Okay to import IPB 3 SQL database to IPB 4?

[Connor Hawke]

Hi, I have an SQL database file of an IPB 3 community I ran in 2014 and prior. I have just installed IPB 4. Is it okay to import this database via phpMyAdmin/bigdump or should I have first installed IPB 3 and upgraded to IPB 4 from there?

[Ahmad E.]

First install ipb3 and upgrade then.

[Connor Hawke]

Figured as much. Thanks for the quick response.

[Mark H]

You'd need to install the same version of IP.Board as was used when the site was shut down in 2014, and then upgrade that to version 4.

But you would need more than the database dump to get the site fully resurrected to version 3. In addition to the database, you'd also need your ./uploads/ folder and if you had Blog, Gallery, Content, or Downloads on the old site, you'd also need their respective image folders (./blogs, ./downloads, and ./screenshots folders). If those folders are missing, you'd lose all your post attachments, avatars, gallery images, downloads files and screenshots, etc.

If you do not have any of those folders, you can still get the site up and running with only the database, but as mentioned a lot of content would be missing.

[Connor Hawke]

1 minute ago, Mark H said:

You'd need to install the same version of IP.Board as was used when the site was shut down in 2014, and then upgrade that to version 4.

But you would need more than the database dump to get the site fully resurrected to version 3. In addition to the database, you'd also need your ./uploads/ folder and if you had Blog, Gallery, Content, or Downloads on the old site, you'd also need their respective image folders (./blogs, ./downloads, and ./screenshots folders). If those folders are missing, you'd lose all your post attachments, avatars, gallery images, downloads files and screenshots, etc.

If you do not have any of those folders, you can still get the site up and running with only the database, but as mentioned a lot of content would be missing.

I have a full backup from 2012, not as recent as the most recent SQL backup from 2014. Didn't create a more recent backup before I terminated my hosting account. If it doesn't work out I'll just go with the SQL backup as the uploads weren't crucial anyway.

Thanks again.

[Mark H]

In that case, you may wish to restore that full backup, and then import the database backup over it.

That would get your posts back, up to the point the database dump was made.

Any images submitted between the full backup and the "database-only" backup would be missing, but at least you'd have the older ones. And once done, you can upgrade the entire install to v4.

 

NOTE: The above assumes that the full backup and the database backup were made on the same version of IP.Board, be that 3.4.9, 3.4.8, etc.

If the versions were different it becomes more tricky, but can still be done.

Basically, restore full backup, upgrade site to same version as the "database-only" backup, then import the "database-only" backup over the install.

[Connor Hawke]

8 minutes ago, Mark H said:

In that case, you may wish to restore that full backup, and then import the database backup over it.

That would get your posts back, up to the point the database dump was made.

Any images submitted between the full backup and the "database-only" backup would be missing, but at least you'd have the older ones. And once done, you can upgrade the entire install to v4.

 

NOTE: The above assumes that the full backup and the database backup were made on the same version of IP.Board, be that 3.4.9, 3.4.8, etc.

If the versions were different it becomes more tricky, but can still be done.

Basically, restore full backup, upgrade site to same version as the "database-only" backup, then import the "database-only" backup over the install.

Yeah I was thinking of doing something like that.

 

I was thinking of

- uploading the full backup (IPB 3.3.x)

- upgrading to the latest IPB 3 suite files (IPB 3.4.9)

- importing the latest database backup (something between IPB 3.3.x and 3.4.9, but presumably should be compatible)

- updating the whole thing to IPB 4

 

Only thing is there might've been some major changes between IPB 3.3.x and IPB 3.4.9, and besides the older files that are replaced I'm not sure if it will cause any issues.

 

I'll try it out and see how it goes.

[Mark H]

That's not going to work if the "database-only" backup is not v3.4.9.

If it's an version earlier than 3.4.9, you have to upgrade to the same version as the database-only backup, restore the database, then upgrade. Hope that made sense.

 

[Connor Hawke]

4 minutes ago, Mark H said:

That's not going to work if the "database-only" backup is not v3.4.9.

If it's an version earlier than 3.4.9, you have to upgrade to the same version as the database-only backup, restore the database, then upgrade. Hope that made sense.

 

Oh wow, I didn't realize the version numbers had to match up exactly. For each app too presumably? That makes things a bit more complicated. I can't find anything older than 3.4.9 in the Client Area but fortunately I think I have backups of the older software so I guess I'll have to get those. Is there anywhere to search in the database file to tell which versions of the software were installed? Thanks for the tremendous help btw. Seems like you're saving me a lot of backtracking.

[Mark H]

This is a bit complex to explain, but yes, you do have to match versions exactly.

There's a table in the database backup which tell you what was the currently installed version of each app, when the backup was made.

That table is upgrade_history (or if using a table prefix such as ibf_ its name would be ibf_upgrade_history).

You would query that table then view the results. Each app may have multiple entries, but the entry for the most-recent version (highest number) of each app will be there. You just have to compare them all for each app, then be sure to upgrade from the present version (restored with the full backup) to the versions shown in the table within the "database-only" backup.  So it may be Board 3.4.6, Blog 2.6.2, Downloads 2.5.1, etc.

Once you've done that, then you can upgrade it all to v4.

[Connor Hawke]

3 minutes ago, Mark H said:

This is a bit complex to explain, but yes, you do have to match versions exactly.

There's a table in the database backup which tell you what was the currently installed version of each app, when the backup was made.

That table is upgrade_history (or if using a table prefix such as ibf_ its name would be ibf_upgrade_history).

You would query that table then view the results. Each app may have multiple entries, but the entry for the most-recent version (highest number) of each app will be there. You just have to compare them all for each app, then be sure to upgrade from the present version (restored with the full backup) to the versions shown in the table within the "database-only" backup.  So it may be Board 3.4.6, Blog 2.6.2, Downloads 2.5.1, etc.

Once you've done that, then you can upgrade it all to v4.

Ah, nice one! Yeah, just had a look for that and found that the forum was version 3.4.6. And I can see the other apps in there as well. I'll collect the older software from the dust when I next have access to the relevant external hard drive - pretty sure I have all of the necessary files. If I didn't I would be in trouble. Lesson learned: always make a full backup before you shut down your site! Ha ha. Cheers.