Errors importing old database to fresh install

[Nat47]

Here is my situation:
I have a database from my site that used to work correctly. I was in the process of upgrading to a different server, and the import won't work. So, I have made a local test server. I was able to install vB and everything fine. However, when I imported the database, the links (such as seen on the right hand side) always link to wrong threads. Secondly, some threads have a user that posted the original thread, and the thread is viewable from the forum page, however when you click the link you get directed to the post reply page. When you click post, nothing happens and it states an error. Additionally, when you click the user's name that started one of these threads, it gives an error saying that the user isn't registered, although the user does exist in the database and does appear in the members list when viewed in vB.

Is this an error in database formatting or what? Should this be fixed through SQL or is there a way to fix it through impex/admincp?

Secondly, I have an error with the theme. The color scheme shows up fine, and the layout is fine, however none of the images are present you only get the broken image placeholder. The image file exists and is in the correct directory. What is likely the problem here?

[Zachery]

You should never be installing vBulletin to restore the database. You just restore the database to a clean database.

[Lynne]

Additionally to what Zachery said, you shouldn't be importing to upgrade or all your links WILL break. You need to move your database and then run the upgrade.php script on that database.

[Nat47]

Technically we were just moving servers, and not really upgrading, but now that I looked, we're going from 4.2.0 to 4.2.1. Is that going to make a big difference and cause those problems I mentioned in the OP?

EDIT: Actually, the old Administration of the site had attempted to restore this database onto the site, which is currently 4.2.0. So, the version shouldn't be the issue here. What else can cause this problem?

[Zachery]

If you're just moving servers: http://www.vbulletin.com/docs/html/moving_servers?manualversion=40200603

[Nat47]

If you're just moving servers: http://www.vbulletin.com/docs/html/moving_servers?manualversion=40200603

Here's the story. There was a vBulletin forum. The VPS it was running on was accidentally wiped, and the Previous administration had only one local (not on the vps) backup of the site. They didn't seem to want to invest the time to figure out how to get the old Database back, and so they sold the site. However, before selling the site, they started a completely new version of the site. There are a couple thousand posts on the site now. I bought the site, and I want to get the old DB to merge into the new one (that's currently running live).

The live data on the site is completely new, although the forums are the same .

In order to fix it, I've got a (Local) test site set up. I installed vBulletin, and then used ImpEx to merge a dump of the live site. It worked fine. Then I tried to merge the OLD DB (with the live site dump), and it didn't work.

[Lynne]

What happened when you tried to ImpEx the old database into the test site?

[Nat47]

What happened when you tried to ImpEx the old database into the test site?

It imported. It worked fine from the ImpEx standpoint, no errors really.. Just took forever (obviously)... however, all of the links are broken on finished site.

[Lynne]

Links to what? If they are links to threads or users or anything like that, then yes, they will be broken. Or, if they are links to the old site, then yes, that will be broken also. Did you use the cleaner script after you ran ImpEx?

[Nat47]

Links to what? If they are links to threads or users or anything like that, then yes, they will be broken. Or, if they are links to the old site, then yes, that will be broken also. Did you use the cleaner script after you ran ImpEx?

Really? All the links are supposed to be broken? How come?

Here's the way that they are broken: When you click, say, the announcements forum and enter into /announcements, all of the threads you see look correct. However, once you click the thread you're sent to a completely different thread with the wrong url title.

We did run the maintenance > rebuild thread info.

How would I go about fixing links?

[Zachery]

Disable vbseo.

[Nat47]

Disable vbseo.

It isn't installed on the local test copy...

[Zachery]

Your URLS say otherwise...

[Nat47]

Your URLS say otherwise...

What about my urls say that? vbSEO really isn't installed on our local test machine. vbSEO doesn't effect the database does it? I thought everything was stored in an xml file?

I know vbSEO was installed on the old site (that I'm trying to merge). However, vbSEO is also installed on the live site, and the live site sql dump that I merged worked fine. It was when I merged the old DB in that things got messed up.

[Lynne]

Everything is stored in the database, not an xml file.

In default vbulletin, you cannot enter into "/announcements" - that would not be a valid URL. You would need to be using vBSEO in order for that to be a valid link.

[Nat47]

Everything is stored in the database, not an xml file.

In default vbulletin, you cannot enter into "/announcements" - that would not be a valid URL. You would need to be using vBSEO in order for that to be a valid link.

Okay, so the databases probably have vBseo on them, but my TEST site doesn't have the plugin installed. Should I install it?

[Lynne]

If you want your links to work on your test site, then yes, you would need to install vbseo there.

[Nat47]

If you want your links to work on your test site, then yes, you would need to install vbseo there.

I installed it. I imported an xml file, but its still messed up. It didn't seem to change anything.

[Lynne]

Installing vbseo does not just involve importing an xml file. I suggest you read over on their site exactly the steps you need to take to install it. You will need to have mod_rewrite enabled on your localhost in order to use vbseo.