License holder no longer around, update needed
 

Hi, I just wanted to confirm that we are out of luck?
Currently on vBulletin 4.2.0 and wanting to update to 4.2.5.
But the person with the vBulletin site password/license passed away some years ago and we no longer have access to that license information.

1) So we are out of luck, there is no way to download the 4.2.5 update, is that correct?

2) If so, we will be forced to purchase a vBulletin 5 license as 4 is no longer available?

3) And if that happens, how good are our chances of a rookie admin updating our site from 4.2.0 to 5.x without losing any data/members/threads/pics/etc?

Thanks,
-Eddie

When you purchase the new vB5 license, you will then also have access to download previous versions all the way back to 3.8, at my last check.

So you can get the very latest version of vB4 and use it. You will not need to even download vB5 at all.

Stay away from vB5 at all costs.Why?

I would only add, upgrading to any new vB version can be very hard, depending on how customized installation is. It can be a task to admire even for more seasoned admins, let alone rookie ones.

But, you can try to contact support and explain situation, provide evidences you have and they might give you access, you never know.

And, before you try to do upgrade, do it on test site, to see what's going on, never try to do update on live site before test run.

I was going to say we got hacked recently and were told the update would have prevented the hack.
And I read somewhere the update also includes a more mobile friendly webpage.

Then I looked down at the bottom of THIS forum and see this:

LMAO I guess updates may not be as critical as I thought? :D

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Thank you for the advice.

That's good to hear.
And sounds logical. Thanks!

--------------- Added [DATE]1526067418[/DATE] at [TIME]1526067418[/TIME] ---------------

I guess my other responses are pending admin approval.

Which brings back my question of why.

Why the need to "upgrade" if everything is working well?

The best reason is there has been a multitude of security fixes. Not installing the latest version leaves them open to known security problems.

That and PHP 5.6 is being deprecated so vBulletin 4.x users need the latest version because it is the only one that is compatible with PHP 7.1.

VB 4.2.0 probably isn't even running under PHP 5.6.0. It's official max version was PHP 5.3.x. Even under PHP 5.4.x there would have been problems with VB 4.2.0. I'm amazed such a site is still working.

Mine runs like a champ, v4.2.0 patch level 2. Never a problem.

Of course, my host hasn't upgraded php ever, either. Not in the 11 years I've had the service.

I also have a v3.8.7 working like a well-oiled machine, never any problems there.

I've read all the material regarding the security patches, never saw one that looked at all likely as a threat. So, never upgraded.

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaa? :erm:

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa? :eek:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPkOPnmMpH0

OP: vBulletin 5 is fine IF you don't have any custom mods you rely on, it works fine as a normal forum, members may say vB5 seems slower too compared to vB4 but I haven't checked or compared speed in quite a while tbph.

Still waiting for my other responses to show up?!?

Anyhow, our board got hacked not long ago and we were told the 4.2.5 update would have prevented the hack from happening.

The board runs smooth though.
The AdminCP is a little odd.
A few of the links don't take you to the tool but instead give a message like the one below when clicking the "Import" option in AdminCP:

Thank you to everyone who has responded with suggestions/opinions so far. :up:

There was only one and no need to approve it as you already re-stated the same in a reply there after :cool:.

That depends on how it was actually hacked. Granted running vB 4.2.5 and running PHP7.1 is preferred.

Don't click on the import link, that is from Impex and that means someone long ago imported your forums from another software into vBulletin. Impex should be fully removed (seems they removed most of the files but not the cpnav ones). If you don't know what some of this is, don't go clicking around at all before you run a full database backup or simply ask your host to copy the site and create a test site (then you can blow it up if you wish and the live site is left intact :cool:).

Thank you.
Yes, I'm treading very carefully right now since I'm a newbie and our contact ability with the hosting services is very iffy.
I doubt I could get a test site created.
So other than the update, all I want to do is add Tapatalk once the db guy adds support in the config for modules.

vBulletin 5 is pretty fast as long as you use PHP 7+ with OPCache.

So I take it the hosting is under the former owners name as well, since he's passed I would check for FTP access - you can then run a backup of the sites files and database via something like MySQLDumper or similar. If you don't find a way to backup, once the hosting contract expires and/or the domain expires you'll be sitting with no forum to visit so please be sure to find a way to copy the site so at least another forum with years worth of posts isn't canned per say.

How do you click "like" here? I don't seem to have that option?
Heck, I can't even view the picture I just uploaded.
It says I don't have permission. lol :D

Ahh, I bet it has something to do with this:

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I just got FTP access today!

The folder structure looks to be a serious mess.
This site has changed software & versions a few times it looks like.
It took me some time just to find the config.php.

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll start researching how to do a full backup.
I'm worried about doing something that will either slow down the site during the backup or piss off the hosting site if I download so much at once.