How Upgrading To WordPress 2.5 Goes Tits Up
I had a very long, rambling post for this. Actually, I still have it, I just unpublished it. Why? I very much doubt that you are that interested in what went wrong.
The basics? As short as possible…
This site is hosted via DreamHost, which offers one-click installs of WordPress. I have always used this method for installing WordPress on this domain. By doing this, I can also have the DreamHost bot do upgrades via another one-click process.
When WordPress 2.5 came out, I was eager to sink my teeth into it, and so did the usual upgrade via DreamHost.
What resulted was my site, neither the front or back end of WordPress, showing up or working. Something went astray somehow.
I ended up doing about six million installs of WordPress on another domain, a sub domain here, and locally on my computer (via one-click and manual installs).
However nothing got WordPress working fully functional as it should have been on this domain.
Then it came to me. When I’d installed WP on a sub domain, I’d actually created that sub domain specifically for such reason, rather than plonk it on some random pre-existing sub domain. I remembered skimming past on the page that the sub domain was PHP 5.2.(x). Hmm weird, I thought.
Considering my domain is coming up to two years, I felt sure it wasn’t that version of PHP. And it wasn’t. It was 4.4.(x). Ah. I said to myself. Is this the answer?
So I quickly updated this domain to 5.2, reinstalled WP 2.5 (first manually) and thankfully things worked perfectly! I decided I still trusted DreamHost’s bot, so reinstalled it via the one-click.
To this day I don’t understand what happened. WordPress doesn’t require this higher PHP version, so what did cause the stinky poops I don’t know.
The one unfortunate thing of upgrading via an ‘external program’ is that you can quite possibly be arrogant enough to not read the upgrade instructions or guidance notes. I certainly never did. I just went ahead and clicked ‘Upgrade’.
But from this experience, I’ve learned how important it is to backup your WordPress database before upgrading. To not do this, is pure ignorance, and sets you up for complete disaster that no one can pity you for, or help with.
Thankfully, I had backed up my database randomly the last time I did anything on this blog. DreamHost automatically backs up your files before upgrading, but I don’t believe it does anything with the database.
I realise this post is extremely non-descriptive in what exactly happened, but, hey, let’s just move on, and take joy in the fact everything is now working!
Thankfully, I am very happy with WordPress 2.5. Whilst I am aware some bloggers have issues with things, I have yet to find something that I dislike, or am not fond of. Perhaps all this hassle has left my judgement of WP 2.5 locked in a jar? Hmm. No bother!
Is this WP 2.5 or WP 2.5.1? I heard that more people had trouble upgrading their WP so I was kind of doubting whether or not to upgrade. But eventually I did and it went smoothly. But from the amount of people that I’ve heard complaining about the upgrading process so far, I guess something is off with the WP files?!
This post is regarding upgrading to WP 2.5.
Upgrading to WP 2.5.1 went fine (thankfully!).
Yeah, I’m not really sure what’s going on, whether it’s the WP files… or just the individual methods we each have for upgrading. Plus, server differences etc - although how that could cause problems I don’t know!
*brain asplosion*
IT”S AN EMZ!!!
Now that I’ve got that out of the way, When I upgraded to WP 2.5.1, my site exploded, but it was only the sidebar for me, and I didn’t have to do anything other than reupload some non-corrupted files from a different computer. I guess you got the poopier of the poopy luck? Sheesh, poor Emz.
That is really strange with it being the PHP version, though.
I’ve found 2.5 to be quite a nice upgrade myself. I think my favorite part is how SMEXY the admin panel is now. It was smooth and workable before, but now it’s…whoo!! XD
Welcome back to the world of websites! =D
*Emz waves*
Yeeah I know… I’ve been doing website stuff for over a month in anticipation of getting back into it, then on Friday I was just like… meh, open it already. Even though I haven’t even done everything I wanted to do whilst it was closed/locked I’ll still do it all at some point.
Hmm, that’s weird about your sidebar exploding! Must have been one particular PHP query in the code? Bah, I don’t know - I don’t know things like that!
I know what you mean - the admin for WP 2.5 makes me drool whenever I see it! It’s so awwshum!
Any who I will be posting about what I’ve (not) been doing since oh… what, October?! Just not quite completed it yet!
Good seeing ya girlie! I will be getting back into visiting and comment-whoring your site (don’t worry!) just a little short on time (like that’s new!) these days.
*shocked*
Emz just realised Mari didn’t speak in third person! :-/
Lulz, yeah. The third person has been getting on my nerves, so I’ve been restricting it to Mt only. Heck, even my newest blog on Mt is in first person.
And yeah, it was just the widgets.php file that was screwed up (it must have been corrupted, I blame the stupid NetNanny on my school laptop), thus making my blogroll not display, and thus screwing the layout majorly.
XOMG did you see the admin color scheming plugin yet? I’s has to get that one.
We’re all short on time, ne? End of the school year for some of us and the beginning for others.
Oh no! I’ve always loved the third-personness! It was truly unique! But I can understand if you feel the need for a ‘change’.
Ah, I’ve only just discovered the joy of widgets, but I’m sure the file for it [the code] is mega confusing. Of all the things to ‘break’!
Yes! I have seen that plugin! Although I don’t want to start changing things just yet, I’ll wait until I’m fully bored of the current look!
Aye, no one seems to have time anymore! Maybe we should all grow the herb and see what happens?!
I run both a Dreamhost and Hostgator server. I recently changed over to HG due to all of DH’s down time. I had a bunch of server problems for a month.
I’ve been with DH for two years though. The great thing about them is that they back up your files. I’ve messed up my site so many times. Its nice they keep backups for you. I would have been in a mess a few times if it wasn’t for that awesome feature.