Backup Schedule!

[pete]

I plan on doing a complete backup of this website on Saturday, July 3. Anticipate that the forum will be offline an hour or so.

Sorry. Can't give you an exact time, at the moment.

[Groovekiller]

When you backup, does it go "beep, beep, beep?"

[pete]

Hey! I don't weigh THAT much!

:p

[pete]

Backups complete!

[Ed Svoboda]

Thanks!

[Gandalfe]

Yup I saw the down-time notice on the site, nice touch Pete.

[pete]

I am now doing backups on a monthly basis, unless there is a need for an upgrade. The backup is generally done on the first Saturday of the month. I'll still post "the forum is down" messages.

[Ed Svoboda]

thanks!

[pete]

There's a new patch out for the version of vBulletin that we currently use. I plan on making backups and applying the patch this weekend, provided nothing happens to prevent me from doing that. Assume that we'll be down for around 2 hours.

[tictactux]

There's a new patch out for the version of vBulletin that we currently use. I plan on making backups and applying the patch this weekend, provided nothing happens to prevent me from doing that. Assume that we'll be down for around 2 hours.

For a version that is superseded by something newer and shinier, this one appears to be amazingly healthy... ;-)

[pete]

For a version that is superseded by something newer and shinier, this one appears to be amazingly healthy... ;-)
Which is the reason why we're sticking with it :).

FWIW, there will be a new version of vBulletin 4 (that's what SOTW uses). It's version 4.1.5. It's in beta testing. I believe the internal product name is, "I really hope this thing works right, now."

As a small aside, vBulletin 4 introduced the new blogging feature. While that's a kewl idea and all, I think they may have concentrated too much on getting that working, rather than their "bread-and-butter," which is bulletin-board software.

Just an opinion.

[tictactux]

As a small aside, vBulletin 4 introduced the new blogging feature. While that's a kewl idea and all, I think they may have concentrated too much on getting that working, rather than their "bread-and-butter," which is bulletin-board software.
ACK.
That's why I stick with pmwiki as the "cms engine" <cough> behind my web page. Why? Because it just works and does what I need it to do.
And I understand Mark C who sticks with phorum for his BBoard.

There. Now I've outed myself as a functional conservative. A retro nerd, so to speak.

[pete]

ACK.
That's why I stick with pmwiki as the "cms engine" <cough> behind my web page. Why? Because it just works and does what I need it to do.
And I understand Mark C who sticks with phorum for his BBoard.

There. Now I've outed myself as a functional conservative. A retro nerd, so to speak.
No problems, there. I, myself, use Macromedia Dreamweaver MX 2004. I have no real need for a newer version, although I occasionally download the trials.

Sorry, Jim: I also run Win XP on several machines. I've also got EasyPeasy (Linux) on another. EasyPeasy hasn't been updated in about a year -- aside from your standard updates you get with any Debian-based Linux distro.

I would like to get vBulletin 4 installed here, someday, but it's still got too many problems and not enough benefits.

[Gandalfe]

Sorry, Jim: I also run Win XP on several machines. I've also got EasyPeasy (Linux) on another. EasyPeasy hasn't been updated in about a year -- aside from your standard updates you get with any Debian-based Linux distro.No worries here. None. Nadda. Nope.

[pete]

I can say that Win 7 SP1 64-bit is extremely stable on my "main" machine ....

[pete]

Sorry. I'm going to be unable to do the upgrade this weekend. I got wrapped up in a couple home computer issues (translation: wife wants me to fix two things, NOW) and my youngest is havening a birthday party tomorrow.

Next week, then!

[pete]

I'll be doing the upgrade as soon as my final backup file downloads. Estimate is 15-30 minutes after this post.

[pete]

Oh. Wanted to share this, too. These are the official instructions:
Upgrading from a previous version of vBulletin 3

Close your board via the Admin Control Panel.

Upload all files from the 'upload/' folder in the zip, with the exception of 'install/install.php'. Then open the 'upload/includes/' folder. In this you will find config.php.new. You should rename this to config.php and then open it in a text editor.

Open your browser and point the URL to http://www.example.com/forum/install/upgrade.php (where www.example.com/forums/ is the URL of your vBulletin). You should now be automatically forwarded to the appropriate upgrade script and step.

Follow the instructions on the screen. Make sure you click next step or proceed until you are redirected to your Admin Control Panel. Here, you can reopen your board.

For a complete description of how to upgrade from a previous version of vBulletin 3 to the latest version, see the upgrade section of the vBulletin 3 Manual.

Please note that the format for config.php in vBulletin 3.5.x is different from previous versions of vBulletin, and you will need to manually update your config file to the new format. Instructions are here.
Anyone notice a problem? :biggrin:

[pete]

I'll be doing the upgrade as soon as my final backup file downloads. Estimate is 15-30 minutes after this post.
Taking a little longer for the backup. No worries, tho.

[pete]

All updatey. RSVP if you find a problem!

[Gandalfe]

Looking great so far Pete. You gonna give us an answer to your question. Was it accessing the site after instructed to turn it off? :)

[pete]

That's in the directions, Jim. 5th line :P.

Allow me to edit their directions. Items in bold are the needed additions:

Upgrading from a previous version of vBulletin 3

1. Close your board via the Admin Control Panel.
2. Unzip the upgrade file to a folder on your computer.
3. Look for 'install/install.php.' Delete this. You don't want to upload it.
4. Then open the 'upload/includes/' folder. In this you will find config.php.new. You should rename this to config.php and then open it in a text editor.
5. Fill in the blanks in config.php. Save the file.
6. Upload all files from the 'upload/' folder in the zip to the appropriate directories on your webserver (e.g. http://www.example.com/forum).
7. Open your browser and point the URL to http://www.example.com/forum/install/upgrade.php (where www.example.com/forums/ is the URL of your vBulletin). You should now be automatically forwarded to the appropriate upgrade script and step. You will need your vBulletin registration number. (I didn't expect anyone to catch this part. #5 is the one I would expect people to see and say, "I've got the file. Now, what do I do with it?")
8. Follow the instructions on the screen. Make sure you click next step or proceed until you are redirected to your Admin Control Panel. Here, you can reopen your board.

The config.php file has all the config info for your server and it specifies things like users that can't be deleted. This file hasn't changed it's format since vBulletin 3.5, so you could compress the upgrade instructions to, "Delete the files config.php.new and install.php. Upload everything else in the 'upload' folder to your webserver." However, as mentioned above, the instructions don't say what to do with the config.php file, other than open it in a text editor. That's a big-time fail.

==============

I've done documentation for several different companies and I've even had a couple of my instructions published for users, not just for technicians. The idea is to make sure that there's no way to misinterpret the instructions AND you also test each step before you publish. If, at any point, you think, "The user just has to do X. Everyone knows how to do X," the instructions fail.

(As an aside, do the mental exercise of telling someone how to make a PB&J sandwich -- where the person you're talking to doesn't know what the items "peanut butter," "jelly," "bread," "knife," "spoon," or "dishwasher/sink" mean. That's an awful lot of exercise. Most folks fail before even getting the bread out. Those twist-ties are really difficult ....)

(As another aside, this is why I dislike Linux. You might go to a webpage and it says something like, "Install the pbnj package." That's great. Now how, exactly, do I do that?)

vBulletin is based in California. It's not like English is a second language. Additionally, vBulletin is intended for users that have only a bit of technical knowledge.