Fresh install but wanting to use existing database... how can I do this?

[floridahsfootball]

So I am going to do a fresh install, but I want to restore everyone's posts and user accounts. However when I go to do a fresh install it will not let me hook into the existing database I have. I am confused. I don't want to lose a decade's worth of posts and users. Any ideas?

[Randy Calvert]

If you have your original conf_global.php file you can use that along with the regular files from the client area. You might have to fix some values in the file if the domain changed etc but it should have all of the settings for the database. 

Otherwise just install IPB into a different (temp) DB and let it do its normal vanilla install. Once done edit the conf_global.php file to change the MySQL database to the original good one. 

As a best practice, make sure you have a backup of your good database just to be 110 percent safe. 

Also I’m assuming you’re installing the same version of IPB that matches the database. If the files installed are a newer version, you’ll need to run domain.com/admin/upgrade to update the DB to match the web files. 

Edited November 8, 2022 by Randy Calvert

[opentype]

What exactly are you trying to achieve? If you want to use existing content, it will not be “fresh install”. 

All you would achieve is clear up the file system. But then again, that wouldn’t require any installation. You could just remove everything but the uploaded directory and upload the core files again. 

[Marc Stridgen]

The first questino that needs to be answered here is why? As mentioned above, there are very very few circumstances where this would be advisable, and that is only generally when there is an install that is not recoverable in any other way, and advised by ourselves to do so

[floridahsfootball]

15 hours ago, Marc Stridgen said:

The first questino that needs to be answered here is why? As mentioned above, there are very very few circumstances where this would be advisable, and that is only generally when there is an install that is not recoverable in any other way, and advised by ourselves to do so

The software failed and hence why I am doing a fresh install as I cannot upgrade the php where the original forum was located at. The only way I could get everything moved to PHP 8.1 was create a subdomain of the main domain and handed it PHP 8.1 out of the gate.

[Jim M]

13 minutes ago, floridahsfootball said:

The software failed and hence why I am doing a fresh install as I cannot upgrade the php where the original forum was located at. The only way I could get everything moved to PHP 8.1 was create a subdomain of the main domain and handed it PHP 8.1 out of the gate.

Little confused by what you mean by the software failed and the resolution you’re attempting here. Could you please clarify what error you’re receiving?

[floridahsfootball]

I received a total failure of software on the original software which was updated up to the point before the latest update which required PHP 8.0 to be a part of it. Everything was working through Saturday and my logs were not receiving any error codes as to why the board software just stopped working. I tried everything and I was suggested that I do a clean install of the software instead. The only way I could do that was to basically setup a subdomain running the latest PHP because the folder I had the forums in was not able to upgrade due to the server not being able to move to PHP 8 due to other software on the same domain not being PHP 8 ready as of yet and figuring how to get it to that point without breaking my entire website (which is a WordPress ran website). 

3 minutes ago, Jim M said:

Little confused by what you mean by the software failed and the resolution you’re attempting here. Could you please clarify what error you’re receiving?

 

[Jim M]

The errors you mentioned in your topic at the link below are errors with the software connecting to the database, as both my colleague and I mentioned. You would not want to re-install the software. You would simply need to contact your hosting provider, give them the database connection details you’re using in the conf_global.php file and ask them why there is a connection issue and if the user there has full permissions to the database.

 

[floridahsfootball]

I tried contacting my server and they told me there was nothing they could do at all. 

1 minute ago, Jim M said:

The errors you mentioned in your topic at the link below are errors with the software connecting to the database, as both my colleague and I mentioned. You would not want to re-install the software. You would simply need to contact your hosting provider, give them the database connection details you’re using in the conf_global.php file and ask them why there is a connection issue and if the user there has full permissions to the database.

 

 

1 minute ago, Jim M said:

The errors you mentioned in your topic at the link below are errors with the software connecting to the database, as both my colleague and I mentioned. You would not want to re-install the software. You would simply need to contact your hosting provider, give them the database connection details you’re using in the conf_global.php file and ask them why there is a connection issue and if the user there has full permissions to the database.

 

I also can confirm that my user and database had the full permission as well. I had just moved everything over to a new server which could this cause this issue even though it happened weeks after a move?

[Jim M]

4 minutes ago, floridahsfootball said:

I also can confirm that my user and database had the full permission as well. I had just moved everything over to a new server which could this cause this issue even though it happened weeks after a move?

The number one thing to check would be that everything with the connection is the same. Typically, in a server move there may be slight differences or maybe a user account in the database changed during this process or is there but no longer valid. It is your hosting provider or server administrator’s responsibility to provide you with valid connection details to connect to your database if you do not have managed support with your hosting provider, it may time to invest in it if you are not comfortable with this process (or take a look at our Cloud platform and never have to worry about this again 🙂 ). Check all details from the host name, port, socket, database name, database user and password are critical when changing servers/hosting providers.

If all the host, port, socket, and database name are correct. I’d try creating a new database user, giving them full access to the database and re-inserting the database username and password in the conf_global.php so you know 100% everything is correct.

[Marc Stridgen]

We would need to look further into this for you, however the access details on file appear to be incorrect or missing. Could you please update these details by visiting your client area, selecting the relevant purchase, then clicking "Review/Update Access Information" under the "Stored Access Information" section. 

Lets see if we can get more information we can get passed on here. Trying to move to a new install i really not the right way to go here, and is likely to lead to more issues

 

[floridahsfootball]

12 hours ago, Marc Stridgen said:

We would need to look further into this for you, however the access details on file appear to be incorrect or missing. Could you please update these details by visiting your client area, selecting the relevant purchase, then clicking "Review/Update Access Information" under the "Stored Access Information" section. 

Lets see if we can get more information we can get passed on here. Trying to move to a new install i really not the right way to go here, and is likely to lead to more issues

 

I have updated the information in my center. If that still does not work please let me know. I am having some major struggles right now with everything and now after everything working this morning, when I load up my forums everything comes up with a white page and nothing else.

Also tried to do the recovery mode with a constants.php file and that does not work at all. This is so frustrating. My server company is being of no help to me despite the fact I pay for additional services.

[Marc Stridgen]

If you are getting a white screen, you need to check your server error logs to see what error is being registered first of all.

[floridahsfootball]

I have some great news to update you all with! First, I got everything back into the original directory (and reset the license key back as well) and got everything updated and my forums are back up and live in full functionality!

Also discovered what caused the whole problem and it was inflicting other parts of my website and got it removed and things have been running so much smoother since about 4 PM ET today. 

[Gary]

Really happy it has all worked out for you, @floridahsfootball!

If something else comes up, please don't hesitate to get in touch with us.