... I need to understand how I can "mash" the old schema into a new db.
you cant.
You have the dump, thats good.
delete whats your on your site except for -- SAVE your wp-config.php and your current theme, and the plugins.
Upload the 2.0.2 files from a fresh zip
Go into phpmyadmin and import that dump.
Your blog will be back.
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Then, change to the default theme.
Then, disable all your plugins.
Then delete whats your on your site except for -- SAVE your wp-config.php and your plugins.
Then go download 2.1.3 and upload those files to your site, with the following exceptions:
You do not need to worry about any of the js stuff inside wp-includes.
They have no effect on the upgrade process
You also dont need any images
Just the core stuff ...
Then load wp-admin/upgrade.php in your browser
Then take a quick peek at your source to make sure you are upgraded to 2.1.3
Then delete whats your on your site except for -- SAVE your wp-config.php and your plugins.
Then go download 2.3.3 and upload those files to your site, with the following exceptions:
You do not need to worry about any of the js stuff inside wp-includes.
They have no effect on the upgrade process
You also dont need any images
Just upload the core stuff ...
Then load wp-admin/upgrade.php in your browser
Then take a quick peek at your source to make sure you are upgraded to 2.3.3
Then delete whats your on your site except for -- SAVE your wp-config.php and your plugins.
Then go download 2.6.3 and upload ALL of those files to your site. (Compare the new wp-config.sample.php to your old wp-config.php and make the necessary changes.)
Then load wp-admin/upgrade.php in your browser
Then youre done.
I have done that all in less than 15 minutes on yahoo server. Of course, I've done a lot of upgrades. Once you know the routine, it's very easy.
PS: I left out the yahoo specific bits about having to change db permissions and what-not to do upgrades on Yahoo only because you didnt have any problem with the last one that pointed to that being necessary.
What I've provided is full-proof (unless I typo'd and thats possible as I havent slept in quite a while). Youre version of WP wont play nice with a straight upgrade to 2.6.x
Go the incremental route.