Dreamhost provides a simple install and upgrade process for several popular software packages, including WordPress, phpBB, Advanced Poll, ZenCart, MediaWiki, Joomla, Gallery, and WebCalendar. If you follow their instructions, it works pretty well.
When One-Click Loses You
Unfortunately, the system provides no way to make One-Click aware of installations that it did not originally perform. For example, if you manually installed WordPress or installed it with One-Click but moved it from its original location, all upgrades must be performed manually.
Such was the case with bweaver.net. WordPress was originally installed via One-Click into bweaver.net/wp, but I decided to move it up to the domain root and manually moved the files and tweaked the database table wp_options and all was well. Except that I could no longer upgrade via the One-Click interface.
To get things back essentially requires a reinstall. This article describes getting bweaver.net and its data back into One-Click, though much of it can be applied to moving a WordPress installation and data to another location. There may be easier or safer methods, and your mileage may vary, and be careful to back things up, and all that.
The Process
This will involve backing up the files and database, removing the files and database, using DreamHost’s One-Click process to install WordPress 2.2 fresh, then restoring the themes, plugins, options, and data.
Briefly
- Back up your files, database, export WP XML file, and record your options
- Drop the WordPress DB tables and delete files in the target directory
- One-Click Install Wordpress using the now-empty database
- Restore WP XML file, themes, plugins, images, and options as needed
Step 1 - Back Up
Back up files, especially anything added or modified. This includes themes, plugins, and custom files, widgets, images, etc. I used FileZilla to ftp the files to a backup location.
Back up the database. I used phpMyAdmin and exported all wp_ tables into SQL, then saved the SQL in a backup file. I checked the option to “Add DROP TABLE” and selected all the tables. If something went wrong, I’d have this backup.
Export WordPress data into an XML file. In the WordPress admin interface, under Manage there is an Export tab. It generates an XML file that be imported when you get things re-installed.
I recommend making a note of your options and which plugins are activated. You can recreate them via SQL later, but it might be easier to simply set them by hand. I chose to set them by hand.
Step 2 - Delete
Delete the files from the website directory. One-Click will not perform an installation into a directory that has any files. Make sure you delete any hidden files, such as .htaccess.
Drop the WP database tables. I did this in phpMyAdmin.
Step 3 - One-Click Install
Install WordPress via the Dreamhost One-Click process, pointing the new WP installation to the old, now-empty, database. This takes a couple minutes, but give it five or ten.
Step 4 - Restore
Restore missing files. Upload the required plugins, themes, images, and other files that you will need. This might include javascript or other custom files.
Enable your plugins and select your theme.
Set the options as needed.
Gotchas
If you have other tables that are created by plugins or other code, you will have to manually restore them. For example, I had to manually restore the wp_slim_stats table created by the WP-SlimStats plugin.
Finally
After all that, bweaver.net is now back in One-Click and future WordPress upgrades should be much simpler to manage.
