The proper way to move vBulletin to a different directory

[DCL FE]

Can anyone point me to a tutorial on this? I've looked and but can't find anything!

We installed bbPress (for WordPress) into the root of the domain. After realizing that bbPress has too many limitations we decided to purchase vBulletin and installed it in a directory ("forum"). After copying over (manually!) 350+ posts to vBulletin, WordPress has been booted out of the root of the domain and we're ready to move vBulletin in.

I would like this to go as smoothly as possible so any suggestions/guidance would be appreciated

[Wayne Luke]

If you're running vBulletin 5.0.4

1) Close your vBulletin. Admin CP -> Settings -> Options -> Turn your forum on or off.

2) Copy all your files to the new directory.

3) In the Admin CP, update your site urls under Settings -> Options -> Site Name / URL / Contact Details. There are three fields to update. Core URL, Base URL and Login URL.

4) Verify that the copied files are working in your new directory.

5) Delete the old files from your system.

If your running a version before 5.0.4

Upgrade to 5.0.4 and follow the above steps.

[Rob-H]

I was just getting ready to move my files from my "test" directory to a new directory and hit on this advice. Thank you.

[DCL FE]

THANK YOU very much

Everything went well except for the fact that the links are still using the old directory (it was installed in a directory named "forum"). Even when I remove "forum" from the url when trying to view a category/topic I still get a message that the page does not exist.

[Wayne Luke]

vBulletin will automatically add a /forum/ into the URL for forum content. If you're in a directory of /forum/ the url will be /forum/forum/etc...

Look above.

[DCL FE]

I appreciate the help.

I wish that I had used a different word when installing

But even so, I am still getting the same message, that the page does not exist.

http://www.dclfishextenders.com

BTW I have not yet removed the old files.

[DCL FE]

The problem was indeed the fact that I had not deleted the (old) directory named "forum"

[Wayne Luke]

This is a very old topic but since people are interacting with it via likes, I want to add a clarifying post for what can be done in 2022 after thousands (more than 15,000 actually) of updates to the software.

---

To move your forum to a new directory ---

1. Log into the AdminCP
2. Go to Settings → Options → Site URLS and Routing.
3. Update your site to the new path. (this will probably make your forum unavailable).
4. Save.
5. Move the entire vBulletin file system into the new path.
6. If you have directories named admincp, forum, blogs, articles, or groups in the new path delete them.
7. If necessary update the RewriteBase line in your .htaccess file. The instructions are in the file.

To get rid of any potential /forum/forum in the URL do this:

1. Go to the page/channel with /forum/forum in the URL.
2. Click "Edit Site."
3. Click "Edit Page."
4. Click "Save Page."
5. Edit the existing URL to remove forum/ from the beginning of the URL.
6. Finish saving the page.
7. Repeat for any other page/channel.