How to Move Forum to another site/server ?
 

I have a forum running 3.8.4, with a database of 385MB (extracted).

I took a backup of the database (via the AdminCP) to an .sql file (385MB).
I copied all the vBulletin folders and files to my harddrive.

I need to change hosting/server, so I arranged for that.

I then use Plesk to create a new MYsql database.
I then used the Sql PhpAdmin facility to IMPORT the data from my exported .sql file to the database.
Apart from the fact that I had to physically break the .sql file into many pieces, because the total was just too large to accomplish in one pass.
So I broke the file up (using a text editor) into about 12 pieces, and then imported each of them. This all finished successfully.
I can now look at the database (via Plesk PhpAdmin)... all the tables are there,
and they all seem to have the correct number of records.

I then FTP over all my backup vBulletin files/folders to the new server.
Again, successful.

So when I try to visit the site, I see there are no forums displayed... but I do have 30 of them in the database.
Also, when I login as Administrator, I do not see anything of value in the "Options" "drop-down" list. And all the "Administrator" items don't exist either.
I didn't bother to look at any other items... I just know something is WRONG.

What did I do wrong ?

What should I do to fix things?

Thanks for any and all help.

Ask your hosting provider to import the sql file via ssh.

They will be more then willing to do so for you. I think you might have missed a section of the sql code.

You will also have to change the path to the forum root in the conf file.

Thanks for the suggestion.
I have asked my hosting company to do as you ask.

In the meantime, I have been able to get things going, by doing a little
more work myself.
First, I verified that all the tables in my extract/backup were actually imported
into the database. Hmmmmm.... I was missing 2 tables. So I imported that data.
Then I did a "Repair" tables, and a "Re-Index".
That fixed things... we can now use the forum.

BUT (of course, there is always a "but")... my Admin Control Panel has some
"Strange" things.
I am attaching a screen shot of a sample of it.

Notice that some of the Left Menu bar items have asterisks surrounding them.
Yet, I am able to invoke those items.
Notice that quite a few of the phrases are absent... they are just not being displayed.
Some of these are associated with listboxes, some with radio buttons,
some should appear between two "brackets" ("[]").
Also, although none show on this screen shot, some Button faces are blank/empty,
so I don't know what they are supposed to do.

I think there are some "phrases" missing... yet when I look at the "phrases"
table, and I compare the extracted file which I reloaded from,
there are 10931 phrases in both.

So obviously there are some other things missing.

I have reloaded 159 tables. I don't receive any messages about any tables missing.

Any thoughts on what is still missing (or incomplete).

I really appreciate the help.

Just to update....

I got a "tip" from someone on the vBulletin.com forum.

He suggested I re-import /install/vbulletin-language.xml

So I did.

Voila.... my problems with Admin CP are fixed.

Hooboy.

Thanks