Migrate to subdomain

[PhilippaParticipant]

Hi.

I have started using UpdraftPlus having used BackupBuddy for many years, and am really struggling to get my head around UpdraftPlus functions.

I am trying to create a dev/sandbox site on a subdomain (sandbox.***********.co.uk/). I’ve gone through the steps found here: https://updraftplus.com/faqs/how-do-i-migrate-to-a-new-site-location/ up to Step 3, but am concerned about what will happen when I proceed to ‘Restore’ the files, specifically regarding the database. I have created a new empty database with user, but how does updraftPlus ‘know’ to port the ‘migrated’ data into that newly created database, and not the old (read: live site’s database)? I’m not saying it won’t do it, but the instructions are not at all clear on this point.

So apart from assistance on ensuring the migration is a smooth/successful one, can I ask why UpdraftPlus have opted for a seemingly more complicated procedure i.e. with BackupBuddy, to migrate a site:

Everything is zipped up into one file, and is downloaded with an additional importbuddy.php file
A new DB and user is created via cPanel (or similar) on destination server (in this case a subdomain on the same server)
The backup zip and importbuddy.php file is uploaded via ftp to the subdomain directory
The user navigates to the import.php file in a browser e.g. dev.mysite.com/importbuddy.php
Goes through 4-5 very simple steps, which include providing the new db details
And done!

Now, I know you are probably very aware of how BackupBuddy works, so the only reason I’ve listed their steps is to show what I think is a strong contrast to the process I’ve found with UpdraftPlus i.e.

Creating lots of individual zip files,
downloading all of those (hoping that everything needed has, in fact, been zipped e.g. additional image folders outside wp-content if used for the site),
Creating a new DB & user
Installing WordPress,
Installing UpDraftPlus,
Enabling Addons,
Upload all of those individual files
Start ‘Restore’ process

On paper, UpdraftPlus seems like a great alternative to BackupBuddy and I like a lot of the granular control for general use, but migration seems rather complicated, though perhaps it’s not as complicated as it seems to me. If it’s not, hopefully you can help set me straight.

Thanks,
David

[udadminKeymaster]

Hi Philippa,

I have created a new empty database with user, but how does updraftPlus ‘know’ to port the ‘migrated’ data into that newly created database, and not the old (read: live site’s database)?

UpdraftPlus imports the database into the WordPress site *that you are running the restore operation on*. It knows which database the WordPress site it is installed on is using.

i.e. To clone a site, you do this:
1) Install WordPress – using the 1-click WordPress installer in your web hosting panel, if they provide one (most do).
2) Install UpdraftPlus
3) Upload the backup set.
3) Hit the ‘Restore’ buttons and choose your options. UpdraftPlus then restores your backup set *into that site which you’re working on*.

One advantage of working _inside_ WordPress like this (rather than having a separate installer, like BackupBuddy), is that you can then do it again with an updated backup set. You don’t have to destroy the site and recreate it from scratch, repeating all the steps, just to import some minor amends.
Having said that – I have never purchased or used BackupBuddy to clone a site, so you should not assume I am at all familiar with it!

Best wishes,
David

[PhilippaParticipant]

Thanks for the speedy reply and clarifying the db query. Much appreciated!

Personally, I wouldn’t advise using the 1-click install. Not to protract that point, but this link covers some of the ‘why nots’ reasonably well: https://www.komku.org/2013/10/why-wordpress-manual-installation-is-better.html.

Re the number of zip files needed to be created for the migration process. Perhaps, you might consider including a “Back up for migration” option, which would back up everything, for ease of creating a clone elsewhere.

Sorry for my presumption about you having familiarity with BackupBuddy, though I did qualify my presumption with ‘probably’ ;). It seemed reasonable that at some point you may have wanted to see what the competition are doing, so didn’t want to come across as patronizing you when I was overviewing how their set up works.That’s all.

Thanks again for the help.

[udadminKeymaster]

Hi Philippa,

Re the number of zip files needed to be created for the migration process.

It’s not necessary to download and then upload any zips. Instead, send them to Dropbox (or Google Drive, etc.). Then, on the destination site, connect it to the same Dropbox, and then click the “Rescan remote storage” link in the “Restore” tab. It will then detect the backup, and you can restore from there. That way, you never even see the zips. (I think the migration guide needs modifying to add this tip – I think it’s not there at the moment).

That’s another bonus over BB, I think – it can be a bit slow and tedious to download and upload even one zip, if it’s a really bio site and you’re on asymmetric DSL.

Best wishes,
David

[udadminKeymaster]

P.S. Even better, if your destination site is reachable via FTP from the source site, then you can configure the FTP storage method to send the backup to the wp-content/updraft folder on the destination. When backup is complete, just click “Rescan local storage” on the destination.

