vBulletin Manual - Running the vBulletin Upgrade Script

Once you have uploaded the files to upgrade your vBulletin installation, point your browser to http://www.yourdomain.com/pathtoforums/install/upgrade.php. The first thing you will see from the upgrade script is a login prompt, asking you to enter your Customer Number. This is done to prevent other users from accidentally stumbling across your upgrade script and running it. Only you should know your Customer Number. The screen will look like this:

When you have entered your customer number, hit the [Enter Upgrade System] button and you should be taken to the first step of the install script. If after hitting the [Enter Upgrade System] button you are brought back to the customer number entry dialog, there was an error verifying your customer number. Please check for mistakes and try again.

Note:

Your Customer Number is the string of numbers and letters used as the login user name for the vBulletin Members' Area and is supplied via email following your purchase. If you have deleted this email and need to recover your Customer Number, please visit this link:

https://members.vbulletin.com/lostpw.php?do=lostcustomerid

You should type your customer number carefully to avoid errors. Note that your customer number is not the same as your vBulletin license number.

The only reasons the customer number won't work are:

You are not using the correct number (don't use the license number.)
You are not using the correct files for the license under that account.
You are blocking cookies.

After entering the correct Customer Number, the upgrade wizard will begin. Press [Begin Upgrade] to begin.

The upgrader from this point is automatic. You will see the progress bar progress as it goes through the steps.

If the upgrade script needs to retrieve any information from you, it will stop and show a dialog box requesting the information. To proceed, simply follow the instructions on the screen.

During the upgrade process, you may opt to have a more detailed output view. You can view each step as it processes by clicking the "Show Details" button while the upgrade wizard is running. It will present you with a view like this:

Once the upgrade process is complete, you will be presented with a link to your Admin Control Panel.

Enter the Admin Control Panel to verify that your settings, content and other details are still correct.