ImpEx not running

[Psychodog Studio]

I installed ImpEx and ran it, and all I've been able to get was a "Connection to source server failed. Check username and password." error message. I'm assuming this means that it's not able to log onto the database that I specified as the source database. However, I've checked the login information a dozen times and it's right.

I found another thread that claims that these problems can happen if the databases are on different servers. Is this true? Because my host (1and1) automatically assigns databases that are usually on different servers. If this is the case, about the only thing I can think of doing is keep registering for databases until two end up on the same server, then erase all the ones that aren't, then copy all the data from my old database into one of the new ones, then import from the one that was copied. But that would take a long time, and I'm not sure if it would even work in theory.

Also, why would the ImpEx configuration file have places for two different servers if they both have to be on the same server?

[Steve Machol]

The error is pretty clear. Either the source db info is wrong, or that server cannot be connected to from your server.

If you cannot get your host to open up that server for remote connections, then your only other option is to make a backup of that database and restore it to the vB server.

The only consistently reliable method of backing up and restoring a database is with shell access via telnet or ssh. This is because backing up with a PHP script like that in the Admin CP or phpMyAdmin can result in PHP timeout errors and an incomplete backup file. Please see the instructions here:

Backup:
http://www.vbulletin.com/docs/html/maintenance_ssh_backup

Restore:
http://www.vbulletin.com/docs/html/maintenance_ssh_restore

If you don't have telnet or SSH access, some people have reported success with these scripts:

MySQLDumper:
http://www.mysqldumper.de/en/index.php

MySQLHotxcopy:
http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showthread.php?t=134821&highlight=mysqlhotcopy

Bigdump:
http://www.ozerov.de/bigdump.php

[Jerry]

Also, why would the ImpEx configuration file have places for two different servers if they both have to be on the same server?

Because they don't have to be and you can have two different users or set of permissions for ImpEx on the same server to two different databases.

I know a lot of people create a read only user (even though ImpEx only ever reads from the source) to the source database and run it against a live source into a test target.

[Psychodog Studio]

Well, it turns out the mistake I had made was even dumber than having the wrong password. Because a lot of the parameters were the same between the source and destination servers, I copied and pasted the target server stuff, then changed all the parameters for source. Of course, I didn't change the part that said 'target' to 'source' and was getting errors.

Who was it that said "It is impossible to make anything foolproof because fools are so ingenious."? :p

Anyway, I did get impex working finally. The only thing is, the database ends up filling up. Is there a way to move over half the database, archive it, then move over the other half?

[Jerry]

Yes I've seen that error before, I think I'll put in a check to ensure all the fields are there even if they are blank as then if they are cut'n'paste'd over it should catch that.

Anyway, I did get impex working finally. The only thing is, the database ends up filling up. Is there a way to move over half the database, archive it, then move over the other half?

Not currently, I'd suggest doing the whole import, then once its done move onto cleaning and organising the site.