Migrating phpbb forum from host to host

You will need to backup the database and files and transfer them.

Here's a basic outline:

1) Download all the files through FTP.

2) Backup the database (if it's really big it may need to be done through SSH, if not you can get an SQL dump from something like phpMyAdmin or the phpBB feature. Non-shell options are unreliable for large databases).

3) Upload the files on the new host.

4) Create a database and restore the data there (through SSH or your DB Admin tool).

5) Edit config.php to reflect the details of your new database (password etc).

Good points - I think I missed-up on points 4 and 5 a little, but eventually got it squared away.

Craven:

Your instructions are very clear. I have followed them exactly as laid out and I get errors when importing. When I try importing to a new database that I created on the new server (or am I doing something wrong here) I get the following errors:

==================================
Database clubafri_phpBBForums running on localhost
Error

SQL-query :

CREATE DATABASE `phpBB-Forums` DEFAULTCHARACTER SET latin1 COLLATE latin1_swedish_ci

MySQL said:

You have an error in your SQL syntax. Check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'DEFAULT CHARACTER SET latin1 COLLATE latin1_swedish_ci' at line
Back
==================================

My old server runs: phpMyAdmin 2.6.1 and MySQL 4.1.7 - globat.com
My new server runs: phpMyAdmin 2.4.0 and MySQL 4.0.16 - ipowerweb.com

I have a feeling there is an incompatibility issue here. I have notified ipowerweb and the issue has been bumped up to their databse people.

Meanwhile, If you have encountered the same problem before, perhaps you could shed some light into it...

Thanks for your help.

Your SQL shouldn't attempt to create a database, use iPowerweb's vDeck control panel to create the database and db user.

Then use the sql dump to create and populate the tables in the database.

To do what I described you might need to remove the database creation from your sql.

If this is a mission critical website it might be time to let someone who is familiar with databases do it, see if the ipowerweb folk will help.

Thanks Craven, I will let them deal with it.