[PhilippaParticipant]

Thanks for the suggestions. That’ll be useful in future.

So, I’m almost there, I’m afraid I’ve hit another point of confusion.

I’ve uploaded all of the files to the sandbox install, and started the ‘Restore’ process, but as the system is preparing the backup file, I get the following error:

“Error: Decryption failed. The database file is encrypted, but you have no encryption key entered.”

Now, I did encrypt the database at the start of this process so am not surprised to learn it’s encrypted, but have no idea how to decrypt it to complete the Restore process, and the link here: https://updraftplus.com/faqs/i-encrypted-my-database-how-do-i-decrypt-it/ doesn’t seem to provide me with a solution i.e. I’ve uploaded the encrypted database, but see no way of decrypting it in order to start/complete the restore process.

Thanks.

[udadminKeymaster]

Hi Philippa,

the link here: https://updraftplus.com/faqs/i-encrypted-my-database-how-do-i-decrypt-it/ doesn’t seem to provide me with a solution

Can you explain a bit more what’s not clear to you? All you need to do is type in the encryption key that you used, and save the settings… and then the restore process will be able to decrypt it using that key.

David

[PhilippaParticipant]

It’s not that it’s not clear, it’s that after I click ‘Restore’, I get the following message:

“Error: Decryption failed. The database file is encrypted, but you have no encryption key entered.”

with no way (that I can see) of decrypting it. I have been ‘wrongly’ assuming that restoring process would give me an option of decrypting the db.

That said, after looking more thoroughly, see a text link in ‘Settings’, that when clicked opens the section screen-cap’d here: https://updraftplus.com/faqs/i-encrypted-my-database-how-do-i-decrypt-it/. So, while that’s great, the instructions don’t mention that, so I was looking for the drag/drop panel, not a fairly discreet text link. Perhaps you could mention that text link in the instructions.

Additionally, would it not be useful to decrypt the db during the restore process? It’s a bit long-winded to upload all of the files in one section, except the db which has to be uploaded in another section, decrypted, downloaded, then reuploaded a second time to be ‘Restored’.

Regardless of all of that, having now uploaded the db to the decryption panel, I am now having issues decrypting it. I am using the exact same encryption phrase used to encrypt it (I’m copy/pasting it from a text doc stored locally), but am getting the following when trying to decrypt it:

Decryption failed. The most likely cause is that you used the wrong key. The decryption key used: ****

The * represent the first 4 chars of the phrase, and this is all that is shown in the above message, which is odd as the phrase inputted is 18 char long.

Any ideas?

[udadminKeymaster]

Hi Philippa,

You don’t need to upload the backup, decrypt it and then download it again. The article describes 3 alternative methods of decrypting your database. If you’re using your database in a restore or migration, then the first sentence of the article applies: “If you have the encryption key (which you entered in your settings) and you are restoring from the settings interface, then it will automatically decrypt.”

So, please try that method, and see what happens. Remember to save your settings after entering the key.

David

[PhilippaParticipant]

…the first sentence of the article applies: “If you have the encryption key (which you entered in your settings) and you are restoring from the settings interface, then it will automatically decrypt.”

Well, it doesn’t automatically decrypt. I’ve already pointed that out previously:

I’ve uploaded all of the files to the sandbox install, and started the ‘Restore’ process, but as the system is preparing the backup file, I get the following error:

“Error: Decryption failed. The database file is encrypted, but you have no encryption key entered.”

This is what lead me to try another route, which has left me with the odd issue of a truncated encryption phrase (showing only 4 chars in the message below instead of the 18 in the actual passphrase:

Decryption failed. The most likely cause is that you used the wrong key. The decryption key used: ****

So, if you could help me figure out why I’m not able to automatically decrypt the db, the second issue of the truncated encryption phrase is, -whilst important-, secondary to the issue at hand.

However, aside from all of the above, I have gone ahead with a non-encrypted backup db, and everything looked like it was going well except for the following:

1. I got a fatal error because the WordPress memory was set at 256M. I resolved this via increasing the allocated memory in a .user.ini file, so only a momentary hurdle, but…

2. I was missing a folder in the backups found here: /home/*******/public_html/images/, even though I added it in the “Any other directory on your server that you wish to back up” section. I moved it manually, but would like to know why it did not get included in the backups.

3. The db has not had the urls replaced in the migration/restoration. They are still that of the ‘original’ site. So, it look like I am going to have to do a search and replace myself, which more than somewhat defeats the point of the migration facility I bought.

Thanks.

[udadminKeymaster]

Hi Philippa,

For the decryption issues, if you set up a fresh WP install on the same hosting environment, upload the backup set and send me login details and the decryption key (to contact at updraftplus.com), I can take a look at those issues.

