Are you sure you want to upgrade?
Are you sure you want to upgrade?
Upgrading to the newest version of stable software seems like a good idea, especially since phpBB2 is no longer being supported. There are however a few things you need to consider first.
If you are running a vanilla forum, there really isn't much you need to worry about. Sure you have to get use to a new admin interface, but the improved features make it worth your time. But if you are running a heavily modded forum you have more to think about.
You might want to read up and see if there are new phpBB3 versions of your mods available or if you can no longer run them. The same is true for the theme you might be running. See if there is a new version available, or if you are willing to switch to a different one.
Still want to install? Ok let's get started!
Download and Upload
The first thing you need to do is download the latest version of phpBB3 from their website. Make sure you are downloading from the official phpBB website, so you know you're getting a clean copy.
Next you need to upload it to your website. Make a separate folder for this, do not upload it in the same folder as your current forum. So, for example, if your current forum is at www.yoursite.com/phpbb2 you should upload this to www.yoursite.com/phpbb3.
Your phpBB2 can still be running at this time.
Install phpBB3
Create a new database for your phpBB3. Once this is done you can start the install process by directing your browser to www.yoursite.com/phpBB3/install/ (or whatever folder you uploaded it to.) You will be asked a series of questions about the database login, and the default admin user you wish to create. If this information is correct, phpBB3 will be installed.
Once the phpBB3 is setup you will be congratulated and told you need to delete the /install folder to use the forum.
DO NOT delete your install folder yet! We still need this for the next step, importing your phpBB2's information.
While you are still at www.yoursite.com/phpBB3/install/ you will see a tab at the top that reads "CONVERT". Click this tab. Below you will see phpBB 2.0.x as a default option, and to the right of it, you again need to click the "Convert" link.
You will now be asked about information to access the database of your old phpBB2 forum. If you aren't sure about some of this information it's very easy to find.
FTP into the folder where your phpBB2 is held and look for a file called config.php. This is a plain text file that you can read which has all the information that the convertor asks for.
You will also want to disable your phpBB2 from the admin control panel at this time, so that posts and accounts aren't being created while the transfer is taking place.
When ready click the "Begin Conversion" button.
Depending on the size and age of your forum, you could be taken though quite a few screens taking a fair amount of time, or you could be done very quickly. Just keep hitting the "Continue Conversion" button until it is fully converted. If for some reason you do not have time to finish it, you will have the option to "Continue Conversion" on the "CONVERT" tab when you next return.
If you are having problems with it timing out, sometimes resulting in an "Internal Server Error" you can try this trick:
Put the following line at the top of install_convert.php
set_time_limit(40);
Once the conversion has finished you can re-enable your phpBB2 if you want to keep it up for any reason. You need to delete (or move or rename) the /install folder in your phpBB3's directory before it is usable. Your new phpBB3 should now have all your old users and posts setup. You can login using your new phpBB3 admin information that you setup, or using your old phpBB2 admin information. You will need to re-enable your forum since we disabled your phpBB2 and then transfered over this setting.
The search feature will not work on your new forum right away.
To create a new search index go to the Administration Control Panel, select Maintenance and then choose Search index from the submenu.
Congratulations on your transition to phpBB3 and have fun setting up and playing with all the new features!
Upgrading to the newest version of stable software seems like a good idea, especially since phpBB2 is no longer being supported. There are however a few things you need to consider first.
If you are running a vanilla forum, there really isn't much you need to worry about. Sure you have to get use to a new admin interface, but the improved features make it worth your time. But if you are running a heavily modded forum you have more to think about.
You might want to read up and see if there are new phpBB3 versions of your mods available or if you can no longer run them. The same is true for the theme you might be running. See if there is a new version available, or if you are willing to switch to a different one.
Still want to install? Ok let's get started!
Download and Upload
The first thing you need to do is download the latest version of phpBB3 from their website. Make sure you are downloading from the official phpBB website, so you know you're getting a clean copy.
Next you need to upload it to your website. Make a separate folder for this, do not upload it in the same folder as your current forum. So, for example, if your current forum is at www.yoursite.com/phpbb2 you should upload this to www.yoursite.com/phpbb3.
Your phpBB2 can still be running at this time.
Install phpBB3
Create a new database for your phpBB3. Once this is done you can start the install process by directing your browser to www.yoursite.com/phpBB3/install/ (or whatever folder you uploaded it to.) You will be asked a series of questions about the database login, and the default admin user you wish to create. If this information is correct, phpBB3 will be installed.
Once the phpBB3 is setup you will be congratulated and told you need to delete the /install folder to use the forum.
DO NOT delete your install folder yet! We still need this for the next step, importing your phpBB2's information.
While you are still at www.yoursite.com/phpBB3/install/ you will see a tab at the top that reads "CONVERT". Click this tab. Below you will see phpBB 2.0.x as a default option, and to the right of it, you again need to click the "Convert" link.
You will now be asked about information to access the database of your old phpBB2 forum. If you aren't sure about some of this information it's very easy to find.
FTP into the folder where your phpBB2 is held and look for a file called config.php. This is a plain text file that you can read which has all the information that the convertor asks for.
You will also want to disable your phpBB2 from the admin control panel at this time, so that posts and accounts aren't being created while the transfer is taking place.
When ready click the "Begin Conversion" button.
Depending on the size and age of your forum, you could be taken though quite a few screens taking a fair amount of time, or you could be done very quickly. Just keep hitting the "Continue Conversion" button until it is fully converted. If for some reason you do not have time to finish it, you will have the option to "Continue Conversion" on the "CONVERT" tab when you next return.
If you are having problems with it timing out, sometimes resulting in an "Internal Server Error" you can try this trick:
Put the following line at the top of install_convert.php
set_time_limit(40);
Once the conversion has finished you can re-enable your phpBB2 if you want to keep it up for any reason. You need to delete (or move or rename) the /install folder in your phpBB3's directory before it is usable. Your new phpBB3 should now have all your old users and posts setup. You can login using your new phpBB3 admin information that you setup, or using your old phpBB2 admin information. You will need to re-enable your forum since we disabled your phpBB2 and then transfered over this setting.
The search feature will not work on your new forum right away.
To create a new search index go to the Administration Control Panel, select Maintenance and then choose Search index from the submenu.
Congratulations on your transition to phpBB3 and have fun setting up and playing with all the new features!
