A few questions...

[shibby2]

I really am computer illiterate, so please talk slow.


I want to convert my current phpBB forum to vB. I would like to first do a 'test' run. I have a fresh copy of vB installed...can I use an old backup (about a month old) of my phpBB forum to test the impex with? I just don't want to mess with the current database at all, incase something goes wrong.

Also, is there anything else I should know before doing this? The database is large, about 1.8 gigs.

I know theres some more questions I have, but this is all I can think of now.

Thanks!

[shibby2]

Well I went and tried to upload the files.

I guess I wanted to do it 'standalone'? I uplaoded them so it's like this:

root/impex/phpBB2/index.html

I go to that page, and it's blank. Am I doing something wrong? I read in the HOWTO thread that you only need to upload the folder of the system youre exporting from (phpBB2 in my case).

Any ideas?

[shibby2]

Alright I have them uploaded properly now. It asked for my customer #, which I supplied. It then said that connection to source database failed.

So it has to be a database that is uploaded to the 'net? I can't just use the backup from my machine?

[Steve Machol]

The database needs to be fully restored to the same server where you are running vB.

[shibby2]

So theres really no way to do a 'test' run first. Because I dont want to take the live forum down, and it would be so hard to upload another backup of it, since it's so large (took weeks to get my host to do it last time).

Great.

[Steve Machol]

Of course you can test run an import. Why did you think my response implied otherwise?

[shibby2]

I mean, in my case, I guess I cant. I have two databases on the server now; my phpBB forums, and the vB forums. I'm not even sure if I'm allowed to have more than 2 DBs...and like I said, I have a hard time getting them uploaded to the server since theyre so large. I dont want to use the current one, because I dont want members to get mad that it's down.

[Steve Machol]

Have you confirmed with your host that you can only have two databases? I've never heard of that restriction before.

[shibby2]

I'm not entirely sure, but even if I can have more than 2, like I said, it's so large that they'd have to do it for me (since they dont allow shell access) and that can take forever. Last time it took them a couple weeks to getting around to just doing it, and then the process itself took a long time, and with a lot of problems. Plus they charge $50 to do it.

I dont know what to do now.

[Steve Machol]

If you want to do this as a test first, then there is no other option. You will need to use another database.

[shibby2]

If i shut down my live forum and try the import, if something happens to go wrong, will the live forum's databse be affected at all? Guess what I'm asking is, can it be damaged at all by the import? So if the import doesnt go well or something, can I just open the forum back up again for people to use again?

[Steve Machol]

Yes it can get messed up which is why we recommend trying a test import first. At the very least you should make a good backup of the database.