Can I upgrade the database and still have the old version files work off the database?
Not likely, unless someone comes up with a custom script/plugin to do that. You do know that there have been many core WP tags which have been deprecated since 2.0 and that the plugins you used in 2.0 are not likely to work in 2.9 along with the database change.
there was a bit of customization so it will probably take longer to upgrade
Customizations to what? Theme and/or plugins and/or WP core?
I also don’t want to duplicate the site and work on that copy since I will lose any comments/posts while I do the upgrade and implementations.
I would suggest that you look at your logs for least amount of visitor activity for span of 2 hours or so for some days.
– You would have to upgrade to version 2.2 so you could export the XML with all the posts/comments/etc of your install.
– Create a free account at WordPress.com which is running 2.9 and import the XML file to your free account and compare posts/comments count with your new 2.2 install’s count in dashboard. Time also to check out 2.9 features.
– If all’s well, prepare for the upgrade of your site. Announce to users that the site will be down for two or three hours a day before the big upgrade. Download or create theme for new 2.9 version and list down plugins you want from WP plugin repo.
– At the start of the two- or three-hour window, upload the maintenance file, backup database as well as server files and folders including htaccess file, and export the XML file with latest posts/comments/etc.
– Drop WP tables in your database and delete WP files and folders EXCEPT wp-content folder.
– upload 2.9 files and folders with the wp-config.php set up with your database information. Run the install script, get your password and login.
– Import latest XML and you must check “include media/attachments” in the next panel.
– Upload/install theme, plugin/s and configure to taste
P.S. Delete your free WordPress.com account so no duplication of posts, among other things.
Thread Starter
devpaq
(@devpaq)
Thanks mercime,
I was hoping that the database structure itself only added tables/fields/columns with each version so it would be backward compatable.
Let me look for a quiet time and try your suggestion. When I had tried to do a direct upgrade it didn’t go smoothly.
