Title: Install new instance on old database?
Last modified: August 21, 2016

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# Install new instance on old database?

 *  [cloudcomputingtopics](https://wordpress.org/support/users/cloudcomputingtopics/)
 * (@cloudcomputingtopics)
 * [12 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/install-new-instance-on-old-database/)
 * I am looking at changing the theme on my site, but it needs substantial work 
   and changes before it will replace the current theme. The idea is to install 
   a new wp instance under yourdomain.com/newtheme and copy the data from the current
   site to the “newtheme” instance.
 * The question is if I can use the same database when installing the new instance/
   theme as in the current site – and thereby populate all the data into the new
   theme?
 * What if I do any changes in the new theme (create new pages, insert new data 
   etc) – would it impact the database and thereby the current site?

Viewing 7 replies - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)

 *  [esmi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/esmi/)
 * (@esmi)
 * [12 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/install-new-instance-on-old-database/#post-4534469)
 * You can use the same database but you will need to re-install WordPress at the
   new location using db tables with a different prefix to the old site. You may
   also wish to review [Moving_WordPress](http://codex.wordpress.org/Moving_WordPress).
 *  Thread Starter [cloudcomputingtopics](https://wordpress.org/support/users/cloudcomputingtopics/)
 * (@cloudcomputingtopics)
 * [12 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/install-new-instance-on-old-database/#post-4534492)
 * I installed wp at a new location copying the same wp-config.php as in the main(
   current) site, except for editing/changing `$table_prefix`
 * WP installed without asking for any db details (assuming it used the details 
   already in the wp-config.php file (with the main db details already there).
 * However, going to the new site (subsite) if appears blank, no posts are visible
   from the old site (although using the same db). Did I miss something?
 *  Thread Starter [cloudcomputingtopics](https://wordpress.org/support/users/cloudcomputingtopics/)
 * (@cloudcomputingtopics)
 * [12 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/install-new-instance-on-old-database/#post-4534495)
 * It seems the new install (installed in the subdirectory of a main install, yourdomain.
   com/newinstance) created a new set of tables in the same db (as the main site).
 * The new tables have the new prefix set in the wp-config.php file (`$table_prefix`).
   Therefore, I assume, there is no data in the tables – it’s a new table set.
 * I probably want to use the same tables (populate the data) in the new instance
   as in the current main instance. Would that be possible by just changing `$table_prefix`
   to the same (wp_) as in the main instance?
 *  [esmi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/esmi/)
 * (@esmi)
 * [12 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/install-new-instance-on-old-database/#post-4534497)
 * No. You now have two sites that are, effectively, independent of one another.
 *  Thread Starter [cloudcomputingtopics](https://wordpress.org/support/users/cloudcomputingtopics/)
 * (@cloudcomputingtopics)
 * [12 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/install-new-instance-on-old-database/#post-4534499)
 * So how can I install a new instance that uses the same set of tables as the main
   site (populates the same data)?
 *  [esmi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/esmi/)
 * (@esmi)
 * [12 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/install-new-instance-on-old-database/#post-4534508)
 * See [Moving_WordPress](http://codex.wordpress.org/Moving_WordPress).
 *  Thread Starter [cloudcomputingtopics](https://wordpress.org/support/users/cloudcomputingtopics/)
 * (@cloudcomputingtopics)
 * [12 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/install-new-instance-on-old-database/#post-4534511)
 * Yes, but I am not going to move the domain name for now. I just want to create
   a copy of the current production site under a subdirectory (with the same data).
 * I then want to work on the new instance (change theme etc.) for a while and, 
   when ready, direct/dorward the current domain to the subdirectory (with the new
   instance)

Viewing 7 replies - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)

The topic ‘Install new instance on old database?’ is closed to new replies.

 * In: [Fixing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/how-to-and-troubleshooting/)
 * 7 replies
 * 2 participants
 * Last reply from: [cloudcomputingtopics](https://wordpress.org/support/users/cloudcomputingtopics/)
 * Last activity: [12 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/install-new-instance-on-old-database/#post-4534511)
 * Status: not resolved

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