Using a Vbulletin database backup from another forum for a new 3.8

[The Ayatollah]

Is there a way to use a Vbulletin 3.7 database from a forum that you no longer have anything else for as the database for a new vbulletin version 3.8 with different domain name?

[Lynne]

You can use it, but you will have to run the upgrade.php script on it and then change all the variables in the vboptiosn > site name/options area. And change all the attachment/avatar/etc paths if you are storing those as files. I'd suggest taking it for a test run first on a test site.

[the stig]

I'd def like to know more. OP, please tell us how it works out following Lynns advice. I plan on doing this in near future.

[The Ayatollah]

I'll keep you posted.

[Michael.A]

i did that 2 day a go and it works but there was bracken links is the styles that i head to fix..
i renamed my upload folder from forums to coderz here is the dome.
http://coderz4life.com/coderz/forum.php

[The Ayatollah]

So far, this has not worked. Error messages abound, and it's likely because of several aftermarket products that were installed. Flashchat was the first stumbling block

http://saveourstate.info/

[Lynne]

Did you try disabling all your plugins in your config.php file first? That may help.
Note: To temporarily disable the plugin system, edit config.php and add this line right under <?php

define('DISABLE_HOOKS', true);

[The Ayatollah]

no luck so far, but my webhost is not well versed in Vbulletin. He's given me access to the database and ftp, so I'm going to solicit some help here from a more experienced coder. hopefully I can afford enough to get it up.

[snakes1100]

Uninstall the who's chatting hack.

[The Ayatollah]

I think there is a failure here,

I've got the file opened in PHPMyAdmin, and under USERS, there are not any users. The file is empty save for the new administrator

[Lynne]

vbulletin uses the 'user' table, not a 'users' table.

[The Ayatollah]

vbulletin uses the 'user' table, not a 'users' table.
Yes Ma'am. The only user appears there is the new admin

--------------- Added 1255656503 at 1255656503 ---------------

I opened the DB in a text editor, and it appears the User tables are not there. Looks like they weren't backed up. probably a timeout, although it sure seemed to have represented a complete back up though. I see the same thing in a couple of my other VBuletin DB backups too, and they're smaller

[Lynne]

There are several other tables listed in the database after the user table - are they there? You are trying an upgrade on this database, correct? You didn't accidentally do an install instead of an upgrade, did you (that would wipe the user table)?

[The Ayatollah]

There are several other tables listed in the database after the user table - are they there? You are trying an upgrade on this database, correct? You didn't accidentally do an install instead of an upgrade, did you (that would wipe the user table)?
No; It clearly ends during the "insert post values".

Do you think I can still import some of it via impex or another way, or is it lost

[Lynne]

It stops after the post table (or during it)? That means you are even missing the thread table. I don't think you can do a thing with that database - you are missing all thread info and all user info.

[The Ayatollah]

It stops after the post table (or during it)? That means you are even missing the thread table. I don't think you can do a thing with that database - you are missing all thread info and all user info.
Yeah, it's during it. As mentioned many of my backups initiated from other than the server ended up like that, and they aren't even as large. Just seems like they quit after a certain point, and usually prior to user tables. The Vbulletin back-up kind of indicated that it had completed though. Needless to say, I'm going to look into that for future use. But for now, the original plan is scrubbed. I may have another copy on my backup harddrive that's complete, but that's down the road for now. Thanks for your help Lynne

[DeanLag]

Do you still have access to the old database?
If you have SSH access, you can mysql newdatabase < backup_databse.sql

I sent you an email if you still can't figure it out and maybe I can have a look (:

[The Ayatollah]

Have discovered an interesting, but frightening thing,

It appears that my back-up drive and program are somewhat carniverous in a manner of speaking.Several files have befallen the same fate as my vbulletin backups, but I have been finding them in partiality on the back up drive. It may be that the remains I'm looking for are there, but the files have been separated. Another program, Paperport, has files missing from my hard drive, but have been located on the back up. I've got some investigating to do, but there most definately is some of the missing portions of the Vbulletin back-up on the external backup drive. Also, everyone may want to take particular note as to what their backup drive is actually backing up. I've already made some adjustments to include files I had thought already being backed up, but were not

[Lynne]

Also, everyone may want to take particular note as to what their backup drive is actually backing up. I've already made some adjustments to include files I had thought already being backed up, but were not
Very good advice. If you store attachments/avatars/profile pics/sig pics in the file system, then they are NOT backed up when you do a database backup!!!! You MUST back them up using an alternate method (I posted a cron job in the mods section that I use to backup those files for my site).

[The Ayatollah]

OK, so I have a complete database back up from the old forum now, but we have been using the new one for a couple years now. Here are a couple of questions:

The old one was .org, and the new one .info, is there a problem with this?

The old one has several users that have registered using the same name and email address.

There will be overlapping dates of use/posts since the old forum didn't quit accepting posts until a half year or more after the other one had started

Can these obstacles be overcome?

Ideally it would be best if I could have two separate parts of the forum for old and new stuff

[The Ayatollah]

Bump?