Php Forum Upgrade

[buggurl]

I must have an old version of phpbb because my forum keeps getting hacked. Does anyone know how to upgrade from an older version while keeping all my data intact? Help!

[abinidi]

Hi buggurl,

 

Welcome to the forums.

 

The latest version of phpBB is 2.0.20. If you aren't runing 2.0.20, you'll need to download the latest version from phpBB and upgrade.

 

Don't worry. You won't lose your data.

 

A few things to remember:

 

1. When you are making your upgrade, you should first revert to the default theme. Not all themes are compatible with later versions.

 

2. It might be best if you lock your board (there is a one-check box setting for disabling your board in the admin panel) while you do the upgrade. This won't be for more than 15 minutes, hopefully, and it will keep your users out of the system while you are removing and updating files.

 

3. The instructions for upgradinging are included with the download package. You can get the download package from:

 

http://www.phpbb.com/downloads.php

 

4. If you are running phpBB version 2.0 or later, then the best option is probably to download the Changed Files version.

 

You'll download this file and then extract it using file extraction software. (This is built into Windows XP, so if you are using Win XP, you can just double-click the file to open it.) You'll get a bunch of files including some more compressed files. You'll need to extract the compressed file that corresponds to the version of phpBB you are currently running. For example, if you are running 2.0.15, then you'll want to extract the "2.0.15 to 2.0.20 file". (Filenames aren't exact. You'll have to download it and you'll see which ones I mean.)

 

5. Then look for an upgrade instruction file included in the extracted files. That will tell you exactly what to do. Basically you're going to delete files on your server. (Be careful to follow the directions exactly. Your data is all stored in the database, so you won't ruin that, but if you aren't careful you might delete your configuration file or your theme/mod files.) Then you'll upload the new files to your sever, and you'll go to a page (also in the instructions) that will update your database structure and get you off to the latest version.

 

If you get stuck, post back and somebody here will be able to help you, hopefully.

[TCH-Thomas]

What Paul says.

 

And welcome to the forum, buggurl.

[TCH-Tim]

If you installed it through cPanel, you can upgrade it through cPanel by going to Scripts Library --> phpBB, and selecting your installation from the list. It's version 2.0.19, which is one version back from the latest, but it's better than what you have if you can't figure out how to upgrade it to 2.0.20 yourself.

[buggurl]

Hey everyone!

 

Thanks for your help! I got far enough with v.2.0.20 that I needed to execute a command (which I have no idea how to do) <<patch -cl -d [phpBB DIRECTORY] -p1 < [PATCH NAME].>> So....It was a great relief to me to just install v.2.0.18 from cPanel. Yay! I might re-visit the idea of upgrading to v.2.0.20 when I learn a little bit more, but as for now, the crisis has ended. Hopefully no more hacks for a while. Thanks again everyone!

[buggurl]

AHHH!!! I completed the ugrade, but one of my forum topic areas is completely missing! I have no idea what happened to. Somebody from Tech Support fixed the hacking problem and then I installed the upgrade from the Script section. How do I get it back?

[TCH-Bruce]

Welcome to the forums buggurl

 

You could open a ticket with the help desk and they can possibly restore your database. Of course depending on when the backup was made you will probably lose some posts.

 

Before making any changes like upgrades you should make a backup.

[buggurl]

Thanks...I made a backup (I think that's what it is) called phpbb2[1].sql.zip (824.09KB). I have no idea if that will work, though.

[TCH-Thomas]

To make a backup of the database, please do this:

 

1) In cpanel, find "Backup" and click it.

 

2) Scroll down to the section "Download a MySQL Database Backup"

 

3) Below this line there should be one or several clickable links (your databases), *please click the one you want downloaded and save to your computer.

 

Also, its good to backup all other files on a regular basis. To do this, please:

 

1) In cpanel, find "Backup" and click it.

 

2) Scroll down to the section "Home Directory".

 

3) Below this line there should be one clickable link "Download a home directory Backup", please click it and all files inside the public_html will be downloaded to your computer.

 

 

* = Don´t know what your forum database is named.

[buggurl]

Perfect! Thanks; I made a backup of my database.

 

I am having another problem now. My database has been restored (thanks tech support!), but now I do not have the option to select a directory to upgrade in the scripting section. My directory is called 'cheval'. It is listed under "Modify an existing Installation" and "Remove an existing Installation", but not under "Upgrade an existing Installation" like it was before the problems. So, I am still running the old version with all the problems. I could try manually installing the newest version, but I don't know how to execute a command line. Can anyone help?

[cajunman4life]

That's very odd... I've never seen something that prompted me to run a command from the command line... I don't use phpBB anymore, but when I did 2.0.20 was the last version I upgraded to. What step was it on when it told you to execute that command?

[TCH-Bruce]

If they just restored the database and not the other files for the forum it is quite likely that cPanel believes your forum is at the current version offered.

 

I would check the phpBB.com site and download the current updates and apply the patches manually.

[TCH-Don]

And welcome to the forum, buggurl.

[TCH-JimE]

Welcome to the forum Buggurl

 

its possible to do the patch via a command line, but its best doing it very the easy to use download version that phpBB provides.

 

If you still have problems, give us a shout

 

JimE