Web Design Discussion

• Do you need to migrate your Joomla 1.0x version to the new 1.5x version?
• Are you having trouble following the instructions provided by Joomla?
• Are you receiving error messages during or after the installation?
• Can’t get knowledgable tech support?

Recently I spent several days trying to migrate a client’s old Joomla site from version 1.0 to 1.5. It’s not a simple upgrade where you just overwrite the files but it’s the migration to a new Joomla version. The old version is going to be phased out. This means you’ll no longer receive free technical support for version 1.0x and/or the extensions may no longer work.

So if still are using Joomla 1.0x it’s time to upgrade (migrate to 1.5 or later version).

Steps to Migrate from Joomla 1.0.x to 1.5

1. Backup your old Joomla site

If your host has cpanel you can use the one click backup that will backup all your files including your database. Alternatively ask your host to do the backup for you. This will save hours of time doing it yourself.

If you wish to do the backup yourself download all the files from the server to your desktop first then create a backup of your database

2. Create a migration file

Download the migrator plugin (migrator_1.5) and install the component on 1.0

“The Migration system only handles the core system in its migration which means that if you want to include third party extension data from other tables you will have to install migrator plugins to handle the migration of this data.”
Source: http://docs.joomla.org/Migrating_from_1.0.x_to_1.5_Stable

Check to see if you need to install any third party plugins. Don’t worry if you skip this step as you can reinstall extensions later that didn’t get migrated.

Go to the components tab in the admin panel of your old site and create the migration sql file. Click “Create Migration SQL file” and download it to your desktop.

3. Install Joomla 1.5x

Download the latest version of Joomla and install it in a new directory on your current domain (e.g. domain.com/NEW/). I recommend a manual install instead of the one click install from cpanel

Unzip the files into a new folder on your computer (name it “NEW”) then drag and drop the whole folder into the root folder of your old site on the server. It may take several hours for all the files to get transferred depending on your internet connection speed. If you experience any errors later it will probably be due to not completely uploading all files to the server.

Alternatively, if your host uses cpanel you may be able to upload and unzip the folder on the server. This will make sure all the files will appear on the server.

4. Upload the migration file

Rename the migration file you downloaded from 1.0x to “migrate.sql” and upload it to the installation/sql/migration folder of your new Joomla site.

5. Create the database

You’ll need a new database for your new site. Login to your web host control panel and click on “mysql databases” Make sure you make a note of the database name, username and password for your database. You’ll need this during the step by step installation of your new site.

6. Step by step installation of Joomla 1.5x

Enter the web address of your new site in the browser (ie domain.com/NEW/) and follow the step by step prompts filling out the required boxes. At step 6 you’ll be asked to fill out the database details.

• Check the box that says “Load Migration Script”
• Enter “jos_” in the box labelled “old table prefix.”
• Check the box that says “This script is a Joomla! 1.0 migration script”
• Click the upload and execute button.
• Once the data has been imported from the old site click “next”
• The screen will jump back to step 6 where you enter your site name and email again
• Press next and a screen will pop up asking to remove the installation directory.
• After removing the installation directory you’ll be able to view your new site and login to the backend.

7. Edit settings on your new site

The core components of your new site will have been updated. Modules on your new site are all set to unpublished. The display positions of the modules and their parameters may have to be redone. Third part components such as banners, images, PDF files, etc will have been transferred.

Template
The template I installed for 1.0x did not work for 1.5x so you’ll need to get the 1.5 version template and upload it to your template folder (your template folder is not transferred during migration).

Login to your old site on the server (do it on another monitor so you can view 2 screens at the same time) and synchronize the settings between both sites. You may have to install new components, modules, etc to match your old site.

8. Replace your old Joomla site

After you’ve made sure your new site matches your old Joomla site replace your old site with the new site by moving all the files and folders from your Joomla folder to the new directory then edit your configuration.php file.

Now when you refresh your browser you’ll see your new Joomla site at it’s new location. If you have problems moving your Joomla to another directory, ask your host for assistance.

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Website owners make a lot of mistakes when choosing a web hosting company. It can be very frustrating if your website is not always online, is slow loading and you don’t receive fast, efficient and knowledgeable technical support. Before choosing a host read through these common mistakes to avoid any future pitfalls.

1. Unlimited space and bandwidth

Web hosting companies often promote this benefit because many websites only need a small amount of space and bandwidth whereas only a few require a large amount. A problem arises when you suddenly need to increase the disk space and bandwidth for your website as it may overload the server. This will cause your website to go off-line as there are too many sites stacked up on the server. You also may be asked to pay additional fees. Avoid Web hosting companies that offer unlimited space and bandwidth.

2. Slow or inefficient technical support

There many technical aspects to hosting a website. Most website owners are not familiar with all the technical knowledge required to run a hosting company. Often you need help setting up your account, installing scripts, databases, creating e-mail accounts, etc. Before selecting a web host check the response times by sending an e-mail or calling them by phone. If they don’t respond immediately or within 24 hours, search for a more reliable one.

3. Server uptime

If your server goes down your website will not be available to the public. Ask your hosting company what is the uptime of their servers. The server should be online at least 99% of the time. 1% downtime is to allow for server upgrades which are done periodically.

4. Slow servers

Search engines now include website loading times as one of the factors for ranking websites. If your website loads slowly it may not receive high rankings. It should load within a few seconds otherwise visitors become impatient and immediately leave. A slow server will cause your web site to load slowly. Once you’ve uploaded your file to the server check your sites loading time before your guarantee expires.

5. No guarantee offered

A reliable web hosting company will offer at least a 30 day or more money back guarantee. This allows you to test the reliability of the company for 30 days. If you don’t receive what was promised when you signed up, consider moving to another web host.

6. Web host domain name

Check the name servers match the domain name of your Web host. The nameservers are where your domain name points to the server of your Web host. A good Web hosting company will own the domain name that matches the name servers. If they don’t match it may mean they are simply an affiliate company and may have limited knowledge about web hosting.

7. Easy to contact

Your web hosting company contact information should be easy to access. Many companies don’t offer phone support because they get overwhelmed by their clients asking the same questions. Instead they’ll include a frequently asked questions section on their website and offer technical support by e-mail. Make sure you read all the information on their website before signing up for a hosting plan.

If you avoid these top 7 web hosting mistakes when selecting a company to host your website files you’ll have less problems and want to stay with the same company for the lifetime of your website.

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How to Choose a Hosting Company That’s Reliable
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Herman Drost is the Certified Internet Webmaster (CIW) owner and author of http://www.DrostDesigns.com.

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Answering these questions will give you a better idea what bandwidth is and why it is important.

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