Switching Hosts
 

I'm looking to switch from my current host to a hostgator server. I'm not sure how to switch servers without losing my site. How would I go about switching servers without losing my sites content?

To move servers:
1. Backup database, make sure its complete
2. Move files to new server
3. Import database to new server
4. Change config files to database on new server
5. Point nameservers to new server

The host that I'm currently on doesn't seem to have an option for doing a database backup :(
I saw something about telnet/ssh, would that be the route I have to take? I downloaded the folder that was on my current host and uploaded it to my new server. I also changed the name servers. Would I create a new database with my new host and change the config file to that?

Yes, create a new database and change the config file to that. You need to get a database backup, try getting back into your old vb and doing one from admin cp.

See also: Moving Servers

If you have a lot of data and are not really sure of what you are doing you might want to pay someone to do it. There are lots of people who will do it and it isn't too expensive.

I downloaded all the files from my server. I created a database backup from my admincp. Luckily it wasn't a huge file because I had actually just rebuilt my site because it got hacked and destroyed a week ago. The main problem that I'm having now is the ssh of the database. For some reason I can't log into the ssh program. It keeps saying that it's the wrong password when it's not. I tried the password logging into my ftp client as well as my host cpanel and both worked. I even had my password changed and tried that and it's still saying that it's the wrong password. I have no clue why. It's holding up the entire process.

hostgator will move your forum over for you, i know they've just done it for me:)

Really? Hmm, I did not know that.

For real? Hmm... hey just make sure you sign up with a host that will give your money back and do not shut down your current site until you know it's up and running.