[Forum] Upgrading to 4.1.8

[gajinoz]

I'm trying to come to grips with how this upgrade process works.

Apparently I have to upload the entire upload folder, minus install.php, and then run upgrade.php

OK, no problem there but what actually happens? Does it copy the newer files to my existing 4.1.7 file structure or what? Do I delete the upload folder after that? I've never done an upgrade before so could somebody explain to me how this works please. The directions in the downloaded zip file were not that great.

Thanks.

[Trevor Hannant]

Upload the contents of the upload folder (except install/install.php and includes/config.php.new) to your forum root directory, overwriting all the files currently there. Then run the upgrade script.

[BirdOPrey5]

Not to make this more confusing but you may also want to exlcude your /images/smilies/ directory from the upload as people often customize the smilies and you don't want to overwrite your existing smilies with the default vBulletin ones.

On the plus side you don't really have to worry about install.php or config.php.new. Although it is best to remove them the forum will remind you to delete install.php if you haven't and config.php.new isn't any type of risk, it's just uncessary- not the end of the world if you upload it.

[gajinoz]

Upload the contents of the upload folder (except install/install.php and includes/config.php.new) to your forum root directory, overwriting all the files currently there. Then run the upgrade script.

OK, great, but let me make sure I'm absolutely clear on this. I have to overwrite every file I currently have with the files in the 4.1.8 software I downloaded, right?

If I do that, what happens to the files I have modified? For example, I have tapatalk installed and also viglink. I have also changed the forum logo and a couple of minor things like the background colour of announcements. If I overwrite everything, won't all these changes disappear and I'll have to do them all again?

[lgpaul]

Upgrading to 4.1.8

Tapatalk and other plugins have separate directorys. You're safe there! If you changed the logo and didn't change thr name... then do not upload vbulletin logo and your one will stay the same.

[gajinoz]

This sounds like a poor upgrade process to be honest. Overwriting every single file just to upgrade some! Even phpbb had a better system. Frankly I'm not going to bother, I really don't feel like redoing stuff again just for a small upgrade. I think I'll just stick with what I have.

Thanks to those who offered info.

[BirdOPrey5]

Actually it is a good system it insures everyone has correct, unmodified, up-to-date files.

If you modify an image you should create a new filename for it, not overwrite the original.

That said even if you did overwrite the original images you can choose to download the zip file without any images from the customer area, so you can still safely use that.

As was said 3rd party add-ons have their own files. Overwriting just the vBulletin files will not hurt your 3rd party add-on files.

The only problem is the rare occasion when a mod requires you to modify an original vBulletin file. I have over 100 mods on my forum and only 2 ever required me to make a manual file edit. On each upgrade I have to remake this edit- it is unavoidable, short of not using those particular mods.

Staying on an old version of vBulletin is an invitation for problems and security issues. I hope for your sake you have daily backups, which is good practice anyway.

We all made mistakes over the years with our forum- it is far better to adapt to the right way of doing things now even if it means a little extra effort, then to try to bend the entire forum owning process to "your way" by ignoring updates and upgrades because it seems like too much work. If you think this is a lot of work, what do you think getting hacked would be?

[Paul M]

This sounds like a poor upgrade process to be honest. Overwriting every single file just to upgrade some! Even phpbb had a better system. Frankly I'm not going to bother, I really don't feel like redoing stuff again just for a small upgrade. I think I'll just stick with what I have.

Thanks to those who offered info.

Its a perfectly good and sensible system that makes sure you have all the correct files. Its worked well for 11 years and is used by the vast majority of forum software.