Hi there.
As the tittle says above I have to move my website to another hosting company.
The matter is that I haven’t done this again in my life so I need a step by step guide on how to do so.
I have my full backup and also available a plugin that can supposedly migrate automatically the current snapshot of my website from one server to another.
Now most hosting companies offer an one click installation of the latest version of wordpress.
What would it be easier to do?
To install the one click wordpress, switch it to the latest version of CP and then upload my backup OR just upload the CP backup on the installed wordpress?
Or just copy the latest snapshot from the one server to the other?
I’m asking as I want to avoid to edit manually any WP configuration files ( which I’m more than sure that I will mess them up!! ha ha).
Can you advice me please on how to do the migration?
I usually prefer to just copy the files and database and manually input them. If you want to minimize your own interaction with the wp-config.php file you can copy the wp-config.php file from the current install of wp on the new hoster and upload that to your ftp once youve installed all your old back-up files and put the old database into the new host’s database. To replace the database effectively and make this trick work, you should empty the database of the standard install and import your back-up database into the same place. This way you don’t have to change the new install wp-config.php.
I hope this is clear enough, if not, feel free to ask more detail.
Recently I tested WPVivid backup plugin Migration, Backup, Staging – WPvivid – WordPress plugin | WordPress.org and successfully migrated a CP site to the different location, even different domain. The nice thing is that this plugin allows migration from one site to another directly, without downloading. Just install a CP and WPVivid plugin, copy-paste token and wait.
Of course, it is a good idea to test on a development (staging) environment at first.
I would avoid going down that road if you have the choice to install CP by FTP. It will only cause you problems later on.
Moving hosts is not a pleasant task and there are quite a few steps involved. I’m sure you will get plenty of ideas on the best way to restore/move your site, but I’m just suggesting you don’t use the one-click installer.
When I switched my WP to CP I did it with the plugin on the existing installation.
My thought now is ( and correct me if I am wrong) that in order to move the current CP backup to another place then I should have an empty CP installation that I will overwrite it or replace it with my files or something of that ilk.
OR this isn’t needed and by simply copying the whole backup, ( the CP configuration and the database) on the new place and setup the new dns etc this will give me a workable website?
Which of these two is easier and less technically challenging to do.
My back up is just 370 mb along with the database.
It is the epitome of minimalism.
It might be simpler to just insert your whole back up. That will work if it is the same URL. Well excepting the wp-config, if you replace the wp-config of your backup with the one from the automatically installed one, you dont have to go into the file to connect it with your new database.
What do you mean when you talk about staging environment. The hosting package that I have in mind to purchase is one of these below. Any of the first two probably covers my hosting needs.
This option of the plugin seems even easier as I don’t want and actually I’m not sure if I’m skillful enough to make any kind of manual editing on any kind of files.
I just want to have a ready made website with minimal if that is possible maintenance in order to focus on my work. I assume that the server’s security issues rely on the hosting company.
The server that I currently hosting it has some security problems so I intend to move my website immediately before things start getting worst.
So will the plugin that LinasSimonis suggested above do he job?
If I understood correct this connects and copies the files from tth one server to the other. ( or something similar). I haven’t installed yet, I’ll do so as soon as I’ll purchase the new hosting service.
If I can move it by copying the bakcup automatically or manually from the one server to the other then I will definitely avoid to mess up with WP again.
What I’m afraid the most is that Gutenberg will mess up my website’s posts and pages layout.I don’t want to deal with Gutenberg at all as my website is currently as I want it to be and look like.
So would you advise me to pay for one month and then renew if I’m satisfied the hosting package or purchase a whole year and ask for refund if I don’t like their service?
How does this wpsandbox work? Does this check out my back up and how does it do this? How this under construction page plugin exactly works?
And how will I be able to know that whatever installation will make in wpsandbox will work the same on the server that I intent to move in?
The backup that I have now is the latest snapshot of my website as it is now and it seems to work just fine by its own, putting aside the server problems.
Would you suggest another hosting company? I’m looking for something affordable as I don’t want to host anything other than my personal website. Artists are poor people as it is well known…
One month, unless you are 100% sure that it fits your needs.
You don’t. But it is a good place to test WPvivid and practice migration. And wpsandbox is a good free environment for that.
There are no miracles in Hosting, you get what you pay for, I didn’t tried Hetzner, but chances are that they are on the better side. Just test for one month and see what happens.
I thought I’d wait and see how this thread unfolded, which is why I only focused on the one-click installer issue.
For those who are used to moving sites around, it is quite easy, because we know what to do. But for someone who has never had to move a site from one host to another, there are lots of traps as we know.
I think we need to keep in mind that we need to keep any instructions simple, other wise Marialena will get hopelessly confused.
Unfortunately it’s nearly midnight here, so I’m about to log off.
Also, I do everything manually and have never used a script to do the move, so I can’t help there anyway.
Adn if it doesn’t work then I’ll have to move somewhere else…
Now I see why you are all so experienced on moving websites… lol
Repetition is the mother of knowledge…ha ha haaaaaaaaa
Sleep tight. I will not lose the plot as I will not attempt to do anything before I’m sure that have at least a slight idea of what I’m attempting to do.
I’m open to alternative hosting suggestions.I would be grateful if you could suggest to me a company that you have tested and you are trusting it because I’m going in blind on this matter as well. ( how nice!! )
Whether or not you choose the best host first off, is not important. You can always choose another. What you need to know and be clear about is, what steps are necessary to do the move.
That way, you can move it around until you find a good host if necessary
That is what I’m trying to figure out. I haven’t done this before but if I do it once succesfully then I’ll be able to repeat it.
Don’t forget that I didn’t know how to setup and design websites before making the one that I have now…
I 've read all the f manuals existed online in order to setup this one. I’m not asking because the manuals don’t actually help. I’m asking because I can save some time by asking instead of reading everything and trying to figure out what it will work and what it won’t.
Anyway… I assume that by keeping my wesite as minimal as possible I’ve already did a great favour to myself as it is easier to have to upload multiple times 370 mb than having to upload multiple GB each and every time.
It is a pity that it doesn’t exist th option of hosting websites on a usb stick! ha ha ha…It would have been very convenient!! lol
The easiest way to move to another host is to have the new host move the site for you! Good hosts will do this for free. I use Lightning Base, for example, and they certainly will.
Alternatively, I’d suggest using the All-in-One WP Migration plugin. Install it on your current site, and use it to create a file to download. Then go to your new host, use the one-click installer to create a new site, and then install the plugin on that site too. Then use the plugin to upload the file you previously downloaded from the old site.
It sounds like the plugin that @LinasSimonis suggested does much the same thing but skips the need to download and upload files. I haven’t used it, but it sounds like it will work too.