2. I was missing a folder in the backups found here: /home/*******/public_html/images/, even though I added it in the “Any other directory on your server that you wish to back up” section. I moved it manually, but would like to know why it did not get included in the backups.

With bespoke directories, they are backed up – but there is no magic way for the destination side to know where in the hierarchy on the destination the folder should be placed. So, you have to unpack it manually.
However, if your website is in /home/*******/public_html (??) and the bespoke folder is in /home/*******/public_html, then instead you should use the “WordPress core (including any additions to your WordPress root directory)” option instead of the “Any other directory on your server that you wish to back up” option. The “Any other directory on your server that you wish to back up” meant is really meant as an extra option to backup folders that aren’t part of your WP site (some customers don’t want to use a different backup solution for such things).

3. The db has not had the urls replaced in the migration/restoration. They are still that of the ‘original’ site. So, it look like I am going to have to do a search and replace myself, which more than somewhat defeats the point of the migration facility I bought.

Please can you post the migration log? There should have been a notice at the top of the migration screen when you migrated saying that this log is necessary for us to know what happened, together with a link to the log to allow you to download it – did you see that? If not, and if you’ve now moved away from that screen so that you can’t see the link anymore, then you can get it from the destination site in wp-content/updraft via FTP.

Best wishes,
David

[PhilippaParticipant]

if your website is in /home/*******/public_html (??) and the bespoke folder is in /home/*******/public_html, then instead you should use the “WordPress core (including any additions to your WordPress root directory)” option

I should have said, I already tried that option. The folder in question is an ‘images’ directory located within public_html, but outside wp-content

And as far as wanting anything to be done ‘magically’, well, all I can say to that, is the guys at iThemes (Backupbuddy), manage to do it just fine. No magic wands required. ;)

I’m not sure why you’ve add the ‘(??)’. In case it’s causing confusion, and you for some reason, think the site is above the public_html directory, it’s not. The ******* are just me obfuscating sensitive information related to my server account hierarchy, I’d rather not post publicly. Everything: live sit and sandbox site are within the public_html directory.

How would you like me to provide you with the log/s data? I’d rather not posted the content in the forum.

Thanks,
David

[udadminKeymaster]

Hi Philippa,

I should have said, I already tried that option. The folder in question is an ‘images’ directory located within public_html, but outside wp-content

Why do you mention wp-content? I wasn’t referring to the option “Any other directories found inside wp-content”. The one I think you should be using is “WordPress core (including any additions to your WordPress root directory)”.

i.e. There are three option:
1) WordPress core (including any additions to your WordPress root directory)
2) Any other directories found inside wp-content
3) Any other directory on your server that you wish to back up

You are currently trying 3). Your reply seems to reference 2). I was directing you to attempt 1) (when you do so, you will probably want to exclude the directory of any other site that’s in the same public_html directory, using the exclusion options).

However, I’m still not clear on the bit I added the question marks for. The question is as to whether the images folder is in the same folder as WordPress core is in, or if in a parent folder. If the same, then you can use the method I’ve indicated. If it’s a parent folder of WordPress, then you’ll need to unzip and upload manually.

You can send logs using the support form: https://updraftplus.com/paid-support-requests/

Best wishes,
David

[PhilippaParticipant]

No, I am not trying option 2. I am aware of the option you are suggesting. I’m simply trying to provide you as much information as I can, so these issues can be resolved before I hit old age.

I appreciate your assistance up to this point, -albeit it unnecessarily ‘testy’ at points-, but we have been back and forth for 13 messages, and we’re not really any further forward.

UpDraftPlus might work for some, and has the potential to be a really good plugin, but based on my experience with it, and years of working the WordPress, using other backup plugins, it’s not a viable back up option for me. I would appreciate if you refunded my purchase, as I won’t be using your plugin any further.

Thanks.

[udadminKeymaster]

Hi Philippa,

I would appreciate if you refunded my purchase, as I won’t be using your plugin any further.

Like BackupBuddy (https://ithemes.com/frequently-asked-questions/), we don’t have a non-questions-asked refund policy (https://updraftplus.com/faqs/what-is-your-refund-policy/). I do need to be able to verify the problems you’ve had directly before I can consider a refund (which, as the terms of sale say, is at our discretion). For this, I need the information requested above (specifically your backup and migration logs), so that I can verify whether the issues are previously unknown bugs (which I can then fix) or not. I appreciate that you’ll probably wish that we did have a no-questions refund policy, but I hope you’ll similarly appreciate the terms of sale which form the agreement between us, as this allows us to give the best, sustainable service to all our customers.

Best wishes,
David

[Author]

Posts