO

Just upload the install folder and visit that folder yourboard.com/install and run the database update
Sorry! My English is bat ;) !!!
Post Reply

Return to “[3.3.x] Support Forum”