Duplicating forum from one instance of vBulletin into another

[njkhatri]

I had purchased one license of VB last year for one domain, a.com running VB 3.0.3.

I just purchased another license of VB yesterday for another domain, b.com, running 3.0.7.

Both domains are hosted on same sever.

I have one forum on a.com that I would like to import posts from into b.com, just one time.

I believe I need to use ImpEx for this.

Before I attempt it, I would like to make sure following things:

* a.com is live board and will always be. I can't take it offline neither I can remove all the forums from it. I can't touch it.

* After I import one forum from a.com into b.com, I still need that forum to exist in a.com (That means, first importing all forums into b.com, and then deleting unwanted one in b.com forum. Correct?)

In other words, I just want to duplicate the posts (one time) that exist in a.com currently, into b.com.

Can all that be achived?

I also would like to know why the instructions say 'Make sure you have a 100% completed and working backup of your currently working forums (files and databases). If needed, you can revert back to your previously working version and start over again'

Does it change anything in the source forum, a.com?

And I have already installed the forums on b.com, is that OK?

[Steve Machol]

Importing does not remove or overwrite the original db info. As I sstated in your other thread, the best way to do this is to set up a test forum, import the a.com data to that forum, then remove all the info you do not want to import. After this you can then import the forum info you want to b.com.

[njkhatri]

Thanks.

How do I set up a test forum? Is it just like installing another instance of the forum? Or is it different type of forum?

Any particular reason to first set up test forum and try A-->test-->B route?
What about A-->B? Do you see any issues with that? B forum has been installed but not visible to public yet. Can I not just do A-->B and remove unwanted forums that got imported into B?

[Steve Machol]

You install a test forum just like you install a regular forum.

And yes, assuming these are no duplicated forums you can directly import a.com to b.com then remove anything you don't want.

[njkhatri]

By duplicated forums, do you mean the ones with same 'Title'?

[Steve Machol]

Yes, although on second thought it may not matter.